Game of Thrones creator George RR Martin was forced to pull out of the star-studded House of The Dragon premiere ater tesing positive for Covid.
Just days earlier he planned to skip an appearance at San Diego Comic con as part of House of The Dragon panel over Covid fears, and then caught the virus.
The author, 73, said he was ‘as startled as anyone’ as he had been very ‘cautious and conservative’ when following precautions against the disease.
In a video shared to YouTube, Martin said: ‘A funny thing happened. On the first day in Los Angeles yesterday I woke up and tested positive for Covid – I was as startled as any of you.
‘What that means, of course is I can’t do most of the things I was planning to do here in Los Angeles.
‘Honestly, it’s a mystery to me how the world, I got this because I am positive, everybody around me as negative.
‘But this virus is tricky, so here I am… I’ve had worse colds.’
Confirming he was unable to make the bash, he added: ‘It’s an amazing group and I was hoping to be with them… but that’s the world we live in, with Covid.’
HBO chief content officer Casey Bloys told crowds at the Los Angeles premiere that Martin was unable to make the screening but assured there was ‘nothing to worry about’.
‘I was going to start today by introducing George RR Martin and tell you how great it is to have George on the journey with us,’ said Bloys.
‘Unfortunately, George got Covid at Comic-Con, so he’s not here. I think he’s feeling fine, so nothing to worry about.’
The likes of Matt Smith, Paddy Considine, Olivia Cooke and Rhys Ifans, who will all star in the Game of Thrones prequel did all manage to make the do, and walked the red carpet.
House of The Dragon airs on Sky Max and HBO from August 21.
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