Think back to the hazy, halcyon days of July, when the greatest controversy in Game of Thrones was not Daenerys's increasing malevolence or the slow march of zombies, but the presence of record-breaking balladeer Ed Sheeran, wearing a cape.

Sheeran, not content with dominating the charts and making the chorus of Shape of You seep into the consciousness of millions worldwide, invaded the fantasy land of Westeros as a sweet-voiced Lannister soldier in season seven's first episode.

It was a gesture of kindness from Thrones showrunners DB Weiss and David Benioff to Sheeran mega-fan Maisie Williams, who plays Arya – possibly after making her be endlessly beaten by a stick in season six.