The creators of Game Of Thrones will no longer appear at the show’s San Diego Comic-Con panel, HBO has said.

David Benioff and DB Weiss had been set to take part in the event on Friday, which was described as a “triumphant celebration” of the record-breaking series after its last episode aired in May.

But HBO said on Twitter they are not attending. Director Miguel Sapochnik has also dropped out, as have British actors Iain Glen and Nathalie Emmanuel.

Stars Jacob Anderson (Grey Worm), John Bradley (Samwell Tarly), Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Liam Cunningham (Davos Seaworth), Conleth Hill (Varys), Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), and Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran Stark) are still scheduled to take part.

Game Of Thrones’ final season proved divisive, and Benioff and Weiss’s absence means they will not have to answer any questions from fans during the question and answer session at the panel.

The panel at pop culture convention Comic-Con comes days after Game Of Thrones earned a historic 32 Emmy Award nominations, the most ever for a single season, smashing a 25-year record held by NYPD Blue.

The show is one of the main attractions at Comic-Con, which draws thousands of fans each year.

It is a major date in the entertainment industry diary and regularly sees Hollywood studios debuting new TV shows and movies.

Comic-Con begins on July 18 and runs until July 21.