UK viewers anticipating the new series of Game Of Thrones have learned that Ed Sheeran is to make an appearance in tonight’s (July 17) opening episode. Unsurprisingly, the ‘Galway Girl’ hitmaker is found singing.

Sheeran plays a Lannister soldier and appears in a scene with Arya Stark, played by Maisie Williams. He sings lyrics that were written by author George R.R. Martin and appeared in the book, A Dance With Dragons:

“He rode through the streets of the city / Down from his hill on high / O’er the winds and the steps and the cobbles / He rode to a woman’s sigh / For she was his secret treasure / She was his shame and his bliss / And a chain and a keep are nothing / Compared to a woman’s kiss / For hands of gold are always cold / But a woman’s hands are warm.”

Arya tells Ed's character, “It’s a pretty song. I’ve never heard it before.” He replies, “It’s a new one.”

Apparently, the show’s runners David Benioff and DB Weiss have been trying to get Sheeran to appear “for year” as Maisie Williams is reported to be a huge fan.

“We tried to get Ed Sheeran on the show to surprise Maisie, and this year we finally did it,” Benioff said at the South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, earlier this year.

Sheeran’s not the first musician to appear in the hugely popular fantasy show. Former Dr Feelgood guitarist Wilco Johnson played the executioner Ser Ilyn Payne, and Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody, Coldplay’s Will Champion and Sigur Ros have all popped up during the show’s run.

Whether Sheeran meets a sticky end or not remains to be seen. No spoilers here!