The Witcher exec producer compares Geralt re-casting to Doctor Who

Defending the decision, executive producer Steve Gaub exclusively told RadioTimes.com: "I think, holistically, Henry gave us an incredible three seasons of Geralt but there's been so many franchises that have had really strong title characters and eventually, for whatever reason, personal decision or, or just the length of time frame, the title character changes actors.

"But you always have the strength of the property to lean into and we're trusting that the world of The Witcher, the continent, the IP itself is what is drawing a lot of fans.

"We love everything that Henry gave us as a Geralt and now we're really excited about what Liam can give us as a Geralt, much like there's been different James Bonds, different Doctor Whos, different Spider-Mans.

"We're now one of those properties and we aim to serve the property right and continue on with a really strong Geralt."

Read more:

• The Witcher's Henry Cavill: Season 3 is "very dangerous" for Geralt
• The Witcher future beyond season 4 confirmed after Henry Cavill exit

Exec producer Tomek Bagiński added: "I think we will all miss Henry, that's for sure, but at the same time, we're very excited for the future and about the introduction of Liam and how he will be introduced in season 4 - because this is mind-blowing, it's pretty cool."

Since its inception in 1963, Doctor Who has seen 13 lead actors portray the Time Lord, with Ncuti Gatwa set to take over the reigns from the next full season onwards. Seven actors in total have portrayed James Bond since it first hit the big screen in 1962.

The Witcher first premiered on Netflix in 2019, with Cavill seeing out three seasons of the show.

In a statement last year, he said: "My journey as Geralt of Rivia has been filled with both monsters and adventures, and alas, I will be laying down my medallion and my swords for Season 4."

Cavill added: "In my stead, the fantastic Mr Liam Hemsworth will be taking up the mantle of the White Wolf. As with the greatest of literary characters, I pass the torch with reverence for the time spent embodying Geralt and enthusiasm to see Liam's take on this most fascinating and nuanced of men.

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

Cavill's final season will be released in two parts with the volume 1 (five episodes) dropping this week and volume 2 (three episodes) being released in July.

The Witcher season 3 volume 1 will be available to stream on Netflix from 29th June. You can sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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