Key Points
- Outlander ends its eight-season run on May 15, 2026, with an emotional celebration event.
- Sam Heughan praised Charles Vandervaart and highlighted the impactful Jamie-William fishing scene.
- Heughan joked about a potential spinoff; prequel Outlander: Blood of My Blood continues the franchise.
Outlander fans, the series finale countdown is upon us!
The hit STARZ drama wraps its eight-season run on Friday, May 15, 2026. But two days earlier, Sam Heughan (Jamie), Caitríona Balfe (Claire) and showrunner Matthew B. Roberts reunited for Outlander: A Celebration at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The PaleyLive event started with a special screening of Outlander’s very first episode and even gave fans a sneak peek at the series finale.
It was certainly an emotional night as the trio reflected on and reminisced about the show’s 12-year run—and when Heughan cracked a joke regarding a possible spinoff, the audience erupted into cheers and laughter. As you anxiously await the Outlander series finale, read on to discover what the actor said about that powerful fishing scene between Jamie and William.
Sam Heughan on Jamie and William’s Emotional Fishing Scene
When asked about filming the final season, Heughan immediately praised Charles Vandervaart, who joined the cast during Season 7 to play an older version of William.
“Charles is absolutely brilliant,” he said. “And going back and looking over his early scenes, he really is just very, very special. And Jamie’s relationship with him—not being able to be his father from a distance because he’s working on the estate—and then them building this relationship over years. It was really beautiful.”
Heughan added that filming the fan-favorite scene was a top memory for him, too. “I think one of my favorite days was the fishing scene,” he continued. “It was one of those beautiful days in Scotland and the river was flowing. [Charles] has got a lot of soul to him. He’s ridiculous as well—that’s probably why we get on!”
For viewers who also read Diana Gabaldon’s book series, the scene carries an extra layer of emotion. That’s because in the Outlander novels—back when William had no idea Jamie was actually his biological father—Jamie teaches a young William how to fish. The choice to revisit that moment in the show’s final season—with William now fully aware that Jamie is his dad—was the kind of gut punch fans have come to know and love throughout the show’s run. Honestly, chef’s kiss.
Will Jamie Return in an ‘Outlander’ Spinoff?
So here’s the thing: After praising Vandervaart and discussing the scene, Heughan quipped: “Now we’ve become this action duo—there’s a spinoff series there! Maybe Jamie and Charles [William] in a kayak.”
And while he was clearly joking, fans don’t have to completely say goodbye to the Outlander universe after the series finale. Its prequel spinoff Outlander: Blood of My Blood—which follows the love stories of Jamie and Claire’s parents—premiered on STARZ in August 2025 and Season 2 will arrive later this year.
Just months ago, Heughan made it clear in his Parade cover story that he was ready to move on from Jamie Fraser. “Our story has ended, our journey has, but the books will go on,” he said. But now, his offhand spinoff joke is giving fans a glimmer of hope that he hasn’t fully closed the door on the beloved character.
The Outlander series finale—titled “And the World Was All Around Us”—premieres Friday, May 15, 2026, at midnight ET exclusively on the STARZ app. Twenty hours later, it makes its TV debut at 8 p.m. ET on the linear network.