JK Rowling wanted Ron Weasley dead

Rupert Grint played Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter film series. Photo / Supplied

JK Rowling has admitted she once wanted to kill off Harry Potter's best friend Ron Weasley out of "sheer spite".

Music website NME.com reports Rowling, the author of the hugely successful series of books which recently finished its run at the movies, has admitted she wanted Weasley to die after finding herself in an "unhappy place".

Weasley was played by British actor Rupert Grint in all eight Harry Potter movies.

The frank admission comes from a feature on the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 DVD, due for release on November 16, in which Potter star Daniel Radcliffe interviews Rowling.

"I think in my absolute heart of heart of hearts, although I did seriously consider killing Ron, [I wouldn't have]," Rowling says in the footage, which has leaked online.

"It's a real relief to be able to talk about it all."

Rowling's seven Harry Potter books have sold more than 400 million copies worldwide.

- Herald online