Outlander star Caitriona Balfe says season 8 on hold due to writers' strike

But when asked about when they start shooting the final season and whether there will be a period of 'Droughtlander' – a term coined by fans to describe the period of time between seasons being released – Balfe said: “Well, we had a date. And now with the writers' strike, who knows? So we have to just wait and see."

She continued: "That's obviously a big thing that's going on at the moment Stateside and that may change things. But you know, it's too early to start speculating about that.”

The eighth outing of Outlander will of course be the show's last, but a new prequel series, Outlander: Blood of My Blood, will chronicle the the love story of Jamie Fraser’s (Sam Heughan) parents, Brian Fraser and Ellen MacKenzie.

Chatting about her feelings on the show coming to an end with season 8, Balfe admitted: "It’s been amazing. It's really strange thinking that this time next year or whatever, it'll be finished and that'll be it, it'll be a chapter done in my life. I'm going to definitely struggle with that because it's been so great. It'll be sad to say goodbye to it."

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She continued: “It's bittersweet, it really is. I think, in some ways, I feel like we've said as much as we can say with these characters and we've sort of brought them to this point in their lives where it feels like it's the right time to say goodbye to them. I think having season 8 will give us a real opportunity to sort of finish it properly.

"But at the same time, it's going be so sad. I've loved playing this character, I've loved being on this show, I love my co-workers. Most of our crew has been with us since day one."

As for the upcoming seventh season, fans expect much of the same drama with the backdrop of the American Revolution. The season's official synopsis reads: "In the seventh season of Outlander, Jamie, Claire, and their family are caught in the violent birth pains of an emerging nation as armies march to war and British institutions crumble in the face of armed rebellion.

"The land the Frasers call home is changing – and they must change with it. In order to protect what they’ve built, the Frasers have to navigate the perils of the Revolutionary War. They learn that sometimes to defend what you love, you have to leave it behind.

"As the conflict draws them out of North Carolina and into the heart of this fight for independence, Jamie, Claire, Brianna, and Roger are faced with impossible decisions that have the potential to tear their family apart."

Outlander season 7 premieres on 16th June on Lionsgate+ – sign up for a 7-day free trial, £5.99 a month after trial. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

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