Game of Thrones' Gendry Baratheon was spotted paying a visit to a homeless hostel in Hertfordshire.
It may not have been Gendry in full costume, but it was Joe Dempsie, the actor who played the former blacksmith, who paid a visit to DENS (Dacorum Emergency Night Shelter) homeless hostel in Hemel Hempstead last Friday (May 17).
DENS staff and residents had hoped they might gain inside information about the final episode of Games of Thrones. Fortunately, Joe remained tight-lipped despite being asked a few times.
The Game of Thrones star criticised the move to Universal Credit, saying that it led residents to feel like they were "financial catch up".
Joe decided to visit the hostel after being asked by his sister who works at the 44-bed hostel.
The actor from Nottingham is also known for playing the character of Chris Miles in E4 show Skins and is currently starring in Deep State.
He said: “I had a blast! It was incredible to see first-hand the fantastic work that DENS do to help those who find themselves homeless; many of them younger than you’d think, and nearly all of them there following turbulent childhoods or sudden, unforeseen changes in circumstance that’s left them struggling to keep their heads above water.
"They’re not just a bed for the night and a hot meal, they offer consistent support, guidance, addiction counselling and shelter to residents, with the aim of equipping them with the knowledge, skills and means to forge their own path to independence.
"It’s holistic, and remarkable”.
He added in his Instagram post which has amassed more than 39,000 likes: "Policy decisions like the move to Universal Credit lead loads of residents to feel like they were constantly playing financial catch up, being ‘taught a lesson’ when they really just needed to be offered a hand - so it’s not just about a bed for the night and a hot meal."
Sean Fitzgerald, manager at The Elms Hostel, commented: “At first, we couldn’t believe it was true, as Joe is a huge international star.
"What an absolute legend he is - such a nice guy! The minute he arrived, he was happily chatting and laughing with the residents as they tried to get him to disclose who ends up on the Iron Throne.
"Joe listened with interest to their stories and was genuinely concerned to hear the issues some of residents are facing”.
Did you see Joe Dempsie last week? If so, let us know and send over any pictures to ann.yip@newsquest.co.uk
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