Game of Thrones star Kit Harington defends violence in HBO fantasy drama even though it's 'gory as hell'

The actor says that it is part of the show and is not gratuitous

Kit Harington as Jon Snow in Game of Thrones (HBO)

When Game of Thrones returns later this year fans can expect plenty more uncompromising brutality and medieval gore.

Although it may be hard for viewers to stomach, star Kit Harington says that the violence in the HBO fantasy drama is not gratuitous and is integral to the story.

The 28-year-old actor, who plays Jon Snow in the series said, "I don't see a problem with it because you mostly always feel the consequences of that person dying."

"In Thrones it's war and awful, awful things happen, as we see on the news daily. And if we've got an appetite for watching these things on the news then you can't shy away from it on cable drama," he told RadioTimes.com.

But Harington admitted that the series is as “gory as hell” and added “People are always dying around me in Thrones."

Some of the most violent moments on the show have included: a pregnant woman being stabbed repeatedly in the stomach, a man tortured and castrated, and a prostitute repeatedly shot with a crossbow.

Jon Snow trains for battle against the wildings at Castle Black (HBO)

Harington wrapped up filming on Game of Thrones earlier this year and has said that the forthcoming season is going to be “phenomenal”.

"They've built it in the right way – it could have got a lot sillier a lot earlier and it hasn't. It's progressed in the right way story-wise. It's so brilliant this year."

The storyline for season five will be based on George RR Martin’s fourth and fifth novels, A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons, but as usual the plot may deviate from his A Song of Ice and Fire book series.

Season five of Game of Thrones will be broadcast in the spring but eager fans will not have to wait that long. HBO is set to release a preview special featuring new footage.

The preview titled A Day in the Life will be broadcast on Sunday 8 February.