Sam Heughan is feeling nostalgic. Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, the Outlander star responded to the news that the long-running BBC drama, River City, would be coming to an end in 2026.
Sam – who appeared as Andrew Murray in the Scottish series – shared a photo from his time on the show. Alongside the throwback, he quipped: "Sad to hear…but happy the straight hair is gone".
© InstagramOne of the TV star's earliest roles, Sam had featured in four episodes of River City in 2005, before following up with appearances in Midsomer Murders (2007), Rebus (2007) and Doctors (2009). It would be almost a decade later that he'd land his big break as Jamie Fraser in Outlander.
By the time River City concludes, it will have been on the air for 24 years. According to the BBC, the final series will air in Autumn 2026.
Speaking about the broadcaster's decision to wrap the programme, Hayley Valentine, Director of BBC Scotland said: "River City has been a wonderful adventure and of course we'll all be sad to see it go. The team have done a brilliant job and I know they have some big plans for the finale next year.
"But as viewing patterns change and competition intensifies, this is the right time to invest in the next generation of high-impact drama series from across Scotland showcasing storytelling across the UK. Our goal is to grow Scotland further on the global drama map – with a slate of world-class productions that set the standard not just here but internationally too."
Back in 2022, Sam, who has fond memories of River City, took part in a special tribute to mark the show's 20th anniversary. "I played Andrew Murray who was a footballer," he reflected in a video.
"My time on River City was really an incredible time," he continued. "I was a young-ish actor cutting my teeth, so thanks to everyone that works there," before adding that he was able to work with "all these great actors" that he looked up to. Sam concluded by joking that he'd love to return as Andrew if only he could "find my way out of the 1700s".
A reference to Outlander, Sam has appeared in all eight seasons of the hit period drama. Expected to conclude in late 2025 or early 2026, the Jamie Fraser star has spoken about the last-ever shoot, which was a very emotional one.
"I mean, look the whole of last year actually was very emotional. It was a very difficult one," he said. "I know why because we knew it was coming. Some days it just felt like another day on set. It was like, 'Oh, this is what we've done for the last 11 years.'
"And then other days you're like, 'This is the last time I will ever put on this garter or boot, or whatever it was.' So it was like, 'This is the last time I'll be with this person.' And there were a lot of goodbyes and the last day was very emotional."
