Robbie Coltrane: ‘Harry Potter’ Star Rushed To Hospital
Harry Potter star Robbie Coltrane has been rushed to a hospital in Florida after falling ill during a flight to Florida from the UK. Mr. Coltrane is most famous for playing the half-giant Rubeus Hagrid in the film adaptations of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books.
Sky News reports that Scottish actor Coltrane was flying from London to Orlando with British Airways when he became ill. Coltrane suffered from severe flu-like symptoms on the flight. It is believed paramedics met the plane on its arrival at the airport. Coltrane, 64, was taken straight to hospital, where he spent the night.
A spokesperson for Mr. Coltrane told Sky News that she expects Coltrane to be “fine,” and that a report on his condition will be made available later on Friday. TMZ reported that comments on Twitter that Coltrane had been spotted drinking heavily in a Heathrow airport lounge were unconfirmed. Coltrane’s agent said that these claims were “completely untrue.”
The Telegraph reports that Coltrane was traveling from London to Orlando to attend a Harry Potter convention with co-star Michael Gambon, who played headmaster Albus Dumbledore, when he fell ill. Orlando is home to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park, which opened last year.
Coltrane, real name Anthony Robert McMillan, has been working in film and television for over 30 years. Coltrane’s career began in TV, where he played supporting roles in programs such as The Young Ones and Blackadder, before starring as criminal psychologist Dr. Eddie “Fitz” Fitzgerald in ITV’s crime drama Cracker.
Coltrane achieved critical success in 1986’s Mona Lisa, and after that, he gained parts in bigger films, such as the James Bond films GoldenEye and The World is Not Enough. Coltrane starred as the much loved half-giant Hagrid in all seven movies in the Harry Potter series, and it is for this role that he is best known.
Amazingly Coltrane’s illness has even led to speculation that the star could have contracted the deadly disease Ebola. The early signs and symptoms of Ebola typically start between two days and three weeks after contracting the virus with a fever, sore throat, muscle pain, and headaches. These are obviously flu-like symptoms, but there is no reason to suspect that Coltrane has been exposed to the virus.
HEALTH: Could Robbie Coltrane have Ebola? ‘Hollywood star is ill’ confirms spokesman. Inside – we can’t believe Robbie Coltrane has Ebola.
— The DM Reporter (@DMReporter) January 30, 2015
According to the Express, Warner Bros. spoke to ITV news, revealing that Coltrane is “getting the rest he needs but will not be attending a pre-arranged Harry Potter celebration event. We are sorry he cannot be with us this weekend and look forward to seeing him up and about soon.”
We are sure everyone would want to join Warner Bros. in wishing Robbie Coltrane a speedy recovery.
[image – jamesbondwiki]
