Harry Potter star’s new TV show with trans icon is coming out imminently

Editorial use only Mandatory Credit: Photo by ITV/Shutterstock (15352222c) Thomas Gray as Tom, Francesca Mills as Millie, Nick Frost as Simon, Kayla Meikle as Beefy Linda, Jordan Gray as Liv. 'Transaction' TV Show, Series 1, Episode 1 UK - Jun 2025 Transaction, is a six part British ITV sitcom series created by and starring Jordan Gray and co-starring Nick Frost. After a marketing campaign backfires spectacularly, supermarket boss Simon (Nick Frost) finds himself in hot water with the LGBTQ+ community. To try and prove that he's really inclusive, honest, he hires Liv (Gray), a transgender woman who ticks the diversity box, but not much else. Despite a non-existent work ethic, it's pretty much impossible for Liv to get the sack, encouraging her to wreak havoc on the supermarket night shift. — Transaction is coming to ITV (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)

Nick Frost, who was recently cast in the upcoming Harry Potter reboot, is set to appear in a new hit sitcom with trans comedian and singer Jordan Gray.

The 53-year-old actor, who will be playing Hogwarts groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid in the HBO revival, stars opposite Jordan in Transaction, which is set to launch on ITV.

The Shaun of the Dead star and other adult actors cast in Harry Potter recently came under fire for joining the show, due to JK Rowling’s comments about the trans community.

Nick turned off the comments on his Instagram profile following the backlash, and insisted in an interview that the author’s views did ‘not align’ with his own.

In Transaction, his character – supermarket boss Simon – sparks backlash in the LGBTQ+ community after a marketing campaign goes badly wrong.

He employs transgender woman Liv (Jordan) in a bid to turn things around, but he soon faces another struggle as she’s described in the synopsis as someone who ‘ticks the diversity box, but not much else’.

Editorial use only Mandatory Credit: Photo by ITV/Shutterstock (15352222a) Nick Frost as Simon. 'Transaction' TV Show, Series 1, Episode 1 UK - Jun 2025 Transaction, is a six part British ITV sitcom series created by and starring Jordan Gray and co-starring Nick Frost. After a marketing campaign backfires spectacularly, supermarket boss Simon (Nick Frost) finds himself in hot water with the LGBTQ+ community. To try and prove that he's really inclusive, honest, he hires Liv (Gray), a transgender woman who ticks the diversity box, but not much else. Despite a non-existent work ethic, it's pretty much impossible for Liv to get the sack, encouraging her to wreak havoc on the supermarket night shift. — Nick Frost stars as supermarket boss Simon (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)

Editorial use only Mandatory Credit: Photo by ITV/Shutterstock (15352222d) Jordan Gray as Liv. 'Transaction' TV Show, Series 1, Episode 1 UK - Jun 2025 Transaction, is a six part British ITV sitcom series created by and starring Jordan Gray and co-starring Nick Frost. After a marketing campaign backfires spectacularly, supermarket boss Simon (Nick Frost) finds himself in hot water with the LGBTQ+ community. To try and prove that he's really inclusive, honest, he hires Liv (Gray), a transgender woman who ticks the diversity box, but not much else. Despite a non-existent work ethic, it's pretty much impossible for Liv to get the sack, encouraging her to wreak havoc on the supermarket night shift. — Jordan Gray, who created and wrote original shorts which inspired the sitcom, stars as Liv (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)

ITV teases: ‘Despite a non-existent work ethic, it’s pretty much impossible for Liv to get the sack, encouraging her to wreak havoc on the supermarket night shift.’

‘My one true goal with this show is to create something as timeless as my implants,’ Jordan shared when the show was announced.

Executive producer Kenton Allen said at the time: ‘Transaction promises to be a very eye-catching contemporary comedy, with Jordan Gray, Nick Frost and Thomas Gray forming an unlikely but electric three-some.

‘Jordan’s razor-sharp writing and timing paired with Nick’s legendary comedic presence is comedy dynamite.’

The comedy is based on her former six-part series of shorts of the same name for Comedy Central, which followed the same plot.

