HBO halts GOT prequel shoot; Kenneth Branagh's theatre production cancelled due to surge of COVID cases in UK

The recent rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the UK has forced HBO to halt the production of its much-anticipated Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon. According to Deadline, the UK shoot of the show has been paused for two days after a positive case in zone A, which includes cast and crew. Based on author George R R Martin’s book Fire & Blood, House of Dragons is set over 300 years prior to the events of Game of Thrones. It and tells the story of House Targaryen and the Targaryen civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons. The surge has also led to the cancellation of actor-director Kenneth Branagh’s UK theatre production, a revival of The Browning Version by Terence Rattigan. The play was due to be staged at London’s Riverside Studios in August. In a note sent to the ticket holders, the venue said the production was “no longer viable” due to an “increasing number of Covid-enforced absences” and that refunds would be issued. Producers said a number of team members tested positive, some of whom were symptomatic, despite COVID-19 protocols being observed. The shoot of Netflix’s popular series _Bridgerton_  was shut down twice over the weekend because of positive cases on the set. The streamer’s feature adaptation of Matilda has also halted production due to the virus. On Sunday, the UK recorded a further 48,161 coronavirus cases and 25 deaths. This followed an excess of 50,000 cases recorded on Friday and Saturday, the highest since mid-January.