Game of Thrones’ The Hound actor reveals intense crash diet for deleted topless scenes
RORY McCann embarked on a dramatic weight loss regime for Game of Thrones, only for it to backfire.
The actor, who played The Hound on the HBO fantasy drama, was told that he would have to appear topless for one of his scenes and promptly vowed to get into the best shape of his life.
To shift the pounds he ditched booze and carbs, according to co-star Maisie Williams, best known for playing Arya Stark.
Maisie appeared in a special reunion panel in a clip from the new Game of Thrones Blu-ray box set.
“There was a scene where The Hound got bitten and Arya offers to burn away the rotting flesh to make him better,” she began.
“And it said in the script The Hound was topless and so Rory had been on this crazy diet,” she went on.
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“He quit drinking and anyone who knows Rory knows that’s a big deal, and he quit smoking and he was just honestly just grumpy because he was eating just boiled eggs and chicken.”
Alas, Rory’s efforts were ultimately in vain, as when it came to the crunch show bosses decided it was unrealistic for the character to strip off given the miserable weather.
Rory recounted: “The funniest and best thing about it is when it came to shooting that scene they looked at the weather and said, ‘You know what, it’s a bit cold. It wouldn’t make sense you’d have your shirt off so perhaps you should just leave it on.”
Revealing how he promptly fell off the fitness bandwagon, he continued: “And I’ve never been to the gym since and that’s the truth. F*** you, that’s it.”
Descending into giggles, Maisie added: “I think he actually cracked open a beer on set, which was just hilarious.”
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Rory confirmed: “I did. I never stopped drinking,”
Maisie promptly shot back: “And then that night I saw you drinking a pint of Gin and tonic.”
The hilarious exchange is just one of the many treats from the cast as part of the Blu-ray release.
Elsewhere, Peter Dinklage revealed why Tyrion always wanted Bran Stark to be king.
Meanwhile Kit Harington fumed at being robbed of killing the Night King as Maisie was given the honour of taking down the White Walker army.