Game of Thrones season 8: John Bradley also thought Samwell Tarly was going to die

'I didn't think I was gonna survive either'

**Spoilers for Game of Thrones season eight, episode three ‘The Long Night’ ahead**

The Battle of Winterfell has come to an end. While many fan-favourite characters remain standing, a few also perished at the hand of the Night King.

One of those characters who managed to stay alive was Samwell Tarly. The former member of the Night's Watch and trainee maester was seen on the battlefield, but not fighting any wights. Incapable of defending himself, Dolorous Edd died saving Samwell.

Fans were dismayed to see the character perilously close to death, with many believing the battle would see Samwell finally die. Yet, miraculously, Jon Snow's longtime companion survived the undead to cry another day.

Like those watching, John Bradley, who plays Samwell, also thought the character was going to die.

"Yeah, I didn't think I was gonna survive either," Bradley told Ellen DeGeneres while appearing on her talk show. "Because you're always kind of looking at the scripts for the new episode with one eye open. You're so nervous.

"And people say, 'Oh, Sam can't die', and 'Sam's too important' or 'Sam's too beloved'. And you just think, 'God, don't you watch this show? Have you never seen this show before?' Important and beloved doesn't matter. Nobody is sacred and nobody is safe in Game of Thrones."

"The Long Night" was a “gritty, epic and profoundly silly” episode according to our critic, who awarded the episode five stars. Meanwhile, the intense trailer for next week’s episode sees everyone turn their attentions to the Iron Throne and the fate of Cersei Lannister.

Our extensive ranking of every character in the series – from worst to best – is below.

The final season of Game of Thrones continues every Sunday. The show will be available on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV in the UK.