HBO condemns House of the Dragon finale leak as 'unlawful action'

HBO has said it is ‘disappointed’ by the House of the Dragon finale leak, describing it as an ‘unlawful action’ that has impacted the viewing experience for the show’s ‘loyal fans’.

While many viewers vowed to stay well away until the programme’s official transmission, others admitted on Twitter that they had caved, having been able to access the episode via illegal torrent sites.

Bosses at HBO have now said they feel disappointed by the leak, encouraging viewers to hold off for the ‘pristine version of the episode’ when it airs on HBO and its streaming service HBO Max.

They continued: “It appears to have originated from a distribution partner in the EMEA region. HBO is aggressively monitoring and pulling these copies from the internet.

“We’re disappointed that this unlawful action has disrupted the viewing experience for loyal fans of the show, who will get to see a pristine version of the episode when it premieres Sunday on HBO and HBO Max, where it will stream exclusively in 4K.”

Starring Matt Smith, Emma D'Arcy and Paddy Considine, it chronicles the beginning of the end of House Targaryen and the events leading up to the Targaryen civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons.

And the good news for anyone that's enjoyed season one is that the show has already been confirmed for a second series.

Announcing the renewal, Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO programming, said: "We are beyond proud of what the entire House of the Dragon team has accomplished with season one.

"Our phenomenal cast and crew undertook a massive challenge and exceeded all expectations, delivering a show that has already established itself as must-see-TV.

"A huge thank you to George, Ryan, and Miguel for leading us on this journey.

"We couldn't be more excited to continue bringing to life the epic saga of House Targaryen with Season 2."