Outlander’s Sam Heughan Teases Raunchy New TV Show Away From Jamie Fraser Role

Sam Heughan will appear in a very different TV role next week when his new series The Couple Next Door begins on Channel 4 in the UK.

Heughan, 43, who is better known as the swoon-worthy 18th century Highlander Jamie Fraser, from the hit series Outlander, will trade his horse for a motorcycle in this six-part thriller.

Speaking to the media, including the Daily Express, at a recent Q&A in London, Heughan said: “I’ve been working on Outlander for a decade and I think it’s difficult to find roles that are not only different, but also part of a given period.

“I just finished filming the last season [seven] from Outlander, so it fits perfectly.

Heughan said he was like his co-star Eleanor Tomlinson, known worldwide for her portrayal of fiery Cornish beauty Demelza in Poldark, and who wanted to break out of the corset with a very different role in The Couple Next Door.

READ MORE: Outlander’s Sam Heughan Makes Surprising Admission About Jamie Fraser Audition

Written by David Allison, The Couple Next Door is loosely based on the Dutch series New Neighbors but continues in its own direction.

The drama features an all-star cast, including Poldark actress Tomlinson, How To Get Away With Murder and Harry Potter’s Alfred Enoch, as well as Australian star Jessica De Gouw from Dracula.

Tomlinson and Enoch play married couple Evie and Pete, who move to the suburbs of Leeds, where they befriend Heughan’s police officer Danny and De Gouw’s yoga instructor Becka.

The show follows the changing dynamics between the central quartet, each of them having secrets, which begin to unravel over time.

The Couple Next Door reunited Heughan with director Dries Vos after the pair worked together on Channel 4 series Suspect with star Jamie Fraser saying how much he “loved” working with the filmmaker before.

“For my part, I jumped at the chance when I read the scripts and I just loved this character – very different from the one I had played before,” he said.

Teasing Danny, Heughan said the policeman was a “rather ambiguous man” and “on the surface you think he’s one thing and by the end of the series you might perhaps feel differently about him”.

Adding: “A great opportunity, great casting too. I love these people – definitely some of my best friends.

Audiences will receive two episodes, with the show airing on Monday, November 27 at 9 p.m. and the second part the following evening, Tuesday, November 28 at 9:15 p.m.

Heughan has worked on numerous projects and appeared earlier this year in the romantic film It’s All Coming Back To Me alongside Priyanka Chopra, reprising his role as Jamie in the seventh season of Outlander and also appearing in second season of his travelogue with fellow actor Graham McTavish in Men In Kilts.

The Couple Next Door starts on Channel 4 on Monday November 27

Outlander seasons 1-7 are available to stream on Starz in the US and Lionsgate+ in the UK.