Willy Wonka experience: The Hangover star Zach Galifianakis linked to US reboot of notorious Glasgow event

The viral Willy Wonka Experience from Glasgow is set to return – as a rebooted event running in Los Angeles later this month

Glasgow’s notorious Willy Wonka Experience is set to be rebooted in the US, amid links to one of the comedic stars of smash hit The Hangover.

Kirsty Paterson, who played the Oompa Loompa at the infamous Wonka inspired event, has been signed up for a recreation of the show to be held in down-town Los Angeles on April 28, The Daily Record reports.

Organisers have claimed Zach Galifianakis, best known for his starring role in The Hangover, could be set to host the US-based relaunch.

Glasgow's Willy Wonka Experience has inspired a mural featuring an Oompa Loompa and The Unknown - and now the event's notoriety has sparked an event in the US. Picture: John Devlin

The spectacle, listed on Eventbrite, has been promoted as a “step into a world of pure imagination at Willy’s Chocolate Experience Los Angeles as chocolate memes come to life”.

Ms Paterson, 29, is set to fly to California next week to recreate her role. She will be involved in a live Q&A and photo-session.

“I’ve not been to America before – as a trained actor, it’s really exciting for me to go over there,” she told the Daily Record.

“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."

Kirsty Paterson, 29, was nicknamed 'the sad Oompa Loompa' for her role in the Glasgow attraction

Recalling her involvement in the original Glasgow event, Ms Paterson 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.”

An advert for the LA event states: “Following its ground-breaking 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.

“Scheduled to take place in a nondescript warehouse nestled in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, this extraordinary experience invites attendees to embark on a captivating adventure on April 28th, 2024.”

The original Glasgow attraction, reported to cost up to £35-a-head, was closed down by police in February after angry parents demanded refunds.

Admission to the LA event will include two complimentary jelly beans in a nod to the measly offerings from the original attraction.