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The Witcher author mocked Game of Thrones over Ed Sheeran cameo

Singer-songwriter’s appearance in Game of Thrones caused a huge backlash from fans

Roisin O'Connor
Tuesday 31 December 2019 12:59 GMT
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Ed Sheeran makes Game of Thrones cameo

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Fans of Netflix’s new fantasy series The Witcher have resurfaced the moment author Andrzej Sapkowski, who wrote the books the series is based on, poked fun at Game of Thrones.

Fans and critics have been busy comparing the two, with the Netflix series hailed as the successor to HBO’s hit, which in turn was based on George RR Martin’s books.

Those new to The Witcher books have now stumbled on an appearance by author Sapkowski at Warsaw Comic Con in 2018, where he took a light-hearted swipe at Game of Thrones over one of its most notorious cameos.

“I believe that my job as a creative consultant for this series is to make sure that at NO point in the show [will] Ed Sheeran sing,” he said. “And that I will make sure doesn’t happen. I will make sure.”

Celebrity cameos in Game of Thrones were a mostly understated but beloved part of the show. However, that changed when showrunners decided to include a decidedly unsubtle appearance by Sheeran as a Lannister soldier, sparking a major backlash from diehard GoT fans who believed it to be too distracting.

In November, The Witcher showrunner Lauren Hissrich revealed that the show had been renewed for a second series – before the first had even premiered on Netflix.

“Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri will be back for more adventures... in Season Two,” she tweeted.

“I could not be more proud of what the amazing cast and crew of The Witcher have accomplished,” Hissrich continued, “and can’t wait for the world to dig in and enjoy these stories with us.”

Read our review of The Witcher here.

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