Kit Harington admits saying yes to HBO's Harry Potter was a 'no-brainer'

Kit Harington has admitted playing Gilderoy Lockhart in HBO's forthcoming Harry Potter series was a 'no brainer' for him.

The Game of Thrones star has long been a fan of the franchise, and even listens to the audiobooks read by Stephen Fry to help him get to sleep each night.

Speaking to Josh Horowitz on his Sad Happy Confused podcast, the actor confessed listening to the Harry Potter series as a way to quiet his 'busy brain,' particularly since going sober in 2019.

"I listen to the Stephen Fry audiobooks. And I do that because my brain is incredibly busy, especially at night, and I’ve always found going to bed very difficult. My brain doesn’t turn off," he told the podcast host.

Kit Harington is set to play Gilderoy Lockhart in the TV adaptation (Warner Bros.)

"When I got sober, that got especially bad. And so I started listening to Harry Potter audiobooks, and now they’re the thing I listen to every night. So they have a very special place in my heart."

Harington was previously cast in the role of Lockhart, the famous author turned Defense Against the Dark Arts professor in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, in Audible's all-cast audiobooks.

However, the 39-year-old has now eagerly stepped in for the forthcoming HBO series too, after Nicholas Hoult stepped away from the role due to scheduling conflicts.

He said: "When I knew they were doing this show, I was like, 'I think that’s a brilliant idea, I think they can really delve into it further than the films did.' I’m fully supportive of it.

"And then I got called to be in it, and that was just a very simple, 'yes please!'"

Harington even joked it 'wasn't hard' for him to get into character when playing Lockhart, adding: "He's addicted to himself, he's just a tiny step to my left."

Filming for season two of the HBO series, which will be centered around the Chamber of Secrets, is now underway, however Harington was careful not to give anything away about his character's appearance.

When Horowitz asked if he had gotten into it yet, the actor said: "Yes, and I’m going to say highly little about anything because it’s very secretive. But yes, I’m engaging with that as we speak."

Aside from his love of the books, Harington revealed the role has been perfect for him as the set is near to his home, which allows him to be a present dad to his two children.

He said: "[‘Harry Potter’] films down the road from me. So I get to be a dad, I get to go play in a world I love. Genuinely, right now I’m very content."