Glasgow's Willy Wonka Organiser Says His Life Is 'Ruined' After Failed Event

The fallout from the ill-fated ‘Willy’s Chocolate Experience’ held in February continues to haunt Billy Coull, the event’s organizer and owner of House of Illuminati. Featured in a recent Channel 5 documentary titled “Wonka: The Scandal That Rocked Britain,” Coull revealed the devastating impact the event had on his life.

Originally intended as a joyous day out for families, ‘Willy’s Chocolate Experience’ event quickly turned sour when it was abruptly shut down on its inaugural day. Held at Box Hub in Whiteinch, Glasgow, UK, the event faced swift backlash from dissatisfied attendees, prompting police intervention.

Disgruntled parents took to social media to vent their frustrations, revealing that they had paid £35 (Rs 3,682) per ticket and waited in long queues, only to finish the whole thing in just seven minutes. Children were left upset, and there were even reports of staff having to limit jelly beans and drinks.

In the documentary, Coull recounted receiving a barrage of abusive messages, with some even suggesting he should take his own life.

“I was getting hundreds and hundreds calling me the most awful names saying I’m a villain, I’m a horrific dad, I’m better off dead, I should kill myself. I was devastated and I was sick to the pit of my tummy, I had a whole host of emotions,” Coull said.

Coull also revealed a detail about his process for the event’s planning. He disclosed that while he had written the script himself, he had utilized artificial intelligence (AI) to check for spelling, grammar, and continuity, citing his struggle with dyslexia.

He explained how the controversy spilt over into his personal life, causing him to lose friends and even the person he loved the most.

“My life has been turned (upside down). My life is ruined. Because of everything that had happened, it ran into my personal life.”

“I have lost my friends. I’ve lost the love of my life. I was made out to be the face of all evil. And genuinely, that’s really not the case,” Coull added.

Addressing concerns over refunds for the event, Coull said, “I have gone through the transactions individually, they are still ongoing if people haven’t received a refund, I have gone through many emails and said to people if you’ve not had your refund, contact your bank as they may have processes in place to be able to help it. I genuinely done what I can.”

Despite facing continuous scrutiny and criticism, Coull stood firm in declaring that he was “not a scam artist or a con man.”