23rd February 2007
Daniel Radcliffe has been slammed by anti-smoking groups for lighting up on stage.
The Harry Potter star, 17, puffs on a cigarette during a special performance of his new show, Equus.
Divested of his clothes, not to mention the lightning scar on his forehead, this is Harry Potter a million miles from Hogwarts.
Between filming the fifth and sixth Potter movies, 17-year-old Daniel Radcliffe is appearing on the West End stage in a revival of Peter Shaffer's controversial play Equus.
He plays troubled stablehand Alan Strang and is involved in a lengthy nude sex scene with former Holby City actress Joanna Christie.
Radcliffe was clearly keen to impress with his physique, pumping up his slender frame in the gym for seven hours a week.
But whether his young fans will be impressed by his transition from Hermione Granger's boy wizard friend to hunky sex symbol remains to be seen. Websites were receiving e-mails from parents worried about Radcliffe's appearance in the play, which will be open to children despite its explicit adult content
Amanda Sandford from anti-smoking organisation ASH, said: "It is regrettable that he is smoking, whatever the circumstances. He is a role model for young people and if he decided to take up smoking in real life that would be of great concern."
And Radcliffe, who also appears nude in the show at the Gielgud Theatre, could be putting his own health at risk. Mrs Sandford said: "Even though it is an act, nicotine is highly addictive and he could find himself hooked."
The play opens on Tuesday, 27 February.
