Amazon buys UK rights for Outlander

Amazon has landed a coup by snapping up the UK rights for critically acclaimed American war drama Outlander.

According to Broadcast magazine, the show will air on Amazon’s Prime Instant Video service, an increasingly big player in the British TV market.

Outlander is based on Diana Gabaldon’s novels and premiered on US cable channel Starz back in August 2014, becoming one of that rare breed of debutants to earn both praise from critics and record ratings.

The series’ complex story sees married nurse Claire Randall (Caitriona Balfe) mysteriously travel back in time from the second world war to 18th-century Scotland, where she is forced to wed young warrior Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan). The result is a love triangle that spans the generations.

Gabaldon’s books were adapted for television by Ron D. Moore, who is best known for his work on sci-fi epic Battlestar Galactica. Other cast members include Tobias Menzies (Foyle’s War, Midsomer Murders) and Duncan Lacroix (Game of Thrones, Vikings).

Filmed on location in the Scottish Highlands, Outlander also features some truly breathtaking scenery.

No UK release date has been announced as of yet, but the show returns from its mid-season break in the US on 4 April, and Starz has already renewed it for a second season.

Stay tuned for updates.