Robbie Coltrane, ‘Harry Potter’ Hagrid Actor, Suffering From ‘Continuing Ill Health’

Harry Potter star Robbie Coltrane’s “continuing ill health” has forced the actor to pull out of the upcoming London Film and Comic Con. The Rubeus Hagrid actor has struggled with his health for years and was spotted using a wheelchair in 2019 after speaking out about his osteoarthritis arthritis years prior. 

“It is with deep regret that Robbie Coltrane has to withdraw from the July Comic Con due to his continuing ill health,” reads a statement released by Showmasters, the organizers of London Film and Comic Con. “He is very sorry to disappoint his fans and supporters and hopes very much to appear at another Showmasters event when his health permits.” 

Showmasters continued, “Obviously, we are incredibly disappointed that Robbie is not able to attend and so sad to hear of his ill health. Both ourselves and Robbie we’re looking forward to him being at the show and we wish him the best. We will work to see if we can get Robbie to a future event, but in the meantime, vouchers will automatically be issued to any ticket-holders for Robbie.”

Coltrane, who is also known for his roles in Cracker and Goldeneye in addition to the Harry Potter franchise, has been vocal in the past about his health issues, revealing in 2016 that doctors advised him to lose almost 100 pounds in order to undergo life-changing knee surgery. “I’m in constant pain all day. I had an exploratory operation and they discovered I had no cartilage left in one of my knees,” he told The Daily Star in 2016. “It’s completely disintegrated. And they told me it’s osteoarthritis. People are probably wondering why I’m hobbling about in the way I am and that is why.”

Coltrane dropped a considerable amount of weight but said in 2016 he was struggling with the last several pounds needed before undergoing surgery. “The equipment has a piece of rubber in the middle and if you’re over a certain weight then you eventually flatten it,” he said of the potential surgery at the time. “I’ve been trying to lose weight so I can get it fixed. The last time I saw the surgeon he said ‘that’s another 25 pounds.’ I’ve done 84 but it’s the last 25 that’s the killer.”