Game of Thrones extras reveal what it's really like to take part in the epic show

Being part of the biggest show on the planet isn't exactly as fun as you might think.

A visit to the Northern Ireland set by the Toronto Sun has revealed the stressful and somewhat unsatisfying life of a Game of Thrones extra.

Jamie Mackrell, a tour guide in Belfast, spoke about the small role he had to play in the much buzzed episode The Battle of the Bastards. He was one of 500 extras bused to a field as part of the show, where he served as one of Ramsay's soldiers.

"[My big moment came] when Jon Snow walks over the bodies toward the castle. I'm lying there face down, with an arrow up my butt. Not even face-up so my mum could see me."

It may not seem worthwhile, but casting director Carla Strouge revealed that they are constantly barraged with people trying to get onto the show.

"You get lots of emails and random things in the post. My favourite was a deck of playing cards where every card was their face playing a different emotion. Really classy."

She revealed that one extra hopeful flew in from Australia just for the opportunity, though Strouge tried to stop them. "You can bet your bottom dollar that the day they'd come for filming, it gets postponed or cancelled and it did."

Despite this, the increase in tourism that Thrones has brought Northern Ireland has made things more worthwhile. Mackrell's seasonal job as a castle tour guide has increased, and now teaches tourists how to fire arrows. It is estimated the show now contributes 40 per cent of the country's tourists.

The seventh season of Thrones is currently in production and due to return mid-2017.