Game of Thrones season 7 release date: When will the next episodes air on Sky Atlantic and HBO?

The wait starts all over again

Will Jon and Sansa go their separate ways in Game of Thrones season 7? ((Pic: HBO))

I know, you're still reeling from Game of Thrones season 6, but let's face it, we both know you're already thinking about what will happen in season 7, thanks largely to the finale having set up a series of tantalising plot lines.

So when will be getting new episodes? The official word from HBO is currently just '2017'. However, judging by the past six season premieres (17 April, 1 April, 31 March, 6 April, 12 April, 24 April) it's a pretty safe bet that the show will return in late April, or possibly early May.

As has been the case with the last few seasons, 7 will almost certainly be simulcast with HBO on Sky Atlantic in the UK, meaning you won't have to wait for the US transmission to be completed first.

The main thing to note here, though, is not the launch date of the season but its length.

Seasons 7 and 8 (probably the last) are expected to be significantly shorter - just 6 or 7 episodes. With the show being such a huge hit this might seem a little surprising, but is down to the episodes' increasingly vast scale, budgets and the quality expected by viewers.

“It’s crossing out of a television schedule into more of a mid-range movie schedule," co-showrunner D.B. Weiss explained. It remains to be seen whether this shorter format will help, or make the storylines feel too rushed (they're already getting pretty tight).

Directing the episodes this season will be Alan Taylor, Jeremy Podeswa, Mark Mylod and GoT newcomer Matt Shakman.

As the agonising wait for the next season begins, you might want to keep your eye out for HBO's upcoming new show Westworld, which could well fill the Game of Thrones-shaped hole in your life for a few months.