If you are a part of the Harry Potter fandom then there is a good chance that you have seen a commercial or video for the upcoming Hogwarts: Tournament Of Houses trivia show that will start airing on November 28, 2021. What you might not know is that I was there!

Actually, I was almost a contestant. I applied earlier this year, passed both interviews, and made it through every step until the very last one when I was cut. I was disappointed but knew that there was another option for me, to be in the audience. I flew out to California two months ago for the filming and I can say in all honesty that I had a better time than if I’d been chosen as a contestant. I met other audience members who had also almost been contestants and not all of them agree with me, they would rather have participated that way which I understand, but I was able to enjoy the show without the stress of making a critical mistake.

This was me at my hotel before the first day of filming, wearing my Ravenclaw earrings and a very special Ravenclaw necklace that a dear friend made for me.

Of course, I can’t go into specific details, but I will say this much. It was AMAZING!!!! The set was beautiful and I can’t wait to see what it looks like on television when the show finally airs. This was one of the most exciting things I’ve ever participated in and I have no regrets about being an audience member instead of contestant.

This is me outside the hotel, ready to drive to where the filming was to take place.

Then there is Dame Helen Mirren. She was adorable! As you probably already know, she was not in any of the films and I’m not sure why she was chosen, but she rose to the challenge of hosting the show wonderfully. She was humble, charming, and very funny.

I will say this much. At one point during a break Dame Helen was told to move a little bit to the right. She was confused for a moment, then looked at her hands and said to herself, “No tattoo, Helen.”

She then told us that she has a tattoo on her left hand because she can’t remember her left from her right. When her friends and family give her directions they say, “Tattoo” for going left or “No tattoo” for going right. I looked up the tattoo after I got back home but none of the articles had that little tidbit. As someone who also can’t remember my left from my right (yes, it’s true, I also have no sense of direction so maybe that’s why), I think this is rather brilliant of Dame Helen.

The red arrow is pointing to where I was sitting, although it might be hard to see me clearly.

Anyways, back to the show. I was there for the filming of episodes two and four. I’ve already seen myself in several of the commercials and have already told my family to expect that I will pause the show frequently to try and find myself. That will be almost as much fun for me as watching it all play out.

It’s easier to see me in this picture. Yep, the red arrow is pointed at my head. 🙂

I might know which of the four Hogwarts houses won the tournament but I don’t know how it will look from the big screen, and I can’t wait to watch it! This was the kind of event that you remember for the rest of your life if you were there, and I’ve made some wonderful friends who were also in the audience. May you enjoy the show as much as we did. You can watch it on TBS and The Cartoon Network. It will also air on HBO Max but I’ve been told that won’t happen until some time in January, 2022.

Want to know one more tidbit about Dame Helen? I doubt this will be shown, although I truly hope that it is. During a break from filming on the final episode we were all getting a bit tired, including Dame Helen. The staff put on some music so we could get up and dance to rejuvenate us, which it did. But the rejuvenation peaked when Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing came on. We all danced and sang to that one, even Dame Helen. You know the part where people do an air guitar solo? Yeah, you know! Well, so does Dame Helen! She played her air guitar to her heart’s content! And she looked fantastic as she did. Seeing her dance and play air guitar just might be the top memory for me from the entire event.