It comes after he bowed out of the limelight for a surprising reason
GAME of Thrones fans are set to be left open-mouthed when the show’s most vile villain makes an appearance in a cosy kids’ drama.
Jack Gleeson, who played Joffrey Baratheon in GoT, is returning to the small screen in a remake of children’s teatime show The Famous Five.
The Irish actor can now be seen for the first time playing the role of Wentworth after the BBC released a trailer for the reboot.
In the clip, Jack looks a world away from his despicable GoT character Joffrey in both a priest’s costume and while dressed in old fashion clothes as he pours over a treasure map.
The Famous Five children can be seen hunting for treasure on a remote island, while Wentworth attempts to throw them off the scent so he can find it for himself.
It is believed Wentworth is a new character for the TV series, which is an adaptation of Enid Blyton’s much-loved children’s books.
Jack had previously decided to turn his back on playing villainous roles, however it seems he has made an exception for the new kids’ show which premieres on 9 December.
His role in The Famous Five comes just months after he returned to TV in a big way, having taken on a more comedic role in the fourth and final season of Netflix’s hit show Sex Education.
Jack played Sean’s (Edward Bluemel) stoner friend Dodgy Mo, who despite his name is actually a well meaning character. He even offers support to Maeve (Emma Mackey) after her mum dies.
Guest-starring in two episode of Sex Education was Jack’s biggest TV role since he was killed off of GoT in Season 4.
The actor previously spoke about how he needed a break and retreated from the limelight when Joffrey was brought to an end, telling The Independent: “I’ve been acting since age eight. I just stopped enjoying it as much as I used to.
“And now there’s the prospect of doing it for a living, whereas up until now it was always something I did for recreation with my friends, or in the summer for some fun. I enjoyed it.
“When you make a living from something, it changes your relationship with it. It’s not like I hate it, it’s just not what I want to do.”
Jack admitted he struggled with the notion of being a celebrity thanks to his GoT fame and he even quit showbiz.
He went on to perform smaller roles in independent theatre and in the BBC mini-series Out Of Her Mind, instead.
In 2014, he also told the Oxford Union: “[Celebrity] was an atmosphere from which I instantly wanted to retreat, I detested the superficial elevation and commodification of it all, juxtaposed with the grotesque self-involvement it would sometimes draw out of me.”
However, it seems Jack has now rediscovered his love of acting by taking in these exciting TV roles.
The BBC says The Famous Five series will follow five young explorers on “action-packed adventures, remarkable mysteries, unparalleled danger, and astounding secrets in an unforgettable odyssey.”
There will be three 90 minutes episodes based on Enid Blyton’s 21 stories, beginning Saturday December 9 on CBBC. The series will also be available to watch on iPlayer.
