News

Wilko Johnson recovering and eyeing a return to Game of Thrones

Posted on by Sue the Fury

WilkoJohnsonIt looks like we may not have seen the last of Ned Stark’s executioner on Game of Thrones.

Fans last saw Wilko Johnson as Ser Ilyn Payne, the tongueless knight in service to the Lannisters, in the season 2 finale, “Blackwater.” Johnson stepped away from the show after being given a terminal diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

Two years later, the musician and actor has undergone life-saving surgery to remove a tumor, and according to a friend, is now considering a return to Game of Thrones.

Yesterday, journalist Charles Shaar Murray posted on Facebook about visiting with Wilko, and reported that he’s in good spirits and speculating about a GoT comeback when he’s more recovered.

Yesterday: a lovely Sunday afternoon by the seaside… to be precise, hanging out with Wilko Johnson and a bunch of his mates… Wilk’s still in the comparatively early stages of recovery from his massive life-saving surgery, but he’s in good spirits (though he’s no longer drinking any), working hard to rebuild strength and stamina, itching to resume maltreating Telecasters (guitars) in public and even speculating on returning to Game of Thrones once Ser Ilyn Payne is no longer ill in pain and he’s strong enough to wield the Big Sword once more. And he thanks all y’all for the good vibes.

Sue the Fury says: Fantastic news that Johnson’s surgery has been a success, and we wish him the best of luck in his continued recovery. Of course, I’d love to see him back on Game of Thrones someday. There’s certainly unfinished business, with Ilyn Payne on Arya’s death list.

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Sue the Fury
Susan Miller, Editor in Chief of WatchersOnTheWall.com

42 Comments

  6. It would be so cool to have him back! I Am very happy to hear that he is recovering. 🙂

    Maybe he could pick up the role of Dareon in some way. Since Wilko Johnson is a musician Arya could meet Ilyn Payne in a tavern in Bravos (no good Idea how he got there yet) playing the lute or what ever instrument Wilko Johnson would like to try his hands on, but since he is a guitarist, playing something like a lute should be the simplest for him.

  7. Best news I’ve heard in a while. Gonna listen to my copy of ‘Going Back Home’ to celebrate! 🙂

  9. After a mostly terrible week of news, this is an extremely welcome report to hear! Here’s hoping that Wilko goes on to a successful recovery and a happy life. And that maybe one day, he’ll return to Westeros!

    They’ll have to find him a new greatsword, though. 😉

  12. That’s great news. I had last read about him refusing treatment for his cancer and deciding to live the rest of his life happily, so this is a double good news for me that he’s received treatment and is getting better, plus considering a return. I’m happy now. 🙂

  14. Hmmm..what will they have him do now that we know Jamie’s storyline appears to be quite different from the novels in which the HBO television hit series is based on that are written by George RR Martin who lives in New Mexico and his favorite character is Tyrion.

  16. Wow, they said he was terminal and now he is bouncing back! What a tough son of a gun! Way to go!

  24. @Sue the Fury:
    Since when was “Blackwater” the season 2 finale? 😉

    Otherwise, awesome news! I’d love to see Wilko back! 🙂

  25. So awesome! I’d love to see him back on GoT as well. I’m sure they could find something he could do.

  29. This is GREAT news!! I really hope Mr. Johnson will make a full recovery and can make plans for the future again. If GoT were to fit in those plans, of course that would be even better.

    PS: I only just found out about this website and am so glad that I did! I felt for months already that I had lost my WiCnetty online home, in the absence of so many of the old guard. Little did I know that so many of you went exploring and found a new realm to rule!

  33. This is just the kind of feel good story that brightens your day…just….a miraculous recovery (well, more accurately, that they figured out that there was a slim chance that radical surgery might actually be able to get the cancer out of him, and it seems to have worked).

  34. That’s awesome! I’m so happy for him and his family and loved ones. If he can return to GoT, all the better!

  36. Fantastic news! I had almost given him up for dead after reading he had refused treatment. My own father died of pancreatic cancer too, so I know how vicious that cancer can be.

    BTW hi all, I have just arrived from WIC after being told the address of the new page.

  37. YEahhh!!! Wilco! Dude you rule man! I wish you all the best, health, happyness and fuck yeah I’d like to see you return to the show!

    Good news indeed!

    And once again thanks to the people that set-up this site! Oh my lord, I felt like I was always pissed off going to that other dump site were the crows have began their feast and are now picking at the carcasse of what used to be a bright spot for me as a fan!

    And now my watch begins!

  38. INCREDIBLE news!

    I was so sad with the news of the diagnosis two years ago- this is really a miraculous turnaround.

    Hopefully, they will find a way to bring him back into the show when he’s back to full strength!

  40. Hurray! I hope he continues to stay in good health. Nobody else can scowl silently as well as Wilko!!!!

    (As an aside – I finally checked back in over at WiC and found out that the part I loved about it had migrated over to WoTW. Thank the gods! I was honestly thinking of removing WiC from my favorites – where it’s been a fixture over the last several years. That’s how bad it had gotten. Now I can go ahead and delete it with a clean conscience (kind of sad, though)! All the best to the WoTW team, so happy I found you!)

  42. That’s fantastic news – a great musician and by all accounts a decent bloke too. And how must that feel – being resigned to your impending demise and then getting a last-minute reprieve?

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