A Game Of Thrones star was filming in York city centre today (Monday).
John Bradley, who played Samwell Tarly in the TV series, was one of the actors shooting scenes for a new Christmas movie on Colliergate.
The movie’s called Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint. It’s a comedy starring many famous names, including Celebrity Traitors favourite Celia Imrie, Richard E Grant, Nigel Planer and Karl Pilkington.
Produced by SUMS Film & Media in association with Ripon-based Shush Films, the movie is directed by Jack Spring and written by Chris Boyle-McQuarry.
John Bradley plays Aubrey Flint, who has a deep disdain for Christmas. “When he’s sentenced to community service at Willow Lodge, a charming but struggling retirement home, Aubrey finds himself begrudgingly roped into directing a chaotic resident-led production of A Christmas Carol,” reports the British Comedy Guide.
One person who had a ringside seat of the filming today was Jo Patton of Totally Awesome, York’s independent toy shop.
He told YorkMix: “We arrived at half nine-ish, and already there was a raft of people – a huge crew, all hi-viz jackets and everything.
“And some very swish cameras. Then as the day went on, we realised that there was going to be a couple of stars attending.
“It was about 11 o’clock and a gentleman arrived in a red jacket and a green hat. We thought ‘we recognise him!’ And it was John Bradley, who plays Sam Tarly in Game Of Thrones, and he was obviously decked up with his Christmas gear.”
He was seen “fighting off elves with candy canes”. “It’s going to be a funny one,” Jo said.
“What a fantastic scene with all the Barnitts Christmas lights,” he added. “They’re filming over the next four days in and around York, and there’ll be a couple more stars on site, I believe.”
But we’ll have to wait a while to see the movie – it’s not due out till Christmas 2026.
