Viral Oompa Loompa actors describe Glasgow Willy Wonka experience as 'life-changing'

The Oompa Loompa’s who were part of the ill-fated Willy Wonka event in Glasgow have described the experience as “life-changing” after becoming viral sensations on the internet.

Willy’s Chocolate Experience was cancelled hours into it’s opening on February 24, after visitors branded it a “farce” and said their children were left upset by the quality of the attraction which had been advertised using AI-generated imagery.

Police confirmed officers had been called to the venue following complaints, and House of Illuminati apologised to customers and said the event “did not take shape as planned”.

Piquing the interest of news outlets across the globe, the event went viral across social media and now a documentary around the experience is set to air on Channel 5 on Saturday, March 16.

Kirsty Paterson and Jenny Fogarty have embraced their new found fame. STV News

Kirsty Paterson and Jenny Fogarty, who became viral sensations as pictures of the two performing as Oompa Loompa’s at the event spread across the internet, donned the iconic outfits again as they launched the re-opening of the new Elephant House ‘Magical Café’ in Edinburgh.

“The past week has been life-changing, transformative”, Kirsty told STV News.

“I’m just a normal girl from Glasgow and I woke up one day and my life’s completely changed.

“It’s been overwhelming but I’m loving it, I’m just embracing it – this is completely me.”

The Elephant House café, infamously known as the location where author JK Rowling wrote some of her Harry Potter books, had been closed since August 2021 after a fire badly damaged the premises.

Kirsty Paterson as an Oompa Loompa at the disastrous Willy Wonka event in Glasgow. Facebook

Jenny, 25, who was pictured sampling the cafe’s famous Butterscotch Beer as part of it’s reopening, said both her and her fellow Oompa Loompa were “just having fun” with their new found fame.

She said: “It’s just become this massive thing and it’s nice to see that it’s brought so many people so much joy.

“I think we’re just having fun with it now at this stage, it’s just turned into something so silly.

“There are some interesting things coming – watch this space.”