Former Game Of Thrones Star Slams Time On Show

Not one to mince his words, the man behind Stannis 'The Mannis' Baratheon has slammed Game of Thrones, HBO's ice and fire epic. 58 year old actor Stephen Dillane says that the show is too 'brutal' for him to watch and that he didn't really understand his role when he signed up five seasons ago.

The character has already been criticised for the 'brutal' act of sacrificing his own daughter, but now Dillane himself has spoken out, telling RadioTimes.com:

It's pretty brutal, I couldn't watch much of that anyway. It's hardcore. Too tough for me. It's just too painful...quite overwhelming, the whole world of it is pretty overwhelming.

Whilst some actors would kill to be on the show, it looks like Dillane couldn't wait to be killed off. Still alive in George R,R. Martin's book series, a question mark still hangs over the fate of Stannis Baratheon on the show. Dillane has already said he is dead "as far as I know."

Unlikely to do a Jon Snow and be resurrected by his beloved Red Priestess, Stannis met a sticky end at the hands of Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) in last year's finale episode - "Mother's Mercy". His death was pretty much confirmed by the official HBO book - Game of Thrones: The Noble House of Westeros Seasons 1-5 when the book's paragraph on the Baratheon patriarch states:

Stannis was killed outside of Winterfell by Brienne of Tarth, who wished to avenge Renly’s death.

Could the baby burner be feeling a little bitter towards his exit perhaps? But Dillane's criticism of the role doesn't end there, he went on to tell French newspaper Liberation:

I understood neither the series nor its success when I participated. The experience was very weird, it passed under my nose.For a role to be pleasing, I must get interested, which was not really the case. I was a bit overwhelmed. It is difficult because it is a big machine.

If he had been coming back, I think HBO would certainly be reassessing his contract given the harsh interview. When asked what he got from Thrones, Dillane said "money" and that he got no personal or professional satisfaction from his five seasons on the show.

Dillane is the second actor to speak out in recent times, this comes not long after this series' latest addition, Ian McShane, described the show as "only tits and dragons." McShane reportedly signed up so that he could star alongside Dillane and other actor Charles Dance, only to find that they had been horrifically killed off. Perhaps those at Thrones HQ need to get their houses in order and deliver some Red Wedding justice!?!

Game of Thrones season six returns to U.S. screen on April 24, and will premiere in the U.K. on April 25.