Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Branson’s on board for key ideas summit
New Thrones season begins
SIR Richard Branson has been confirmed as the keynote speaker for the Pendulum Summit 2018 in Dublin.
The world’s leading business and self-empowerment event takes place on January 10 in the Convention Centre.
Last year’s summit attracted more than 7,000 people and generated £21million.
The Virgin Group founder, 66, said: “Ireland may be a small country but it has always produced individuals and organisations with big ideas.
“Ireland has recovered quite quickly economically and I look forward to discussing how business visionaries can sustain this recovery and accelerate the growth of its economy.”
TO LONGCLAW ON CLAIM
GAME Of Thrones star Kit Harington has furiously hit out at the “a**holes” who have been leaking possible spoilers of the next series.
The actor, who plays Jon Snow in the fantasy hit, admitted he has got more protective of the show as it gets towards the end – and it “infuriates” him to see people sharing potential plot points.
The 30-year-old told Entertainment Tonight: “I think we all got very upset and angry that people wanna spoil a TV show in that way for people. I think we did everything we could.
“There’s only so much you can do when you’re filming in these beautiful locations and you can’t shut places off.
“You just have to deal with these, frankly, a**holes who wanna spoil it for people. I know there’s money involved but I just got so… I’m so protective over this show now.
“I’m so fond of it and as it gets towards the end, and all these exciting things happen, which I want to be shocks for people, it really infuriates me when I see someone ruining that for people.”
And while he didn’t let any spoilers slip, Harington – who was at season seven’s LA premiere with former Thrones actress Rose Leslie last night – was happy to tease fans with hints of what is to come.
He revealed his favourite moments from the newest series were working with cast members he hadn’t faced before “and the interactions between so many different characters we’ve been waiting to meet” – which was “the most exciting thing about this season”.
Harington revealed The King In The North will find himself in the middle of an “ambitious” battle scene – and things could only get more intense from there. He teased: “Safe to say that you’ll see me in a battle scene.”
There are just 13 episodes across two seasons until Game of Thrones comes to an end – and fans will finally know who will be seated on the Iron Throne.
Harington told how his biggest hope for the former Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch is to see “a big smile” from him again before he dies. But there’s one thing in particular that he is hoping to be able to bring home from his time in Westeros – and he’s been asking for it since the very first season. He said: “I want my sword. I want Longclaw.
“As the seasons went on and the show became more popular, and that sword’s value went up, and up, they got slowly quieter about it.
“And that’s why I’m hinting more and more. I’m like, ‘No, seriously, I want that sword,’ and they’re like, ‘Mmm’.” Game of Thrones begins on Monday on Sky Atlantic