Glasgow Willy Wonka Experience set for a shock return – in America

Kirsty Paterson who took part I the now infamous Glasgow Wonka Experience and is now taking the show to the USA
Kirsty Paterson who took part I the now infamous Glasgow Wonka Experience and is now taking the show to the USA -Credit:Supplied


THE notorious Glasgow Willy Wonka Experience is set for a shock return – in the US.

Organisers have promised US fans a true recreation of the original flop event, saying it will take place at a “nondescript” warehouse and cust-omers will be given just two jellybeans. Tickets are available on the Eventbrite website priced $44 plus booking fee.

Kirsty Paterson, 29, who found fame as a miserable Oompa Loompa at the wonky Wonka carnival, has been signed up for the event on April 28.

It is understood that some top comedians are in the frame to host the Los Angeles version in which people are asked to “step into a world of pure imagination at Willy’s Chocolate Experience Los Angeles as chocolate memes come to life!”

Kirsty, who flies out to California next week, told The Record: “I didn’t really expect to end up in the USA or to go as big as this because the USA is on a different level.

Kirsty Paterson.
Kirsty Paterson. -Credit:Supplied

“I’ve not been to America before. As a trained actor it’s really exciting for me to go over there.

“I’m doing a lot of meetings and a lot of networking out there. As a trained actress it’s not an impossibility that I’ll be doing movies.

“When I was a kid I always said my dream job would be a children’s TV presenter and that’s now a possibility.”

On the Eventbrite ticket website, customers are advised to “Get ready to step into a realm of pure imagination as the highly acclaimed ‘Willy’s Chocolate Experience LA’ makes its debut in the United States.

The ad says: “Following its groundbreaking success in Glasgow, this fantastical event promises an immersive journey into the whimsical world of ‘Willy’ Wonka, featuring the notorious Scottish Oompa Loompa, Kirsty Paterson…"

Admission grants access to “a plethora of enchanting attractions”, including two complimentary jelly beans “to kickstart the sweetness”. This aims to recreate the original event where kids were promised unlimited sweets but were given a plastic cup with a handful of treats.

Organisers are also hosting a live Q&A and photo-session with Kirsty – who they describe as the “mother Oompa Loompa with a heart of gold”.

Kirsty, who looked glum during the shambolic Glasgow event which led to police being called, said: “I wasn’t really in a good place in my life, to be honest, which is why I took the job in Glasgow. So to go from that to going to America is like a modern-day fairy tale that’s happening to me.”

The Willy Wonka-inspired event that police were called to in Glasgow.
The Willy Wonka-inspired event that police were called to in Glasgow. -Credit:Jenny Fogarty / SWNS

Local music and comedy performances at the LA event will come from TIPSY, Chaki Funk Wizard, a DJ set by Mabson, plus Clowns of Color and an immersive Tiny Cinema installation screening silent films.

A spokesperson for the LA event said: “There will be a meet and greet experience in Los Angeles with tongue-in-cheek versions of the original Glasgow Wonka experience,” he said.

“This event will include live music, DJs and food vendors, and will be celebrating her humour and wit as she has demonstrated in all of the live news interviews.”

In addition to the Los Angeles event, Kirsty has meetings with Hollywood movie moguls lined up before heading to New York.

In the Big Apple, she’ll make a personal appearance at the former Studio 54 nightclub, now known as 54 54 54, on May 4.

The ill-fated Willy Wonka Experience in Glasgow spawned viral video and a TV documentary.

Angry parents who took their kids were furious after they were ushered into a sparsely-filled warehouse that featured a pathetic selection of Wonka-themed decorations and a bouncy castle in the corner.

The organiser of the event, local businessman Billy Coull, was forced to shut the doors after only half a day when the police were called to deal with angry customers. He apologised and promised refunds.

Kirsty was at pains to point out that the US event has nothing to do with Coull’s House of Illuminati events company. She said: “The House of Illuminati LA name is a joke. It’s not Billy Coull. I don’t do any work with him and steer clear of that for a reason.

“A lot of celebrities like Christy Teagan are supporting me. After LA I’m off to New York.”

A spokesperson for Kirsty said: “The event in LA came out of nowhere and is brilliant.

“This one has nothing to do with the Scottish one, other than being inspired by it after it went viral all over the world.

“They love Kirsty and are flying her to LA. While there she has meetings with several people about her acting career.

“She is excited about the trip as are the Americans after her iconic image made her Oompa Loompa one of the most famous faces on the planet.”

Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.