Game of Thrones star Ian McShane says fans need to 'get out more'

Ian McShane thinks Game of Thrones fans need to "get out more".

The 74-year-old actor sparked uproar ahead of his appearance in season six of the fantasy drama last year when he revealed key plot details, including teasing the return of The Hound, surrounding his character Brother Ray, but doesn't understand why there was such a fuss about his comments.

He said of the backlash: "Can you believe it? 'Oh, you're giving it away.' Firstly, you love it and secondly, you'll have forgotten by the time it comes out. And what am I giving away? A character beloved by everybody returns. Get a f***ing life.

"The show is huge but some fans seem to identify with it [too closely]. You want to say, 'Have you thought about your lifestyle? Maybe you should get out a little more,'" he said in an interview with Empire magazine.

Ian previously dismissed the show as "just t*ts and dragons" and couldn't understand why there is so much secrecy surrounding the HBO series.

He said: "You say the slightest thing and the internet goes ape. I was accused of giving the plot away, but I just think get a f***ing life. It's only t*ts and dragons."

And during the same interview, he also gave away another spoiler when he admitted his role wasn't long-term.

He said: "They asked me if I wanted to do Game of Thrones and I said, 'Sure, I'll be able to see my old pals Charlie Dance and Stephen Dillane' and they said, 'No, we've killed them off.'

"I wasn't sure whether I could commit, but then they said it would only be for one episode, so I said, 'So that means I must die at the end of it. Great, I'm in.' "