Game of Thrones’ Tyrion and Cersei share a joke on set

Game of Thrones fans have been given a rare insight into the extended cast’s playful off-screen antics in a behind-the-scenes video filmed during its season seven finale.

Viewers of the show were gripped as Queen Cersei finally met nemesis Daenerys Targaryen – her rival for control of the Seven Kingdoms – as they formed a shaky alliance against the advancing army of the dead.

But despite its sombre tone the mood off-camera was decidedly light hearted as they filmed scene over six painstaking days.

Indeed, Lena Headey, who plays Queen Cersei, and co-star Peter Dinklage, hated screen brother Tyrion Lannister in the hit show, are seen checking their mobile phones while dressed in character. 

Gwendoline Christie is also filmed stroking co-star star Liam Cunningham’s beard ahead of a new scene as respective characters Brienne of Tarth and Davos Seaworth. 

Elsewhere actor Rory McCann is seen cracking a smile – a rare sight given his role as fearsome warrior Sandor Clegane, AKA The Hound.  

Banter: Gwendoline Christie is seen playfully stroking co-star Liam Cunningham’s beard as they prepare to shoot scenes as respective characters Brienne of Tarth and Davos Seaworth

Final preparations: An extra, dressed as a kidnapped walker, is tended  as filming gets underway 

Here we go: The skeletal zombie terrifies Queen of Westeros Cersei in the now infamous scene 

The 12-minute film offers a glimpse at the hectic preparations required for the show’s crucial Dragon Pit sequence. 

The extended scene resulted in Cersei hatching a devious plan to betray Daenerys after initially agreeing to join forces in their war against the Night King.

And one of his undead soldiers, kidnapped by Jon Snow during a previous mission beyond the Wall, is seen receiving a much needed touch up before terrifying the Queen of Westeros. 

‘It can go south very quickly and that’s the brutal, brilliant part of the sequence because you know how quickly things can turn on this show,’ explained Dinklage, whose character faces an uneasy reunion with sister Cersei. 

‘I know a family reunion is awkward for anyone but let’s just say the Lannisters are a complicated bunch.’ 

A rare sight: Rory McCann, AKA The Hound, offers a smile while relaxing between takes

Snow joke: Kit Harrington is seen sharing a light-hearted moment with Gwendoline Christie and Liam Cunningham

The episode also saw characters Jon and Daenerys getting hot and heavy on the seventh season finale – without knowing they are related by blood.

And after the episode aired, actors Kit Harrington and Emilia Clarke admitted the scene was ‘weird’ to film, knowing the relation between their roles.

Speaking in a special behind-the-scenes commentary for HBO, Emilia, 30, revealed ‘gagging’ was her first reaction to the tryst – while Kit acknowledged the ‘weird’ encounter had been inevitable, after weeks of building romance.

Quiet on set: Cameras roll as the cast film one of the season seven finale’s defining moments

Insightful: The 12-minute film offers a glimpse at the hectic preparations required for the show’s crucial Dragon Pit sequence

A well earned break: Gwendoline is seen leaning over Liam’s shoulder as they check his phone

The seventh season finale received an explosive reaction from fans, after Daenerys and Jon were seen having sex – without either knowing they are nephew and aunt. 

Speaking after the scene aired, the two stars were quick to admit the scene had felt ‘wrong’ to film, when aware of the relation of the characters.

Admitting the scene had even made her feel sick, Emilia explained: ‘The reality of what they are to each other, I don’t know how that’s going to… I think [gagging] might be the reaction.’

Awkward: Kit Harrington and Emilia Clarke previously admitted their recent sex scene as Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen was ‘weird’ to film, knowing the characters were blood related

Hotting up: Speaking in a special behind-the-scenes commentary for HBO, Emilia, 30, revealed ‘gagging’ was her first reaction to the tryst in the season finale (above)

Against nature: Emilia (above) said of her romp with Jon, who is her nephew on the show: ‘The reality of what they are to each other, I think [gagging] might be the reaction’

Meanwhile Kit, 30, admitted he believes both characters know it is wrong deep down, but they are simply drawn to each other.

He continued: ‘I think they both know it’s wrong. I think they both know it’s going to cause problems. But it’s that thing, when you suddenly feel that deeply about someone and you go through these events together, it’s like a runaway train.’

