Actor Mark Addy, who played the pivotal role of King Robert Baratheon in the first season of Game Of Thrones, has yet to see the hit series but intends to binge-watch it when it ends.
Addy's character in Game Of Thrones was mortally wounded during a hunting expedition. His death set up the story arc for the war of the five kings, which continues to rage in the fourth season that will soon start screening on Australian pay TV.
The barrel-chested British actor is about to star as Hercules in the upcoming Fox8 fantasy-adventure series Atlantis, which is based on Greek mythology.
Addy, speaking on the phone from London, tells AAP he's never had the time to watch Game Of Thrones since his seven-episode contract ended.
The 50-year-old knew when he was cast that he would not see out season one. He is in awe of the way the show has "gone crazy worldwide".
"I have not had the time to watch it, but I am going to hold out and do the whole box set, front to back, when it's all put together," Addy says.
"Before we started shooting I had read the first book and I knew exactly what happened...
"I knew from the outset, in order for the Game to commence, the throne has to become vacant."
Addy doubts if any network other than HBO could have done justice to the hugely expensive series. He says all the actors appreciate the financial risk HBO took to bring the books to life.
"The fantasy genre is very expensive to do properly, and really only HBO could pull it off on that kind of scale," he says.
"They've reaped some rewards and their investment was very shrewd."
In Atlantis, Addy plays an unlikely but jovial Hercules.
The show starts screening in Australia about the same time the fourth season of Game Of Thrones returns.
*Season one of Atlantis premieres on March 30 on Fox 8 while the fourth season of Game Of Thrones returns on Showcase on April 7.
