The hit historical drama Outlander is set to conclude with an eighth and final season. And one of the show’s stars has confirmed they are wanting to bow out on a “high point”.
Fans have travelled through time to watch Claire Fraser (Caitriona Balfe) and Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan)’s love story play out on Outlander.
And at the start of this year Starz, which airs the show in the US, confirmed it had been commissioned for an eighth and final season.
Actor Steven Cree, who plays Ian Murray in the historical drama, has revealed his thoughts on the show coming to an end after season eight.
Speaking to SheKnows in a recent interview, Ian outlined: “You want to end it while it’s still at a high point.”
He continued: “I think a lot of shows just go on. And actually, Outlander has run for a long time as it is and there are a lot of episodes. But some shows definitely go past the point where they should have stopped and kind of lose some of what was great about it, I think.”
Season seven of the show is currently airing, with it having been split into two halves.
The longer-than-usual season, comprising sixteen episodes, will air the first eight instalments this summer, with the second half airing sometime in 2024.
If season eight follows the same pattern, this could mean another half-season split, with the show being on screens until 2026.
So, fans may have some time to wait until the eighth season brings Outlander and the ongoing storylines to a close.
There’s also the current writers’ strike to contend with, which could impact the filming of the final season. But there is some positive news for viewers.
Fans of the Outlander universe won’t need to say their final goodbyes just yet, as a prequel series, Outlander: Blood of My Blood, was also announced earlier this year.
While the prequel doesn’t have a release date at the moment, it is expected to focus on Jamie’s parents, Brian Fraser and Ellen MacKenzie. It too will be made up of 10 episodes.
Matthew B Roberts, showrunner and executive producer also hinted at more from the beloved characters.
He shared: “With Jamie and Claire, and now Brian and Ellen, there is still so much more to come in the Outlander universe, and we cannot wait to continue sharing these stories with our dedicated fans.”
