So the seventh series of Game Of Thrones returned to screens the world over and with it the usual high volume of WTF moments. Of course, this season proved no different with a jaw-dropping opening scene, the realization that Euron Greyjoy (played by Pilou Asbæk) looks like Kasabian’s Tom Meighan having a midlife crisis and, of course, Ed Sheeran’s cameo appearance.
Indeed, as reported by Gigwise, this was no blink-and-you’ll-miss-it guest slot a la Snow Patrol’s Gary Lightbody but four or so minutes of valuable screen time. And it set the internet off.
According to TV Web, the ‘Galway Girl’ singer’s role in the fantasy drama registered over 2.4m tweets during the broadcast, of which Ed Sheeran’s appearance representing around 7% of the conversation (you do the maths – it’s far too early in the day for the Gigwise calculator to come out).
Not that everybody was happy about it as viewers lined up to stick the boot in. And who can blame them? Ed Sheeran’s scene – which saw the singer play a Lannister soldier singing a song – was utterly inconsequential and felt shoe-horned into an episode that didn’t need it. And the character survived too.
Fan Tyler Rolf wasn’t impressed: “Hot take: Ed Sheeran making an appearance on Game of Thrones was the worst thing I've ever seen on the show in it's history.”
Hot take: Ed Sheeran making an appearance on Game of Thrones was the worst thing I've ever seen on the show in it's history.
— Tyler Rolfe (@tylermrolfe) 17 July 2017
Dana Schwartz reckoned “Nothing takes me out of a fantasy world like a random Ed Sheeran appearance”
Nothing takes me out of a fantasy world like a random Ed Sheeran appearance #gameofthrones
— Dana Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) 17 July 2017
Elsewhere, cynical fan Salim Stark lampooned the script: “Arya: That's a pretty song. I've never heard it before.
Ed Sheeran: It's new. Buy my album ÷ on iTunes”
Arya: That's a pretty song. I've never heard it before.
— Salim Stark (@SalimAlSamar) 17 July 2017
Ed Sheeran: It's new. Buy my album ÷ on iTunes #GameOfThrones #GoTS7
Natalia Trullson grumbled: “It took me a minute to take #gameofthones seriously again after having to watch Ed Sheeran sing around a fire pit with some soldiers”
It took me a minute to take #gameofthones seriously again after having to watch Ed Sheeran sing around a fire pit with some soldiers
— Natalia Trullson (@NaSoldera) 17 July 2017
Game Of Thrones boss David Benioff explained that Sheeran's guest appearance was a surprise for actress Maisie Williams who plays Arya Stark: "We knew that Maisie was a big fan of Ed Sheeran and for years we’ve been trying to get him on the show so we can surprise Maisie.
"This year we finally did it."
