For ten years Harry Potter has dominated his work and his social life – even more so because of a good behaviour clause in his film contract.

Now filming on the final instalment of the hit franchise is over, it seems Daniel Radcliffe is making the most of his new-found freedom.

The actor, who is worth £42million, celebrated his 21st birthday in style on holiday with two friends in St Petersburg, and looked increasingly worse for wear as the night went on.

Pourusmorus! Daniel Radcliffe finds that without Harry's wand, he has to resort to more direct methods to get some extra vodka

Dressed in jeans and a fitted white shirt, he appeared keen to sample the local Russian liquor, at one point grabbing a bottle of vodka to help ensure the barman poured a suitably sizeable measure.

Thousands of fans were left disappointed last week after he opted not to attend a showcase preview of upcoming film Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, the first of a two-part finale to the series about the boy wizard, at the Comic Convention in San Diego, California.

Having a wizard time: The actor gets into the mood at his birthday celebrations and tries to work his magic on a fellow partygoer

In the event, Tom Felton, who plays Harry’s rival Draco Malfoy, was the only member of the cast who made an appearance.

What a difference a drink - or two - makes: Radcliffe seemed delighted to be free of the stresses of filming. And, right, as Potter

Radcliffe said: ‘I apologise to all the wishful thinkers for my disappointing non-presence.’

Speaking after his holiday to Russia earlier this week, he added: ‘It was fantastic. I was in St Petersburg for my birthday, which is probably the most beautiful, the most incredible, wonderful place I’ve ever been in my life.’

Radcliffe begins filming his next major role in October – as a lawyer in a Hammer Films adaptation of ghostly novel Woman In Black.

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