‘Outlander’ Season 3 Spoilers: Sam Heughan Reunites with Caitriona Balfe for Filming in Scotland, Denies Real-Life Romance; New Characters Introduced

‘Outlander’ season 3 stars Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe were spotted reuniting in the Scotland set for filming. Despite their strong on-screen chemistry, Heughan continues to deny their speculated real-life romance. Meanwhile, new characters are set to join Jamie and Claire in the upcoming season.

According to the Daily Mail, Heughan and Balfe reunited in the Scotland filming set to shoot the third season of their historical time-travel drama television series. The two are set to return play main protagonists Jamie Fraser and Claire Randall/Fraser, respectively.

Heughan and Balfe were spotted together at Scotland's Dunure Harbour last January 30. The photographs showed the two dressed in full traditional costumes, with Balfe in matching grey smock and cape and Heughan in black 18th-century garb complete with a black tricorn hat. Heughan and Balfe looked the part of a happy couple in the on-set images.

The two had to deny a rumored real-life relationship fueled by undeniable on-screen chemistry on several occasions. In one interview, Heughan revealed, “It was a weird one, we were asked in an interview and we were honest about it… I really sort of felt we shouldn't really discuss it, having said that, I guess we're aware of it, and we're aware that some fans were upset, they felt they'd been duped or something, which is really strange because we're just doing our job.”

He continued, “I think if me and Caitriona were together we wouldn't say. Why would you? In this industry we give away so much of ourselves anyway. We talk about ourselves and we tell people stuff. I guess it's nice that we've done our job well enough to convince them.”

The upcoming season will follow Jamie and Claire as they find their way back to each other’s arms after being separated by centuries and living separate lives. Claire discovers that Jamie has survived the infamous Battle of Culloden and makes her way back to the past. Season 2’s final episode saw Claire and Jamie’s daughter Brianna (Sophie Skelton) finding out about her true parentage.

According to Cartermatt, production will also be transferred to South Africa in March for certain Jamaica and Caribbean scenes. Heughan posted a photograph of a serene landscape on January 31 with the caption, “Thank you SCOTLAND!!!!! #albaGuBrath,” presumably marking the end of filming in the country.

Meanwhile, season 3’s line-up has recently gained new additions. According to E! News, Gary Young and Charlie Hiett are set to join Balfe and Heughan in the upcoming season. Young will be playing Mr. Willoughby while Hiett will take on the role of British Captain Thomas Leonard.

Yi Tien Cho, otherwise known as Mr. Willoughby, is Jamie’s confidante. In the original novels authored by Diana Gabaldon, Mr. Willoughby is a Chinese man in exile living in Edinburgh with knowledge on healing through the use of Eastern medicine. He is also a talented poet and has a deep love for women.

Captain Thomas is an inexperienced captain of the Artemis that takes Jamie and Claire on their voyage in the Caribbean. He became the defacto captain of the ship after an infectious disease took his senior officers’ lives.

‘Outlander’ season 3 is expected to return to Starz sometime in 2017. It was renewed together with season 4 back in June 2016.