Harry Potter star Johnny Flynn says private schools should be ‘burnt to the ground’ after ‘traumatic’ experience at Winchester’s Pilgrims’ School; therapy helped him understand ‘boarding school syndrome’

Posted on September 15, 2026
By The Times of India
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In brief

Actor Johnny Flynn, renowned for his role in the Harry Potter franchise, has publicly shared his distressing experiences during his time at Pilgrims' School in Winchester. Beginning his education at just seven years old following a competitive choral scholarship, Flynn encountered significant bullying throughout his boarding school tenure. Through therapeutic intervention, he has come to terms with what mental health professionals recognize as 'boarding school syndrome'—a complex condition affecting former boarding students. Flynn's candid revelations spark important conversations about institutional accountability and student wellbeing in elite educational settings.

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Harry Potter star Johnny Flynn says private schools should be ‘burnt to the ground’ after ‘traumatic’ experience at Winchester’s Pilgrims’ School; therapy helped him understand ‘boarding school syndrome’

British actor Johnny Flynn, 43, has opened up about his childhood and the bullying he experienced while studying at Winchester’s Pilgrims’ School. Flynn attended the boarding school from the age of seven after securing a choral scholarship.