Outlander's Sam Heughan took to Instagram on Thursday to repost a moving message with his fans. The actor – best known for his role as Jamie Frazer in the popular Starz show –celebrated his fan community by promoting one of their posts on his Instagram story.
"Peakers have you back" the post said along with a photo of five members of the star's fitness and charity focused campaign, My Peak Challenge, standing supporting and celebrating each other after a hike.
Members of the group, known collectively as 'Peakers', challenge themselves to successfully complete personal milestones – often but not limited to hikes or similar sporty tasks – while raising funds for charity. The project was launched by the 43-year-old actor in 2015, and has also gone on to create and launch inspiring training and nutrition programs for its members.
According to the My Peak Challenge website, the community has so far raised almost $7 million for charities including Feeding America, Blood Cancer UK and Ocean Conservancy, and as the message Sam shared on Thursday suggests, it's not hard to imagine why. In the comments of the photo, members and others who support the challenge showed how supportive the community is by sharing their love for the post.
"I agree. These ladies inspire me and [I] love them all," one person wrote. "And it is true [that] when I am scared or anxious or feeling joy or love the Peaker community is there," they added. "[Peakers] are the BEST!" another fan penned.
Others shared their love for the specific photo posted by the group. "Multnomah Falls! Grew up about 45 minutes east of here," one person wrote referring to the location where the five Peakers were photographed. "Beautiful place. I was lucky enough to go there on one of my trip to Portland," another person later added.
Sam himself has recently been away from the wilds of his native Scotland — he's been travelling around New York City to promote his latest business venture, the launch of his 'The Sassenach' wild Scottish gin. On Friday August 4 he shared a reel to his Instagram celebrating the trip, along with the caption: "Thank you New York (and the Hamptons!). Loved meeting you all and sharing our award winning @sassenachspirits with you!"
The Love Again star's trip around the Big Apple comes as the final episode of Outlander's latest season, its seventh, is due to air in just a week and a few days' time. Fans will then have to endure another so-called 'droughtlander' until the series' final season, season eight, airs.
Production on the last season is yet to begin, and an expected air date is also unknown. While in the past it was believed that Outlander season eight might air in 2024, star Caitriona Balfe recently explained to RadioTimes.com that owing to the ongoing writers and actors strike, things are up in the air.
"We had a date. [But] now with the writers' strike, who knows? So we have to just wait and see," she told the magazine, adding: "That's obviously a big thing that's going on at the moment stateside and that may change things. But you know, it's too early to start speculating about that."