The British musician Wilko Johnson, known for being the guitarist and singer of the group Dr. Feelgood in the 1970s, but also for having played the role of Ilyn Payne in the Game of Thrones series, died last Monday. He was 75 years old.
“This is an announcement we wish we never had to make. And we do so with a heavy heart: Wilko Johnson is dead. He passed away at home on Monday, November 21. Please respect the privacy of the family. In these difficult times,” it can be read. in a press release posted on his Twitter account.
Wilko Johnson formed in 1971 with Lee Brilleaux and John B. Sparks the group Dr. Feelgood, recognized for its mix of rock and rhythm and blues. The line-up achieved great success during the decade; especially thanks to the album Stupiditywhich topped the UK charts in 1976.
Wilko Johnson left Dr. Feelgood in 1977. He then created his own group, the Wilko Johnson Band, with which he played until the end of his days. Much appreciated by his colleagues, Wilko Johnson was honored Wednesday by Jimmy PageLed Zeppelin guitarist, who confided on Twitter his “sadness” after his death.
His only television role will remain as the haunting Ilyn Payne in the first two seasons of game of Thrones. It stuck in the minds of viewers: it was he who cut off Ned Stark’s head at the end of the first season. The role was cut short when Wilko Johnson was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
The actor, who had been given ten months by doctors to come, had then refused to undergo chemotherapy. He had made a farewell tour and recorded one last album with the singer of the Who, Roger Daltrey, in 2014. Cured a year after his illness, he was able to return to concerts, until his death.
Source: BFM TV