However, he went on to confess he feels it was ‘inevitable’ that their characters would end up romping, after weeks of sexual tension between them on the show.

‘They’re like a runaway train’: Meanwhile Kit, 30, admitted he believes both characters know it is wrong deep down, but they are simply drawn to each other

He said: ‘I think it’s an inevitability from about halfway through the season that Jon and Daenerys will fall into bed together. You can’t stop it from happening.’

Emilia and Kit have both taken central roles on the show since it first aired in 2009 – but did not shoot a scene together until last year, making the tryst even more uncomfortable to act out on camera.

Confessing the incident was cringe-worthy, Emilia laughed: ‘Both of us were going, ‘Ahhh what are you doing on my set!? This is weird!’

Unstoppable: The hunk said: ‘I think it’s an inevitability from about halfway through the season that Jon and Daenerys will fall into bed together. You can’t stop it from happening’

While Kit added: ‘We were both kind of freaking out. Usually you start working on a movie and meet [a co-star] for the first time and you develop chemistry on screen over time. 

‘Here, you know somebody for seven years and you’ve watched their character on screen all that time. So it’s a unique experience as an actor to come together and know the world is watching.’

Yet, the London-born hunk confessed he had a feeling the pair’s characters would finally meet on the show. 

Cringe! Emilia and Kit have both starred on the show since it first aired in 2009 – but did not shoot a scene together until last year, making the tryst even more uncomfortable to act out

He explained: ‘I predicted, like everyone, they would meet this season, but I don’t think I predicted it quite as quickly.’ 

‘As far as Jon knows, he’s just meeting this queen he’s heard of and trying to negotiate with her — he’s not meeting Daenerys, who the audience has been watching for so many years. That helps with the surprise of it. 

‘He walks into the room and doesn’t expect to see such a beautiful young woman of similar age to him. Any young man’s reaction is going to be, ‘Okay…’ but he puts that aside because he has to.’ 

Inevitable: Yet, the London-born hunk confessed he had a feeling the pair (above) would finally meet on the show, adding: ‘But I don’t think I predicted it quite as quickly’

Finally: Fans had still been left delighted by their steamy sex scene in the finale – despite the characters being blood related

Fans had been left delighted by their steamy sex scene in the finale – despite the characters being blood related. 

The pair, whose romantic relationship has been building up throughout the penultimate season, finally gave into their passion as they sailed north from Dragonstone, to face off against the dreaded White Walker threat.

Jon sneaked to her quarters and and his queen was only too quick to invite him inside, resulting in pair making love while at sea.

However in a rather creepy turn, Daenerys’ trusted adviser Tyrion Lannister was shown lingering outside in the shadows and waiting outside as they enjoyed their passionate liaison. 

Creep: However Tyrion was shown lingering outside in the shadows – with fans quick to speculate whether he was in love with the queen on Twitter (above) 

Fans were quick to vent their disgust at this detail on Twitter – and even speculate whether Tyrion was in fact in love with Daenerys. 

One fan kicked things off by writing: ‘Why was Tyrion upset about Jon & Dany getting it on? Did he really feel he had a chance with her or do we have a rat.’ 

While another added: ‘Why did #tyrion seem mad when #jon knocked on Dany’s door?’

A further fan speculated whether he had feelings for the blonde, writing: ‘Why was Tyrion creeping outside Dany’s room? Never thought he looked at her that way… #silentstalker #voyeur’  

Freaky: However other fans were quick to express their disgust at the moment (above)

However other fans were quick to express their disgust at the moment, writing: ‘So is nobody gonna talk about that moment with #Tyrion down the hall from Dany and Jon?’ and ‘Why was Tyrion spying on Jon and Dany making out?’

It was a thrilling episode for fans on Sunday night after the Night King finally made his move to wipe out the people of Westeros, by bringing down The Wall.

The season finale ended with the land of the living on a knife edge, with the leader of the White Walkers using his powerful new undead dragon mount to smash an enormous hole in the structure that has stood for around 8,000 years. 

It was part of an action-packed episode that revealed Jon Snow’s real name and saw Littlefinger brutally executed by Arya Stark for treason.

That’s a wrap! Kit, Sophie Turner, Gwendoline Christie, Kristofer Hivju and a number of other GOT stars shared behind-the-scenes photos on social media, in honour of the exciting finale