For those of you hungry for some Pumpkin Pasties, Butterbeer and Chocolate Frogs ahead of HBO’s Harry Potter’s adaptation, Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking has become a surprise hit — Wingardium Leviosa-ing up to #9 worldwide across streaming charts and enchanting both fans and food lovers alike.
The series — which airs on Food Network and streams globally through HBO platforms — whisks together the nostalgia of J.K. Rowling’s beloved universe with the cozy, high-stakes energy of a competition show. Hosted by James and Oliver Phelps, the real-life twins who played Fred and George Weasley in all eight Harry Potter films, Wizards of Baking is a sweet addition to the franchise that fans didn’t know they needed.
The show begins with nine teams of talented bakers — each paired through the Floo Network in true Wizarding World fashion — tasked with creating fantastical desserts inspired by iconic scenes and locations from the films. Their first challenge? A towering two-foot edible sculpture depicting a memorable moment from Harry Potter. Only six teams earned their ticket aboard the Hogwarts Express for episode two.
Judges Carla Hall and Jozef Youssef are there to grade the bakers on their flavors and flair, while it also includes celebrity guest judges from the franchise — including Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), and Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick). And for those of you who dig “how on Earth is that a cake?” type shows, many of the cast features in the Netflix hit Is It Cake?
The show is shot at Warner Bros. Studios in the U.K., the production is steeped in nostalgia. From props like the Hogwarts Express and the Fat Lady portrait to intercut clips from the original films, the show doubles as both a cooking competition and a love letter to the cinematic world that raised a generation.
What Else Is Happening with Harry Potter?
Meanwhile, anticipation continues to build for the upcoming HBO Harry Potter scripted series, which is currently in development with showrunner Francesca Gardiner (Succession) and director Mark Mylod set to helm the first episodes. That project, expected to debut in 2027, will adapt all seven of Rowling’s books over multiple seasons, offering a more faithful and expansive retelling of the story that began over two decades ago. The series stars Dominic McLaughlin as the Boy Who Lived, with an all-star cast including John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, Nick Frost and more as the series — set in the 1990s — brings us the newest take on the most famous boy wizard of all time.
Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking is available to stream now on HBO Max, while production on the television series continues apace.
