Performer of silent executioner Ser Ilyn Payne in the Game of Thrones saga, guitarist and successful singer, Wilko Johnson died on Monday at the age of 75.
Ned Stark’s executioner is no more. Wilko Johnson, successful guitarist and vocalist in the band Dr. Feelgood in the 70s then with his own group, The Wilko Johnson Band, and well known to Game of Thrones fans for having played Ser Ilyn Payne in two seasons, died on Monday. He was 75 years old.
“This is the announcement we never wanted to make and we make it with a heavy heart: Wilko Johnson is dead. He passed away at his home on November 21. Please respect his family’s privacy at this sad time. .RIP Wilko Johnson” wrote his relatives in a message posted on Twitter.
If the causes of his death are not known, the actor-singer fought for several years against pancreatic cancer, diagnosed in 2013. At the time, the doctors were very pessimistic and had given him a life expectancy of Just 10 months after refusing chemotherapy. In 2015, he announced that he had overcome the disease, after being operated on in 2014 for 11 hours by the doctors, who had removed a huge tumor of 3kg.
In Game Of Throneshe made his debut in the episode The royal road in season 1. Servant of the crown, with the title of “Justice of the king”, in other words the official executioner of the royal family, it is he who beheaded Ned Stark at the end of season 1. It is little to say that his mute character (the Mad King, Aerys II Targaryen, had his tongue pulled out with hot pliers) in the pay of the Lannisters has logically tensed a lot of fans of the series.
HBO
The fate of his character remains uncertain, while he was initially on the famous list of targets of Arya Stark who sought revenge. Due to the actor’s health issues discussed above, Payne was phased out of the show and removed from Arya Stark’s kill list.
The character of Ser Ilyn Payne will be mentioned one last time, in season 4, when Tyrion Lannister confronted his father the night before his scheduled execution. Tywin then assured his son that he would not let Ilyn Payne chop off his head.