'GOT' final season was 'designed to break' the cast: Kit Harington

Kit Harington believes the final season of "Game of Thrones" was "designed to break" the cast of the blockbuster fantasy series.

The actor, who plays fan favourite Jon Snow in the HBO show, said the team was so tired and sleep deprived from the emotional goodbyes that they just wanted to be "done" with it.

"The last season of 'Thrones' seemed to be designed to break us. Everyone was broken at the end. I don't know if we were crying because we were sad it was ending or if we were crying because it was so f**king tiring.

"We were sleep deprived. It was like it was designed to make you think, 'Right, I'm f**king sick of this'," Harington told GQ Australia.

"I remember everyone walking around towards the end going, 'I've had enough now. I love this, it's been the best thing in my life, I'll miss it one day -- but I'm done'," he added.

The show, that aired in 2011, went to become a cult hit and scripted history at several award shows.

But the actor revealed that he was initially shocked by the success of the series.

"After the first season I would say to people, 'We definitely won't get a second season'. Then after the second season I went, 'Definitely not a third, no.' Everyone was, like, 'Are you f**king kidding me, Kit? Of course we're gonna get a third'," he said.

Harington, 32, looks back at the show fondly - the show gave him a breakout role and introduced him to his wife, actor Rose Leslie.

"That weight is off my shoulders. It's done now. I can be proud of it. We've got eight seasons, and they can sit on a bookshelf at home 'til the end of time," he said of the final season.

The last installment of "GOT" airs in April.