?'Harry Potter' author JK?Rowling has been backed by actor Jim Broadbent, 73, as he pledges to confront her critics "if it came to it."

The Oscar-winning actor, who played Horace Slughorn in three of the film adaptations of the famous book series, also said the abuse aimed at J.K., 57, was "really sad", reports Mirror.co.uk.

His comments come as it was revealed there will be a brand-new Harry Potter TV series, with many people already vowing to boycott it. In response to the backlash, Rowling tweeted: "Dreadful news, which I feel duty bound to share. Activists in my mentions are trying to organise yet another boycott of my work, this time of the Harry Potter TV show. As forewarned is forearmed, I've taken the precaution of laying in a large stock of champagne."

Speaking in an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Broadbent was asked for his opinion on Rowling and the backlash she's received due to her position on single-sex spaces, trans rights and gender.

He replied, quoted by Mirror.co.uk: "It's really sad. I think J.K. Rowling is amazing. I haven't had to confront it myself, but I would support her in that, I think, if it came to it."

Many avid fans of Harry Potter have slammed the idea of turning the world-famous book and movie franchise into a TV series after the main cast have almost all distanced themselves from Rowling following her controversial views about the LGBTQ+ community.

Mirror.co.uk further states that her controversial views on transgender people and gender identity caused widespread outrage during the height of the pandemic after she slammed the term 'people who menstruate' being used in replace of the word 'woman' in a tweet.

Following the blow up, Rowling penned a lengthy essay on her website stating her position on trans issues, which boils down to her belief that biological sex should be considered separate from gender.