Amandaland star Ekow Quartey looks completely different in forgotten Harry Potter role
Amandaland star Ekow Quartey looks completely different in forgotten Harry Potter role
Share:
BBC One returns to the world of Motherland with brand new spin-off Amandaland tonight, with the sitcom following posh mum Amanda (Lucy Punch) as she navigates her move from London's Chiswick to South Harlesden. While fans will see the return of characters like over-protective mum Anne (Philippa Dunne) and Amanda's distant mother Felicity (Joanna Lumley), the comedy introduces a bunch of new stars - including This Way Up's Ekow Quartey. Ekow plays Ned's eager stepdad JJ, who is desperate to impress his stepson's father Mal (Samuel Anderson).
Fans may recognise Ekow for his previous roles in shows like Smothered, Breeders, Shakespeare & Hathaway and sitcom Trying - however, there's one major franchise that marked Ekow's big break in showbusiness. The 34-year-old began his acting career with a role in Harry Potter, playing the role of Bem in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Ekow returns to the role in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, although the character is credited as Boy 1 and Dumbledore's Army Member in the films. In the Prisoner of Azkaban, Ekow featured in a memorable scene in which Emma Thompson's Professor Trelawney tells Harry Potter that he has "the grim" - an omen of death.
Bem tells him: "Taking form of a giant spectral dog, it's among the darkest omens in our world. It's an omen...of death.". Aside from his role as Bem in the Harry Potter franchise, telly lovers may recognise Ekow from the various adverts he's starred in over the years. Back in 2021, Ekow starred as an Uber Eats driver who delivers a pep talk to a bunch of hungover friends in an ad for the food delivery service.
The Amandaland star also appeared in an advert for Cadbury's Chocolate, which encouraged customers to send free chocolate bars to their loved ones. While Amandaland airs tonight on BBC One, a Christmas special is already in the pipeline, an insider exclusively revealed to The Mirror. "Amandaland is so funny, this could be the new jewel in the crown of the Christmas schedule. Everyone is thrilled. But it’s top secret," they said.
The new series sees Amanda find romance with a South African property developer, played by Peter Serafinowicz. However, fans may find themselves rooting for Amanda and her neighbour Mal. Writer Holly Walsh said: “I think there’s a sort of nice little simmering thing going on with Mal. They have a kind of Sam and Diane thing going on from Cheers, where they hate each other but there’s slightly something underneath that.”.
