The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Stars of TV’ s The Crown pose to help environment
The Crown actors Dominic West, Jim Murray and Matthew Goode enjoyed a fishing trip in Perthshire – along with fellow Hollywood actor Burn Gorman.
The famous four were staying at the Meikleour Arms for a few days last week and fished the River Ericht in Blairgowrie.
They were spotted propping up the bar of the hotel one morning while promoting a wild salmon conservation campaign and were said to be “very jolly”, with the prospect of a day of fishing ahead.
Claire Mercer Nairne, whose family owns the Meikleour Arms and who is a member of the Tay District Salmon Fisheries Board, said she was “chuffed to bits” when the celebrities offered to do a group photo for a good cause. She said: “Spring salmon fishing attracts anglers from all over the country, and from all walks of life – but who would expect four Hollywood stars in April in a tiny Perthshire village.
“It was a pleasure to see Jim and Burn again – they had both previously opened the Tay salmon fishing season at Meikleour.
“It was lovely of them to treat their friends Dominic and Matthew with some fishing on the beautiful River Ericht.”
Claire said the friends enjoyed walking through the area’s magnificent woodlands and that Perthshire Big Tree Country “didn’t disappoint”.
While Dominic portrayed Prince Charles – and then King Charles – during the final two seasons of the hit Netflix series, Jim played Prince Andrew in season five. Matthew, meanwhile, portrayed Antony Armstrong-jones – Princess Margaret’s playboy husband – in the second season of the biographical drama series. He also starred as Henry Talbot in hit BBC series Downton Abbey.
Claire said: “I was chuffed to bits when they offered to do a group photo supporting the environmental campaign Off The Table.
“They somehow all ended up behind our bar to the delight of our team and guests who were finishing their breakfast.
“They were so very jolly, as one would expect when about to spend a wonderful day on the river.”
Claire said the actors were “delighted” to find a “lovely hotel” that did not serve farmed salmon.
The Meikleour Arms was one of the very first restaurants in the UK to completely remove farmed salmon from their menu and are ambassadors for the Off The Table campaign.
This raises awareness of the environmental, welfare and sustainability issues surrounding the salmon farming industry.
Avid angler Jim, who also starred in Cutting It, launched the Tay salmon fishing season at Meikleour in January 2022, alongside his firm friend Robson Green.
He is an active ambassador for The Angling Trust and Atlantic Salmon Trust, and set up the collective Activist Anglers.
Claire said: “Jim Murray is a passionate environmentalist. Activist Anglers encourages anglers to feel empowered and be more active by working together to hold polluters to account.
“They effect real change while also offering anglers the tools they need to become activists on the waterways they love.
“Activist Anglers work closely with Angling Trust and Fish Legal to offer opportunities to volunteer and support campaigns to protect our environment.”
Burn, meanwhile, launched the Tay salmon fishing season, alongside novelist David Profumo, in January 2023.
He portrayed Commander Hoff in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.
He also featured in Game of Thrones, Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood, The Dark Knight Rises, The Man in the High Castle, Pacific Rim and its sequel, and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio movie.