Game of Thrones giant actor’s funeral attended by hundreds
By BBC Entertainment
The funeral of Game Of Thrones actor and Britain’s tallest man has been attended by hundreds of mourners.
Neil Fingleton, who was 7ft 7in, died from a heart attack at home last month.
In a service at Durham Cathedral the 36-year-old was described as someone who “touched the lives” of many.
Canon Alan Bartlett, from his church in Gilesgate, said he remembered him as “a politely spoken and gracious man who just happened to be a bit taller than most of us”, rather than a global star.
Mr Fingleton was a professional basketball player in the United States before becoming an actor.
He played Mag The Mighty in the popular Game of Thrones TV fantasy series and also worked on X-Men and Dr Who, in which he played the Fisher King monster.
A friend who met him in America, Phil Giarusso, said: “The value of a person’s life is not in the things you accumulate, but the quality of your relationships, and Neil touched the lives of all of us.”
Mr Fingleton’s title as Britain’s tallest man was confirmed in 2007.
His mother said it could be a “struggle for him at times” but he had “maintained his humility”, Canon Bartlett told mourners at the service.