Editorial use only Mandatory Credit: Photo by ITV/Shutterstock (15352222k) Jordan Gray as Liv and Thomas Gray as Tom. 'Transaction' TV Show, Series 1, Episode 1 UK - Jun 2025 Transaction, is a six part British ITV sitcom series created by and starring Jordan Gray and co-starring Nick Frost. After a marketing campaign backfires spectacularly, supermarket boss Simon (Nick Frost) finds himself in hot water with the LGBTQ+ community. To try and prove that he's really inclusive, honest, he hires Liv (Gray), a transgender woman who ticks the diversity box, but not much else. Despite a non-existent work ethic, it's pretty much impossible for Liv to get the sack, encouraging her to wreak havoc on the supermarket night shift. — Liv causes chaos on the night shift (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)

Editorial use only Mandatory Credit: Photo by ITV/Shutterstock (15352222j) Jordan Gray as Liv and Thomas Gray as Tom. 'Transaction' TV Show, Series 1, Episode 1 UK - Jun 2025 Transaction, is a six part British ITV sitcom series created by and starring Jordan Gray and co-starring Nick Frost. After a marketing campaign backfires spectacularly, supermarket boss Simon (Nick Frost) finds himself in hot water with the LGBTQ+ community. To try and prove that he's really inclusive, honest, he hires Liv (Gray), a transgender woman who ticks the diversity box, but not much else. Despite a non-existent work ethic, it's pretty much impossible for Liv to get the sack, encouraging her to wreak havoc on the supermarket night shift. — She didn’t want to play another ‘tragic hero’ (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)

She told Gay Star News in 2020 that she wrote the piece as a way of creating a character who was a ‘regular tit-for-brains, not some tragic hero’.

Jordan, 36, rose to fame as The Voice’s first transgender contestant in 2016, making it to the semi-finals before moving into comedy, appearing on the likes of The Russell Howard Hour and Friday Night Live.

On the later in 2022, she performed her song Better Than You about life as a transgender woman, and stripped naked to play the piano with her penis.

Nick was recently forced to respond to criticism facing the Harry Potter show and wider franchise over its creator’s comments, which some have deemed as transphobic.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JANUARY 07: Nick Frost attends the UK Premiere of "Get Away" at the Picturehouse Central on January 7, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/WireImage) — Nick will star in the Harry Potter revival (Picture: Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/WireImage)

Nick Frost friedgold You?re a wizard, Harry!!! Thank you for trusting me with such a loyal, gentle and courageous half-giant like Rubeus Hagrid. Robbie, I promise I won?t let you down. @harrypotter @streamonmax — The Shaun of the Dead star has distanced himself from J.K. Rowling’s views (Picture: Instagram)

In a recent interview with The Observer, the Shaun of the Dead star insisted he does not share Rowling’s views.

‘She’s allowed her opinion and I’m allowed mine, they just don’t align in any way, shape or form,’ he said.

He also argued that the controversy and backlash might not be something people should want to ‘blow over’ for the sake of the wizarding franchise.

Asked if it could ‘overshadow the series’, he replied: ‘I don’t know. But maybe it shouldn’t blow over? We shouldn’t just hope it will go away, because it makes it easier. Maybe we should educate ourselves.’

Nick will be following in the footsteps of late actor Robbie Coltrane, who played Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, and he’s not concerned with filling the character’s giant shoes.

Film: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.(2007) ROBBIE COLTRANE as Rubeus Hagrid in Warner Bros. Pictures' fantasy "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.? — He will play Rubeus Hagrid on the show (Picture: Warner Bros/Murray Close)

Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid, in the Harry Potter movies Credit: Warner Bros — Nick doesn’t want to simply recreate Robbie Coltrane’s performances (Picture: Warner Bros)

‘You get cast because you’re going to bring something to that. While I’m really aware of what went before me in terms of Robbie [Coltrane]’s amazing performance, I’m never going to try and be Robbie,’ he told Collider.

‘I’m going to try and do something, not “different”, I think you have to be respectful to the subject matter, but within that, there’s scope for minutia.’

He added: ‘I always read Hagrid as he’s like a lovely, lost, violent, funny, warm child. I think the beauty of being able to do a book a season means I get to explore that a lot more, and I can’t wait.

‘He’s funny! I want it to be funny and cheeky and scared and protective and childlike. That’s what I’m planning on doing.’

Transaction launches on June 24 on ITVX, where all episodes will be available to stream.

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