X-Men actor leads tour of his homeland for new US series

Hope that film star’s tour of Perthshire will attract visitors

Tourism bosses are hoping that a documentary featuring Hollywood star Alan Cumming will make Americans flock to Perthshire and Angus.

The X-Men actor, who was born in Aberfeldy, took viewers on a whistlestop tour of the region for NBC’s 1stLook series.

Aberfeldy, Birks Cinema, Highland Safaris, chef Tom Lewis of the Monachyle Mhor Hotel, and Glamis Castle all feature in the half-hour programme, which was beamed into millions of US homes earlier this month and is now available online.

The programme even featured the 51-year-old’s mum, Mary Darling.

Describing his homeland in the programme, Cumming said: “We’ve got this great sense of holding on to our tradition and things from the past and celebrating them. But also there’s this new energy and it’s about an openness and a sense of fairness and justice, and also fun and having a laugh and letting go.”

Cumming, who is also the voice of VisitScotland’s new US Spirit of Scotland television advertising campaign, was also shown cooking Scotch broth with award-winning chef Tom Lewis.

VisitScotland hopes the exclusive programme will inspire potential US visitors to make the journey to Scotland to discover the region for themselves.

Malcolm Roughead, chief executive of VisitScotland, said: “The 1stLook programme is a fantastic snap-shot of what Scotland has to offer visitors through the eyes of one of its most famous sons and we are delighted that it is now available online for a global audience to enjoy.

“The USA is a diaspora stronghold and as one of our most important markets for ancestral visitors, we hope this programme will inspire even more visitors to follow in Alan Cumming’s footsteps and take the journey to our beautiful shores.”

VisitScotland recently launched its first ever global campaign and social movement – the Spirit of Scotland.

The campaign is built on research which shows that people think Scotland has a unique spirit – whether it’s the magic of the landscapes or the warmth of the people

Alan Cumming, left, with mum Mary Darling as they take part in NBC’s 1stLook series.

Alan Cumming takes guests on a Highland Safari. The programme also features Glamis Castle and a visit to the town of his birth, Aberfeldy.