Daniel Radcliffe‘s stunt double who was paralysed from the chest down after an accident on the Harry Potter set says he is still proud of the work he has done and the impact the films have on their audience.
David Holmes, 43, was rehearsing a fight scene involving an explosion when he plummeted to the ground while working on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 in January 2009 at the Leavesden film studios near Watford.
The accident snapped David’s neck which resulted in him being paralysed from the chest down, with limited movements in his arms and hands.
A consequent cyst in his spinal cord has resulted in ongoing deterioration and he is likely to soon be fully paralysed, making independent breathing, speech and swallowing impossible.
But despite admitting to being angry at the show for his injury, Holmes says that he remains proud of the impact his work still has to this day.
Speaking to Andy Coulson on his Crisis What Crisis? podcast, he looked back to the Christmas of 2019, when he was seriously ill in hospital following brain surgery.
He said: ‘The first time was on Christmas Day when I was able to eat a full meal, which was my Mum’s Christmas dinner, and we were in a hospital, it was a hard time and I had a little TV on the wall, and we watched Oliver Twist.
David had worked as Daniel Radcliffe’s body double on all the Harry Potter films before his accident
David Holmes, 43, was rehearsing a fight scene involving an explosion when he plummeted to the ground while working on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 in January 2009 at the Leavesden film studios near Watford. Pictured: On the Crisis What Crisis? podcast
Despite admitting to being angry at the show for his injury, Holmes says that he remains proud of the impact his work still has to this day. Pictured: Daniel and David on The Boy Who Lived
‘That film saved my family that day. And for that one moment we were taken out of the hospital and we were transported through the power of a great story.
‘And I always remind myself that Harry Potter does that for millions of people every day, and I’m very very proud of my contribution people’s safe space.
‘Despite the fact that it put me into my situation I will never not be proud about that. It’s a beautiful thing.’
Holmes was paralysed from the chest down after breaking his neck in rehearsals for a fight scene in 2009 on the set of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1.
Speaking about the moment on the podcast, he described the moment that he acted being hit by a spell, at which point he would fly back on a wire.
He said: ‘Something went wrong that was out of my control. I flew into a wall at a phenomenal pace, neck first, and my chest folded into my nose and my spinal cord separated. I landed instantly paralysed, still conscious’.
David, who had worked as Daniel’s body double on all the Harry Potter films before his accident, was initially taken to A&E at Watford General Hospital, but transferred to a specialist spinal injury hospital when the extent of his injuries became apparent.
He spent several months in hospital and has undergone years of treatment and surgeries.
Holmes told his story in documentary The Boy Who Lived, and spoke fondly about his ongoing friendship with Hollywood star Daniel. Pictured: Radcliffe (right) and Holmes (second from left) during the filming of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Holmes was paralysed from the chest down after breaking his neck in rehearsals for a fight scene in 2009 on the set of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (pictured)
The stunt double further revealed that he may only have 24 years to live as his condition worsens.
But he still wants to achieve as much as he can in the time he has left.
He told former Editor of News of the World and Downing Street Director of Communications Mr Coulson: ‘Doctors told me that predicted living age is 65 – that gives me 24 years left on this planet.
‘And on that journey am I still going to be able to talk, am I still going to be able to eat, am I still going to be able to breathe independently? I don’t know.
‘But I know I can do that today, so I’m going to make sure I use it before I lose it, and that is something that puts a rocket up your backside, for sure.’
Holmes told his story in documentary The Boy Who Lived, and spoke fondly about his ongoing friendship with Hollywood star Daniel, who served as an executive producer on the film.
Speaking about his time with the Harry Potter star, the ex-gymnast joked: ‘Seeing Dan’s physicality, when he was 10 or 11 years old, on the early days of shooting, we soon noticed that he wasn’t the most coordinated of or the most physical!
‘Two to three times a week Daniel would come over to us in the stunt department, we would lock the doors, and the important thing for me was – lets just let him be a kid.
The stunt double further revealed that he may only have 24 years to live as his condition worsens. Pictured: In documentary The Boy Who Lived
Daniel and David remain close friends, with the Hollywood star serving as an executive producer on the film about his pal
‘We did all the things that an insurance company would have a heart attack over! We let him go on trampolines, we done sword fighting, we just played- to create that environment for Dan to play and to build on his physicality.’
Earlier this year Holmes told how he was left feeling ‘broken’ after fraudsters used a phone scam to grab money which he said was for his care and ‘to escape the pain of winter’.
He was called by someone claiming to be from the NatWest fraud team, who had personal details such as his address and knew that it had been his birthday the day before.
The person also knew he had cryptocurrency linked to his card and suggested transferring funds to a ‘secure wallet’.
Holmes said afterwards: ‘I was very vulnerable at the time. When it comes to birthdays, with my debilitating condition I always ask myself, ‘Where am I going to be next year and the year after?”
NatWest helped him with money he lost from his savings with them, but not the rest of the money which he lost in cryptocurrency.
The full episode of David Holmes on Crisis What Crisis? is available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and on their website