James and Oliver Phelps Reveal Their Muggle Selves in ‘Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking’

A puff of green smoke clears, revealing an ordinary kitchen. But, with the use of sugar, spice and a hint of magic, classic “Harry Potter” scenes come to life — as cake.

The Food Network’s second spellbinding season of “Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking,” released Nov. 2, takes place on the original sets from the eight films. 

Hosted by actors James and Oliver Phelps — who played Fred and George Weasley in the “Harry Potter” saga, respectively — the series follows eight teams of professional bakers and patissiers through “Harry Potter” themed baking challenges. Chef judges Carla Hall (“Top Chef,” “The Chew”) and Jozef Youssef assess the taste, creativity and visual display of the creations.

Many contestants aren’t only bakers, but die-hard “Harry Potter” fans.

In a roundtable interview, James Phelps told The Phoenix to reconcile contestants’ understanding of him versus his character, he draws on lessons of professionalism he learned from the “Harry Potter” films. He said basic introductions help build the rapport necessary to be seen as a person rather than a character. 

Oliver Phelps said it’s also important to recognize the similarities they hold with their characters.

“We are us, but then to the same point we are quite light-hearted,” Oliver Phelps said. “I wouldn’t say as Fred and George or anything like that, but we do like to have a bit of fun.”

Within the Wizarding World, the Phelps duo became a unit — one never seen without the other. This rang true for the baking show as well. 

“It’s been nice to be able to do it together because we bounce off each other,” Oliver Phelps said. “James will think of ideas that I don’t think of and we get that back and forth.”

The pair said the opportunity to host the show was the perfect return to the Wizarding World because it offered them the chance to bring their own personalities into the series’ universe.

“What made it really appealing to us is that we would be able to be part of something in our own guise as Oliver and James,” Oliver Phelps said. “With no hair dye, thank God.”

Amid the chaos of chocolate cracking, cake burning or isomalt sugar shattering, spirits remain high, the Phelps twins said.

“Yes, there’s a competitive side of it,” Oliver Phelps said. “There’s people against each other. They’ve got competitors, but there’s no bitchiness. There’s no infighting.”

There’s a genuine desire for all contestants to succeed, James Phelps said. For him, there aren’t losing contestants — merely one team is determined the “best of the best.”

But baking magic isn’t the only thing stirring on set — for the brothers, childhood memories come flashing back.

James Phelps said a simple moment walking down a hallway on the set immediately transported him back in time to the filming of the sixth movie, “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.” At the time, he worked on the film crew in addition to his role as Fred Weasley. 

“I hadn’t thought about it in years, and it made me really appreciative of that experience then, and the experience that I was having now,” James Phelps said. “It’s all come full circle that we’re now hosting this particular show.”

Reuniting cast members also spun the Time-Turner backward.

Season two features Devon Murray (Seamus Finnigan), Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick) and Afshan Azad (Padma Patil) as special guests.

Reconnecting with “Harry Potter” cast members brought a special personal element to the show, Oliver Phelps said.

“We’re such a small group of people who can relate to that time in our lives, with that many people looking at you for what you did as a job,” he said.

All episodes of “Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking” are available to stream on HBO Max and discovery+.