Outlander stars Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan have said the Scottish weather can be so extreme during filming for the show that viewers might think it’s special effects – but it’s all real.

The pair play lovers in the TV series based on the romantic novels by Diana Gabaldon, about married World War II nurse Claire Beauchamp who finds herself transported back in time to Scotland in 1743, where she meets dashing Highland warrior Jamie Fraser.

Sam said: “It has challenged us. We started shooting around September and Caitriona spent a lot of time running around the forest in very little clothes – I believe it was quite cold.

“But it’s also very dramatic, and I think it looks fantastic. We’ve got some amazing photography where there’s snow on the mountains, and it’s a real gift as an actor to be out on location and see all these magnificent places.

“There’s a few episodes we shot in the autumn, and all the colours on the trees were just terrific and I think people watching might think it’s CGI, but really it’s just Scotland in all its glory.”

Claire and Jamie in the past (Amazon Prime Instant Video)
Claire and Jamie in the past (Amazon Prime Instant Video)

Irish actress Caitriona, 35, admitted she prefers the costumes her character wears when she is in the 1940s, but revealed the constriction of wearing the corsets when she is transported back in time, helped her understand what it must have felt like for her character.

She said: “I love vintage clothes and I love the 1940s era. There’s a glamour that I really like about it, and they’re more comfortable, there’s a lot more ease.

Claire with husband Frank in the 1940s ((Amazon Prime Instant Video)
Claire with husband Frank in the 1940s ((Amazon Prime Instant Video)

“But it was great to put on the clothes of the 18th century and really feel that transformation that Claire would have felt as well. It changes so much about how you carry yourself, your lung capacity, everything changes from these corsets and being so tightly tied in.”

Scottish-born actor Sam revealed he found filming action scenes in a kilt surprisingly comfortable.

He said: “I absolutely loved it. The kilt is very liberating – surprisingly comfortable to ride a horse! It’s been a really fun part of the character.”

Outlander  tells the story of a love triangle split across 200 years (Amazon Prime Instant Video)
Outlander tells the story of a love triangle split across 200 years (Amazon Prime Instant Video)

Outlander also stars Game Of Thrones’ Tobias Menzies, who plays two characters – Claire’s husband Frank in the 1940s and villain Jonathan ‘Black Jack’ Randall in the 18th century scenes.

The first eight episodes of Outlander are available on amazon.co.uk/PrimeInstantVideo now. The remaining episodes launch every Sunday from April 5.