Harry Potter star Warwick Davis is flying the flag in his new TV travel show - thanks to a North Wales trailer firm.

The Hollywood actor, Professor Flitwick in the Harry Potter films and who appears in the latest Star Wars movie, is back on TV screens on Friday evenings with his show, Weekend Escapes With Warwick Davis.

The star drove around the UK with his wife Samantha and their teenagers Annabelle and Harrison in a camper van plus a trailer emblazoned with the Union Jack, which was specially made for the actor by Ifor Williams Trailers at its North Wales base.

The bespoke trailer transported the family’s luggage during their lengthy trek from the Isle of Wight to Inverness, via South Wales, to record the Weekend Escapes show for ITV, calling in to some of Britain’s most loved holiday spots.

Warwick, host of ITV’s Celebrity Squares quiz show - which is also back on TV this weekend - has just finished filming with the new Star Wars movie. He previously played Ewok Wicket in the box office blockbuster, though he’s keeping his latest role a closely guarded secret.

Warwick, en route to London for a Star Wars get-together, said: "The family and I were away filming Weekend Escapes for several weeks with our dog Sherlock, living in our VW camper van, and we used the trailer to carry all our luggage.

"The trailer was really useful - without it we wouldn’t have had enough room. I found the luggage straps I had fitted inside very helpful, as it meant items didn’t move around. Plus the fact that it is well balanced means that I could move it around very easily, it’s not a massive weight.

"It’s a great thing to have, and it has been used a lot since then. In fact I use it almost every day right now, because we’re moving house, and so I use to move items or take things to the tip.

"Also, as it’s so versatile, I used it on tour with my Reduced Theatre company, with costumes and keyboards, and to take the family’s bikes and my Segway out - I can’t fit those in the car.

"The trailer has still got the Union Jack on it, and it still turns heads - which is just what I wanted. People recognise me in it wherever I go."

The new series of Weekend Escapes will once again sees the family – plus Sherlock – arrive all sorts of events around the UK, meeting a variety of eccentric characters and trying their hand at a wide range of activities.

The Davis family visited the Midlands, then South Wales and southern England before heading north to Scotland.

"In the show we try out all sorts of different activities including some pretty extreme sports and so we do need quite a few changes of clothes," explained the 44-year-old.

"In the last series we had a simple black trailer that didn’t feature in the show at all. I decided it was about time I got myself a trailer, because it would be very useful with my other work, such as with the Reduced Height Theatre Company and other productions when we have to transport a lot of stuff around.

"I wanted something eye catching and so decided it ought to be painted with a Union Jack, as we are celebrating a very British way of life in the show, with all the best loved holiday spots."

"People already recognise the camper van, from the first series, and as this second one is transmitted, they will certainly be doing a double-take when they spot us on the road," added Warwick, previously seen on TV with comedian Ricky Gervais and Karl Pilkington in the series Life’s Too Short and An Idiot Abroad 3, and who appeared on stage last summer in the Monty Python re-union shows.

Warwick collected his new trailer from distributors Barnwell Trailers close to his home in Yaxley, near Peterborough.

"I knew that Ifor Williams Trailers had a good reputation – basically it was the main name that I knew in the world of trailers. I reckoned that if farmers and commercial companies used these trailers, they had to be strong and reliable, and that’s what I needed."

"It helped that I was able to see the different trailers on show at Barnwell’s and make up my mind which one suited me best. I also liked the fact that the trailer came with all the extra bits included, such as the spare wheel," added Warwick.

The team at Ifor Williams Trailers' headquarters then got to work, drawing up the flag designs and turning round the order quickly.

Simon Berridge, managing director of Barnwell Trailers, in Barnwell, near Peterborough, admits he was delighted when he first heard about the order to wrap the BV64 trailer in vinyl graphics.

"We sell a lot of horse boxes, plus we do get requests for the trailers to be kitted out in different ways, especially for small companies such as dog groomers."

"We were invited to Ifor Williams Trailers headquarters for the launch of several new trailers. On the road leading to the factory, we were greeted with the most amazing sight. Positioned at strategic points along the road were Mini Box Vans wrapped in the flags of over 20 countries. It was an amazing welcome and one that will not be forgotten."

"All the distributors of Ifor Williams trailers soon came to realise that the company had made another investment in latest technology and were showcasing their ability to wrap trailers to any design any customer cares to dream up."

"But I’ve never had a request for one painted with a Union flag before, though now the company offers this service for wrapping trailers in vinyl graphics, I’m sure we will get other orders," added Simon, who has run the company for the past 25 years.

"I did know that Warwick lived not far from here and he has been a lovely customer to deal with. I’m now looking forward to seeing the trailer on his TV show, and also spotting it on the roads around here."

Warwick, who was born with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SED), appeared as Ewok Wicket in his first Hollywood film, Return of the Jedi, when he was still a teenager.

He went to play title characters in Willow and the Leprechaun film series, alongside Jennifer Aniston, and other roles in the Star Wars franchise. He was both Professor Filius Flitwick and Griphook in the Harry Potter films.

On TV he’s also appeared in The Chronicles of Narnia, Dr Who plus Ricky Gervais’ TV series Extras, while on stage he’s been in Spamalot. Plus he starred in film Get Santa and has written his autobiography Size Matters Not.

The actor also co-runs an acting management company Willow, representing actors of reduced height, produced his own show Dwarves Assemble and has even launched his own app, Pocket Warwick.

Peter Nesbitt, the Business Development Manager at Ifor Williams Trailers, said: "We were delighted to help Warwick as we are doing more and more vinyl wraps for customers. This service gives customers a great opportunity to individualise their trailers or promote their business in an eye-catching way."

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News » Top trailer firm helps Harry Potter star Warwick fly the flag on new TV show