John Lithgow says ‘I will do my best’ following Harry Potter casting news backlash - American actor John Lithgow says he's ‘intimidated’ but excited to play Dumbledore in the new decade-long HBO adapt

Lithgow confirmed his own casting in February and will join McTeer, Frost, Paapa Essiedu, Paul Whitehouse, and more in the franchise's first TV adaptation.

John Lithgow has defended being cast as Albus Dumbledore in the new Harry Potter TV show. The actor, 79, who played Winston Churchill in The Crown, faced criticism after news broke he would be portraying the Hogwarts headmaster in the HBO adaptation of JK Rowling’s famous books.