'Game of Thrones': Wilko Johnson, who played Ilyn Payne, dies at 75

“Game of Thrones” loses one of its own.

Musician Wilko Johnson, best known for his role as Ilyn Payne in the hit series and for being the guitarist and lead singer of the band Dr. Feelgood in the 1970s, died Monday at the age of 75, announced his relatives in a statement posted on his Twitter profile on Wednesday, without specifying the cause of his death.

“This is the announcement we never wanted to make, and we make it with very heavy hearts: Wilko Johnson has died,” they wrote in this tweet, adding that he died “at home”.

"We have to thank cancer doctor Charlie Chan and surgeon Emmanuel Huguet for the extra years that Wilko was able to enjoy," his loved ones wrote in another tweet.

As many of you know, we have cancer doctor Charlie Chan and surgeon Emmanuel Huguet to thank for the extra years Wilko was able to enjoy.

Emmanuel Huguet: 'I feel honored to have known Wilko.

He was uplifting and life enhancing for me.

Like so many other people, I loved him.'

pic.twitter.com/gzYj6KMNld

— Wilko Johnson (@wilkojohnson) November 23, 2022

Wilko Johnson had known fame and success in the mid-1970s. With his group Dr. Feelgood, he found himself at the top of the British charts in 1976, recalls BFMTV on its site.

Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page said on Twitter that he was "sad" when singer Alex Kapranos described him as "brilliant, thoughtful and an amazing storyteller".

Pancreatic cancer from 2013

The British star had already seen himself die in the early 2010s, when he revealed that he was terminally ill with pancreatic cancer.

He had then refused to undergo chemotherapy, preferring to take advantage of the time that remains to do a mini-tour of farewell and record new songs.

He announced in 2014 to be cured of his cancer.

Wilko Johnson had only approached television once, to play Ilyn Payne in the first two seasons of “Game of Thrones”.

It was he who cut off Ned Stark's head at the end of the first season.

His career had stopped when his cancer was diagnosed.