Emilia Clarke called 'short & dumpy girl' by Australian TV CEO; company issues apology

Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke was called a  'short, dumpy girl' by Patrick Delany, the head of Australian television company Foxtel. The CEO, who was giving a speech ahead of the House of the Dragon premiere screening, spoke about the first time he saw Game of Thrones and further made the sly remark about Clarke's Daenerys Targaryen. 

As reported by the Australian publication Crikey, an attendee at the Sydney premiere revealed that there was a 'bit of a gasp' after Patrick made the comment. Following the incident, Foxtel released a statement putting into context what Patrick said. They also apologised for any harm caused by his remarks. 

Emilia Clarke called 'short & dumpy girl' by Australian TV CEO

In his speech, Patrick Delany mentioned, "I was like, 'What's this show with the short, dumpy girl walking into the fire?'" as he referenced Emilia, who famously walked through fire in the series. 

Soon after, Foxtel spokesperson told Crikey that his remarks were “meant to be self-deprecating." The company's statement read, "The aim was to convey that for him, Games of Thrones was something very different for television in 2011 and that Emilia Clarke went from relatively unknown to one of the most recognized and most-loved actors in television and film. On behalf of Mr Delany, the Foxtel Group apologies if his remarks were misunderstood and caused any offence."

HBO prequel series House of the Dragon doesn't star Clarke in any capacity as it is set hundreds of years before Game of Thrones.  The series is scheduled to premiere on August 21, 2022, with the first season containing ten episodes. The project stars Paddy Considine, Emma D'Arcy, Milly Alcock, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke and more in pivotal roles. 

Meanwhile, Emilia recently confirmed that a Game of Thrones spin-off series based on Kit Harington's Jon Snow is being developed by HBO. 

(IMAGE: AP)