Outlander: Fans flock to see Sam Heughan filming series seven in Burntisland

Interest was piqued at the weekend when tall ship The Phoenix – which has previously featured in the popular TV series - sailed into the harbour at Burntisland.

Excitement started to build yesterday when members of the cast and crew arrived to film scenes for series seven of the show which stars Scottish actor Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe.

Sam, who stars as Highlander and landowner Jamie Fraser, could be seen on board The Phoenix and walking around Burntisland Harbour, while Caitriona, who stars as time-travelling nurse Claire Fraser, was photographed in a rowing boat and on set with the crew.

It proved to be an exciting afternoon for locals fans of the series who headed to the town when word got out that cast members were filming.

They included Louise McLean from Kinghorn who went along with her mother-in-law, Pamela McLean, to catch a glimpse of the stars in action.

And it proved to be the 32-year-old’s lucky day.

Not only did she get a chance to chat to the film crew, but she also got up close and personal with the main star!

Louise said: “My mother-in-law and I are huge fans of Outlander so when we knew that Sam was in Burntisland filming, we had to go and see for ourselves.

"After chatting to the crew who told us filming was almost finished for the day, we realised we had a chance to meet him if we stood at the exit to the set.

"He asked his driver to stop and he got out the car and said ‘you must be freezing!’

“He then took pictures with us all and signed autographs.

"Sam was lovely and such a gentleman – he is 100 per cent my favourite character. I’m glad I stayed.”

Louise, who runs her own small business, Annalie, which makes vegan-friendly soy wax melts, continued: “Caitriona Balfe, who plays Claire, was there too. She smiled and waved a few times but she stayed later to film and didn’t stop her car, but to be fair it was very cold.”

She added: “I started watching Outlander in 2019 just after my second son was born.

"I was having a hard time as I had recently lost my mum, so my mother-in-law introduced me to the show one night to take my mind off things and I have been hooked ever since.”

Burntisland isn’t the only Fife town where scenes from Outlander have been shot.

Members of the cast and crew have also filmed in Dysart and Culross in the past few years.

The historical drama series is based on the novels of American author Diana Gabaldon. Filmed mainly in Scotland, it tells the story of Claire Randall, a married former Second World War military nurse in Scotland who, in 1945, finds herself transported back in time to 1743.

There she meets, falls in love with and marries Highland soldier Jamie Fraser and becomes caught up in the Jacobite rising.