Joe Dempsie, who plays Gendry in Game of Thrones, has told BBC Radio 5 Live the core actors from the series are under "a hell of a lot of pressure" and he's grateful he "wasn't one of the core group of actors."

This comes following the news series star Kit Harrington has checked into a wellness retreat, reportedly for stress.

One of the things that struck me when I returned in season seven, was how life had profoundly changed for quite a few people in that cast, in terms of fame and recognition.

Speaking to Nihal Arthanayake on BBC Radio 5 Live, Joe was asked whether he felt there was that much pressure and expectation on the actors of the show.

He said: "One of the things that struck me when I returned in season seven, was how life had profoundly changed for quite a few people in that cast, in terms of fame and recognition.

"And it made me really thankful that I wasn't one of the core group of actors, that really has to carry the weight of this show on their shoulders, and whose faces sell it because it is a hell of a lot of pressure.

"For a lot of the others, for whom it's all they've known for the best part of a decade, it's a really hard thing to deal with, that being taken away all of a sudden."

Joe also told Nihal the final season was never going to please everyone.

Joe said: "With a show as popular as Game of Thrones, and part of its popularity has been the fact that it lends itself so well to being picked apart and you forming your own theories about where the story's going to, there was no way it was going to please everyone."

On being asked how he has reacted to the people who've been critical about season 8, Joe said: "Personally, when I read the finale, I remember saying at the time, I don't know how well this is going to go down at the time. It might be the kind of ending that might need to percolate and maybe with the passing of time, people might appreciate over time"

Nihal Arthanayake is on BBC Radio 5 Live, Monday to Thursday 1-4pm. Listen on BBC Sounds.

Listen to the full interview with Joe Dempsie, as part of Must Watch, here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07bnhrf