Seeing Double!

Sam Heughan's Outlander body double, lain Wilkie, shares stories about his experiences on and off screen

- LAURA COVENTRY

YOU won't know it's lain Wilkie on screen when you watch hit TV show Outlander, based on the novels by Diana Gabaldon. But he crops up regularly as star Sam Heughan's body double.

Now, after more than three years in the show, lain has handed over the reigns to two others.

Being in the support cast of one of the world's biggest shows wasn't part of the Glasgow-born talent manager's plan.

Before he began doubling as character Jamie Fraser in seasons four to seven, lain admits he didn't want to do it.

"My talent agency was taking off but Outlander didn't want to work with it; I was a new guy on the block, and it was a bit of a closed shop. A friend of mine was working on the show as assistant director, and suggested I could supply the new Jamie picture double.

"I took a couple of handsome guys along to the casting. Wendy Forbes, who looks after Sam, came out, clocked my hands, and said they were perfect. She asked me to do one scene for her - and I ended up doing it for more than three years!"

lain is a self-confessed massive fan of Outlander.

"It's one of the greatest love stories ever told. Like every other fan, I was desperate for the next episode.