Singer songwriter Ed Sheeran has discussed the backlash to his brief appearance in Game of Thrones, and argued that, actually, various other musicians had cameoed first.
Sheeran popped up in Game of Thrones’ seventh season, playing a musical soldier who sings to Arya Stark and offers her a meal of rabbit. The scene is widely despised by Game of Thrones fans for its hugely unsubtle use of Sheeran, at time when his career had made him one of the most recognizable popstars on the planet.
Now, speaking on the Friends Keep Secret podcast, Sheeran has defended his decision to take part in the series, and highlighted the fact that he was just one of many musical artists to feature at some point.
“I feel like I definitely ruffled some feathers being on Game of Thrones,” Sheeran said, via Entertainment Weekly. “What I said [at the time] is, ‘People love that show. If anyone gets asked to be in that show, it’s an instant yes.’ I said yes. I enjoyed doing it.”
Sheeran’s scene with Arya Stark, played by Maisie Williams, was originally conceived as a gift to the actress — who was reportedly a fan of the redheaded British heart-throb. Sheeran then agreed to the role after seeing other musicians also make small cameos, though none as high-profile as him.
“Members of Coldplay [were] at the Red Wedding. [Gary Lightbody] from Snow Patrol’s in there. Chris Stapleton’s in it as like a White Walker,” Sheeran pointed out. But none of those musicians got such a prominent spot in their own episode.
“I think at the time I was very omnipresent and just everywhere,” he concluded. “So, I think it was quite jarring. [But things like this] happen quite a lot in my career. I just get s*** on for things.”
It’s a busy time for the Song of Ice and Fire universe, with both House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms each set for new series on HBO, taking fans up to 2028. In January, HBO was said to be in “very early development” on a Game of Thrones spinoff starring Arya Stark, following the collapse of a previous sequel idea that would have featured Jon Snow (perhaps Sheeran could turn up again there in a flashback?).
Beyond the realms of TV, a new Game of Thrones prequel is set to dramatize the events of Robert’s Rebellion, and debut on the UK stage this summer. A Game of Thrones movie has also now been revealed to be in development at Warner Bros, reportedly set to focus on a new character. As for the original Game of Thrones book series, author George R.R. Martin has said there’s no plan if he dies before completing Winds of Winter, and his simply “won’t be finished.”
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
