Shotts residents have been left outraged after Outlander star Catriona Balfe branded the town as an ‘armpit’.
The Irish actress – who played Claire Fraser alongside Sam Heughan in the historical Highland drama – branded the town as her “worst location shoot”.
It comes as the show filmed there for season eight of the show.
Balfe made the comments recently during an interview with Gold Derby.
She said: “We filmed at a place in Season 8, I think it’s called Shotts. An armpit… and I’m very sorry.”
Heughan – who plays Jamie Fraser in the show – then said: “Oh…sorry Scotland.”
It comes amid claims local neds targeted the crew – targeting the set and stealing and burning a quad bike, The Daily Record reports.
Former Shotts MSP Alex Neil branded Balfe’s comment “ignorant” and invited her back to the town to show her what it really has to offer.
He said: “I think she’s pretty ignorant of what Shotts is really like and I’m happy to enlighten her.
“There’s no denying the social problems facing Shotts because, like many other ex mining communities, no government has invested in these communities, so they’ve been allowed to run down physically. But the point is, in these communities the people have a heart of gold, they’re very good, decent hard working people who are trying to make the best of their lives and make ends meet in very difficult circumstances.
“Far from being the ‘armpit’ – which suggests the place stinks – the people are actually lovely people in Shotts. She is probably totally ignorant of its history.
“Shotts has produced some excellent politicians who not only did a great deal of work for the Lanarkshire area, but who were in the cabinets for Harold Wilson and did a lot for the whole of the United Kingdom.
“I would say to her, come back to Shotts. I’d be happy to show her around and introduce her to the people of Shotts so she gets an impression of the real Shotts in stead of a fleeting visit and reaching a conclusion from what was probably a very limited experience of Shotts.
Sources told the Record the Outlander crew had set up a base at a Shotts factory unit in 2024.
They were there to film in the area for several months as Balfe made her directing debut on the second episode of the final season back in 2024, titled “Prophecies”.
But local sources claim the team departed after a matter of weeks after they “ran into difficulties” at the filming location at Hartwood Hill near Shotts.
The source said: “The set quad bike was stolen and set fire to and they struggled further to secure the set. They also had a lot of difficulties with the ground being impenetrable.”
Responding to Balfe’s comments, the source added: “Caitriona is coming from a place of privilege so it is highly insulting to openly mock our home. Shotts has high rates of poverty and deprivation – a battle which our locals and young people are constantly up against. We don’t need a celebrity with over 2 million followers publicly depreciating it further.
“While Shotts definitely faces challenges and there is a need for improvement, we have a strong sense of community and there is lots of events that are run throughout the year along with some great services and provisions for the people living here.
“I’m a massive fan of the books, show and actors so was genuinely saddened by her comments of my home – comments which I feel were unfair.”
