Kit Harington defends Slave Play Black Out audience nights

Kit Harington has defended the decision to host black audience nights at his latest West End play.

The 37-year-old Game of Thrones star is currently starring in the UK production of Slave Play - written by Emily in Paris star Jeremy O. Harris and directed by Robert O'Hara.

The hard-hitting play addresses multiple themes and topics including race, relationships, power relations, trauma, and sex - and includes difficult scenes involving racist language.

The current production at London's Noël Coward Theatre is set to run until late September with some performances blocked out with the hope of attracting a majority black audience.

However, some critics have accused the move of promoting segregation, but the cast and crew have hit back - with Kit telling the BBC, "I've come to realise or believe that it's an incredibly positive thing.

"Number one, if you are white, no-one's stopping you buying a ticket, it's not illegal to buy a ticket for that show, if you want to come. It's saying, 'We would prefer the audience to be this.'

"Number two, I've been going to the theatre since I was young with my mum. I've only ever really known predominantly white audiences. It is still a particularly white space.

"So to have the argument that, oh, this is discriminating against white people, is I think vaguely strange and ridiculous."

The first Black Out performance took place this month, with Kit branding the performance, "an incredible show."