TWIST OF FATE

Jamie Roy explains how an uncanny resemblance won him a leading role in the Outlander prequel – and why his co-star Harriet Slater has become a firm friend

- INTERVIEW: GILL PRINGLE

It was Jamie Roy's uncanny resemblance to the Outlander star Sam Heughan that landed him the gig of a lifetime - playing Sam's father in Outlander: Blood of My Blood, the prequel to the time-travelling Highlands adventure series.

In fact, Jamie, 32, was sure that he'd secured a part in Outlander's seventh season, only to have his hopes dashed.

"I had read for a one-line role, Militia Man No. 2. I was very excited and thought: 'This is my big break on TV. This is going to make me a star - this one-line guy who has no name," he laughs.

When Jamie learned that he hadn't got the part, he felt "really quite upset and gutted about it", he recalls. But then he was called back to read for a bigger role.

"And this guy had a name! So I thought: 'Oh, this is cool, right? I've done something well; I can say more than six words.’ And that audition went really well,” the Scottish actor says.

At the second audition, the show's producers were struck by his physical similarity to Sam. He was delighted and surprised to be offered the role of Brian Fraser, father of Jamie Fraser, in a highly anticipated prequel to the series.