The Witcher's Liam Hemsworth likens takeover experience to Doctor Who

Speaking about his experience about joining the series mid-run, Hemsworth said: "This was a really unique situation that I don’t think many actors have ever dealt with apart from maybe the people who have played Doctor Who characters over the years because predominantly the rest of the cast has stayed the same, but the lead actor has changed."

He added to Collider: "For me, it felt like coming in and starting high school when everyone else is already friends and has relationships with each other and has been there since the beginning.

"At times you kind of feel like an outsider, and it’s nothing like any of the cast or crew has treated me in that way. Everyone has been nothing but welcoming and extremely aware of what the situation is."

In his statement confirming his exit, Cavill passed the torch to Hemsworth, saying he's excited "to see Liam's take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men".

He added: "Liam, good sir, this character has such a wonderful depth to him, enjoy diving in and seeing what you can find."

Jaskier actor Joey Batey previously told RadioTimes.com of Hemsworth's preparation for the role: "I think he’s just using this time before we shoot to train and to study all the books and throw himself into this.

"No one can ask anything more than just complete committal to this role and that’s what he’s doing. We’re all really excited."

Ciri actress Freya Allan added of Cavill's exit: "It was quite a few months after wrapping and it was a surprise to us all, but I think that we are now focusing on celebrating this work that we’ve all put in together for season 3, and really shedding light on that hard work and trying to focus on that and move forward with what’s ahead, and I think it’ll be exciting to see Liam’s interpretation of this character."

The Witcher season 3 is available to stream on Netflix. You can sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

If you’re looking for something else to watch in the meantime, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide, or visit our dedicated Fantasy hub. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.