Merlin & Harry Potter Stars Read Horror Tales

Colin Morgan, famed for his role as Merlin, and Katie Leung, who portrayed Cho Chang in Harry Potter, are lending their voices to a new podcast titled "The Haunted Library." This series will explore classic horror narratives, drawing from a collection of Gothic literary works.

The podcast is scheduled to launch on September 21, with BBC Studios Audio overseeing its production and funding. Listeners can anticipate hearing reimagined versions of stories from renowned authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, Bram Stoker, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Two new episodes will be released weekly across major podcast platforms and BBC Sounds.

Subscribers to "The Haunted Library Plus" on Apple Podcasts will gain early access to episodes and enjoy an ad-free listening experience. The series kicks off with Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde," narrated by Morgan and Leung, followed by other chilling tales like "Frankenstein" and "The Turn of the Screw."

Both Morgan and Leung expressed enthusiasm for the project. Morgan highlighted his attraction to dark imaginative stories and the power of hearing classic Gothic literature aloud. Leung echoed this sentiment, drawn to the irresistible atmosphere of a mysterious library filled with centuries-old tales of fright and fascination.