‘Harry Potter’ Actor Paul Ritter Passes Away At Age 54

Apr 06, 2021

Posted by: Jacob Hoggan

News, Products

It is with great sadness that Leaky announces the passing of Paul Ritter, who featured in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince as Vampire enthusiast and Slug Club member, Eldred Worple.

It was announced today, April 6th, that Ritter passed away at age 54 due to a brain tumor. He passed away at his home late last night with his wife and two sons beside him.

His talent agency shared their condolences and memories of Ritter in a statement:

“Paul was an exceptionally talented actor playing an enormous variety of roles on stage and screen with extraordinary skill,” the agency said. “He was fiercely intelligent, kind and very funny. We will miss him greatly.”

See him briefly in the background of this Slug Club scene, where Worple had been speaking with Luna Lovegood – you can spot him at the 2:21 mark:

Ritter was a beloved and hugely talented and accomplished actor. He starred as a villain in Quantum of Solace, and he most recently played a terrific role in HBO’s hard-hitting mini-show, Chernobyl. He is also known to British viewers as the eccentric father, Martin, on the hugely successful Channel 4  TV show Friday Night Dinner.

Robert Popper, the creator of Friday Night Dinner, shared his condolences after hearing the news of Ritter’s passing:

Ritter will also appear in the Friday Night Dinner 10th-anniversary retrospective show, due to air on Channel 4 this year.

Besides his work in the film industry, Ritter has done work in several stage productions including a role in the British National Theatre’s political drama The Audience as Prime Minster John Major, as well as a role in the staging of Art.

In 2009 Ritter was nominated for a Tony Award for his work in The Norman Conquests, which was written by Alan Ayckbourn.

Ritter was born on March 5th, 1966 in Kent, England. He is survived by his wife, Polly, and his two sons, Frank and Noah.

All of us here at Leaky are incredibly saddened to hear of this beloved actor’s passing, and can safely say that he will be greatly missed. We would like to express our condolences to Ritter’s family, and hope that you’ll join us in raising your wands to Paul Ritter’s memory.





The Leaky Cauldron is not associated with J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., or any of the individuals or companies associated with producing and publishing Harry Potter books and films.