Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking Reaches Over 5 Million Viewers with Dazzling Premiere

The series premiere of Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking on Food Network has cast a magical spell on audiences, delivering ratings that are nothing short of enchanting. Premiering Thursday, November 14th, the cooking competition series surged with a 0.57 P25-54 and 0.74 W25-54 L3 rating, which is +148% and +124% above the network’s prior six-week benchmarks. This performance puts the series on pace to be Food Network’s highest-rated freshman series of 2024 to date, ranking #2 among all non-news/sports cable programs of the night for both P25-54 and W25-54 demos. In addition to its linear success, the two-hour premiere has reached more than 5.2 million viewers across platforms, including linear broadcasts, Max, and Discovery+, cementing the special as a holiday hit and Food Network’s highest-rated Thursday night prime since 2021.

A Magical Formula for Success

The combination of Harry Potter’s timeless appeal and Food Network’s reputation for heartwarming holiday programming created the perfect storm for success. Betsy Ayala, Head of Content, Food, Warner Bros. Discovery, highlighted the show’s unique appeal:

“Viewers showed up for the confectionary magic of Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking. This brand new, fully immersive competition delivers elevated culinary craftsmanship executed from the breathtaking sets of the fan-favorite saga, just in time to celebrate the holiday season.”

It has wonderfully combined the magic and fantasy of the Harry Potter world with chef mastery in this series, which captured the attention of devoted franchise fans as well as the network’s loyal food audience.

Star-Studded Cast and Spectacular Competitions

The series’ hosting duties fell to the ever-charismatic James and Oliver Phelps, otherwise known as the mischievous on-screen twins Fred and George Weasley in the Harry Potter movies. That gives the series an added layer of believability and nostalgia to the competition. Their behind-the-scenes tales of the Harry Potter world create a genuinely distinctive mix of amusement and fanfare.

The judging is done by top culinary chefs Carla Hall and Jozef Youssef, who judge the fantastic creations about artistry and taste. Featured in the competition are alumni of the Harry Potter movies: Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), and Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley). These special guests don’t only help with the judging of showpieces but also share fascinating behind-the-scenes stories about the original films.

A Groundbreaking Culinary Journey

Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking boasts a unique concept in the food competition genre, merging the supernatural storylines of Harry Potter with imaginative and technical baking. Contestants are challenged to produce multi-layered edible creations inspired by iconic moments from the Harry Potter series, from feasts in the Great Hall to sugar and chocolate magical creatures.

Produced by Warner Horizon and theoldschool, executive producers include the creative leadership of Bridgette Theriault, Dan Sacks, Robin Ashbrook, and Yasmin Shackleton. The set design is filled with magical minutiae from the Harry Potter universe, creating a completely immersive viewing experience that feels like Hogwarts itself.

The Power of Cross-Platform Reach

Such cross-platform success demonstrates just how engaging this airing proved to be. According to Nielsen L+3 data, Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking was more than able to harness first-run audience attention, while simultaneously dominating viewer interest with its perfect blend of culinary ingenuity and wizarding nostalgia, cementing its status as holiday season essential viewing.

A Magical Start to the Holidays

With Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking, Food Network exploded into a holiday-season marathon of programming. The series has proved a game-changer, and with more episodes to come, it’s sure to keep viewers under its spell through a perfectly magical blend of storytelling, culinary excellence, and festive spirit.