The Emmy award-winning show, set among warring families in the fictional kingdom of Westeros, is HBO's biggest hit, with 30m US viewers.

Plot details have been kept secret since filming began in October 2017, though cast pictures were released.

It starts on 15 April in the UK on Sky Atlantic.

Maisie Williams was just 13 when she began her role as Arya Stark and the now 21-year-old said she would miss the months of filming outdoors in freezing weather in Northern Ireland.

"Some of the fondest memories I have are of all of us snuggled up in warm coats trying to get warm," she said.

"That camaraderie that we've built from just being so like cold and so wet... they were the most exciting times because it was how we really bonded as a cast."

Media captionGame Of Thrones's cast unite for the premiere of the final series

Check out some images below of how the cast look in series eight, compared with how they looked glammed-up in real life on the red carpet in New York on Wednesday.

Maisie Williams is Arya Stark who said in the final series trailer: "I know death. He's got many faces. I look forward to seeing this one."

Emilia Clarke and her character Daenerys Targaryen who has grown from shy teenager to fearsome Queen

In the seventh series, viewers learned about the real parentage of Kit Harington's Jon Snow

Gwendoline Christie, who plays Brienne of Tarth has wowed social media with her frock

The seventh series finale - based on the Songs of Ice and Fire novels by George R.R. Martin - saw the story head towards a great battle over the Iron Throne, while a zombie army of White Walkers, led by the undead Night King, marched south to threaten mankind's destruction.

How many times have we heard that plotline before?

Isaac Hempstead-Wright (below) who plays the visionary Bran Stark admitted to gathered press that he'd had real trouble trying to keep the new plotlines a secret.

"This has been a year and a half we've been having to hide these," he said.

"I can remember when I read the script I was like, you know, I wish I didn't have this information in my head..."

British actor Isaac Hempstead Wright and Bran Stark, his character who has supernatural gifts

Danish actor Pilou Asbaek plays the ruthless Euron Greyjoy

The show is known for killing off beloved characters, but many of the actors who saw their characters meet their demise turned up, including Jason Momoa (Khal Drogo), Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell) and Sean Bean (Ned Stark).

Pilou Asbaek (above) who plays Euron Greyjoy said: "I can tell you something. I'm probably the only guy with a happy end."

No more spoilers now, but there are some more pictures below.

Will Peter Dinklage's Tyrion Lannister somehow end up on the Iron Throne?

Kristian Nairn and Natalie Dormer, whose characters Hodor and Margaery Tyrell were killed off and Hannah Murray aka Gilly