Drama arrives after an Outlandish delay

AT last, Outlander is to appear on UK terrestrial TV – three years after it was shown in America. A cross between Goodnight Sweetheart and Highlander, its absence has been the cause of various conspiracy theories, including David Cameron lobbying to keep Outlander off our screens in 2014 in case it swung the Independence referendum to a Yes vote. Apparently, a timetravelling nurse, played by Caitriona Balfe, having a fling with a muscular Highlander around the time of Culloden was the just the missing part of the Yes movement’s economic argument. A fascinating idea but unfortunately a load of Scotch myths: an STV insider tells me they asked for the rights at the time and were turned down because Outlander wanted a UK-wide deal. Then Channel 4 and other channels rejected the show because the sex and violence was almost impossible to screen without cuts.

All this is water under the brig now that More4 is showing it at the end of this month.

And even if viewers don’t get to see every kink and kilty secret this month, there’s still a lot to savour in Outlander, including epic scenery, jokes about slaters that must have baffled the yanks, Bill Paterson lecturing a courtroom about the fine legal detail of burning witches, and a decent showcase for Scottish actors and crews.

And all shot in a shed in Cumbernauld.

Doesn’t that suggest that while a Scottish studio would be a lovely thing to have, the real engine for a Holyrood film industry is compelling Scottish stories…