Kit Harington in treatment facility ‘to work on some personal issues’ – reports

MANILA, Philippines – Actor Kit Harington, best known for playing Jon Snow in the hit HBO series Game of Thrones, has reportedly checked into a treatment facility for a “wellness retreat,” according to US-based entertainmentf outfits. 

“Kit has decided to utilize this break in his schedule as an opportunity to spend some time at a wellness retreat to work on some personal issues,” Harington’s publicist told Variety in a story published Wednesday, May 29 (Tuesday, May 28 in the US). 

New York Post gossip portal Page Six earlier reported Kit checked into “luxury rehab for stress and alcohol use” weeks before the series finale on May 20 (May 19 in the US). The show’s ending reported “hit him hard,” said Page Six. 

** SPOILERS FOR THE SERIES FINALE FOLLOW **

Harington, who played Jon in the show since season 1 in 2011, has been outwardly emotional over the ups and downs of his character. In the documentary Game of Thrones: The Last Watch, Kit is visibly distraught as he finds out during the cast table-read that Jon would kill his lover and aunt Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) in the finale. 

Towards the end of the documentary, Kit also becomes emotional after they shoot his final scene as Jon in Game of Thrones. The actor thanks the cast and crew and said his experience in the show is among the best in his life. He also chokes up when one of the showrunners said “[his] watched has ended,” borrowing a saying from the Night’s Watch, which his character Jon joins in season 1.  

Kit had also told Variety that he took therapy, admitting his “darkest” moments came when Jon became the focal point in the show.

Jon, introduced as a bastard of Ned Stark in the first episode, is later revealed to be the legitimate son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Ned’s sister Lyanna Stark. Despite his being born a bastard, Jon rises in rank, initially in the Night’s Watch (where he is murdered and then resurrected) and later, in the Stark stronghold of Winterfell itself. In season 6, Jon is declared “King in the North.”

“I felt I had to feel that I was the most fortunate person in the world when actually, I felt very vulnerable. I had a shaky time in my life around there — like I think a lot of people do in their 20s,” he told Variety then.

“My darkest period was when the show seemed to become so much about Jon when he died and came back. I really didn’t like the focus of the whole show coming onto Jon. When you become the cliffhanger of a TV show, and a TV show probably at the height of its power, the focus on you is f—–g terrifying,” he added.