ACTOR Sam Heughan has led rallying calls of support to save one of Scotland’s most famous TV studios as he said bulldozing the facility would be a huge loss for the country's future in storytelling.
The Outlander star is the latest high-profile name to back ambitious plans to save Dumbarton Studios after BBC Scotland announced in March it would close the facility in September 2026, following the news that it was axing its long-running drama River City.
The studio has long housed some of the country’s much-loved shows, including the likes of Shetland, Still Game, and Two Doors Down, and was where Heughan “found his feet” in the industry.
The Scottish actor, who is best known for his roles in A Princess For Christmas and Island At War, is the latest to back a campaign which The National revealed last month to save Dumbarton Studios by the production firm Firewalker Pictures.
His support comes after The National revealed that the veteran actor Brian Cox backed the campaign, with actress Shauna Macdonald and River City boss Martin McCardie also joining the rallying call.
Heughan pledged his support by saying that Scotland not only needs to preserve its “blossoming industry of storytelling” but also to build on it.
“Dumbarton Studios is where I and so many found our feet in this industry. It's more than a building, it's part of our creative history,” he said.
“To see it bulldozed would be a huge loss, not just to Scotland's past, but to its future as a home for storytelling.
“Scotland needs to preserve and build on its blossoming industry of storytelling. I'm proud to support this campaign and hope to see it kept alive.”
Firewalker Pictures said it plans to invest in upgrading the facilities at the studios, in a bid to ensure the space remains a competitive and attractive location for both domestic and international productions.
The firm said it was committed to working with the local community, industry partners, and government bodies to ensure that Dumbarton Studios continues to play a key role in Scotland’s cultural and economic future.
Macdonald, best known for her roles in the 2005 horror film The Descent and the 2013 cult classic Filth, said the plans to save Dumbarton Studios are an opportunity to build sustainable careers in Scotland’s TV industry.
She added that it is not just about “saving a building”, but rather an opportunity to create “something exceptional” for generations of Scots to come.
“When I graduated from RSAMD [now the Royal Conservatoire], the prevailing message was that if you wanted a varied career, you had to leave Scotland,” Macdonald explained.
“Today, we finally have the opportunity to build sustainable careers at home, telling universal stories in the country we love. That opportunity is now under threat.”
Macdonald said that for the past 10 years, she has dedicated herself to nurturing the next generation of creatives through Edinburgh Youth Theatre, including vital work in screen education.
However, she added: “I must ask: where will these talented young people, both in front of and behind the camera, go if our industry is allowed to shrink further?
“The Scottish screen sector is fragile. I, along with many of my creative peers, people who are considered among the ‘successful ones’, are experiencing real despair at the lack of work and opportunity. Losing Dumbarton Studios would only deepen this crisis.”
Macdonald added: “This is not just about saving a building. It’s about creating something exceptional: a space where artists can thrive, collaborate, and tell stories that matter. Without art, without stories, what is the point?
“Now is the moment to invest, protect, and believe in Scotland’s creative future.”
Macdonald said that Scotland has long been a leader in the arts, and it is our responsibility not only to provide valued careers for creatives living here but also to welcome and host talent from around the world.
Last month, Cox said that Dumbarton Studios had always played a “crucial role” in helping Scotland’s creative industry to “punch above its weight”.
He added that it is more than “just a building” and that it’s a “vital part of Scotland’s creative infrastructure” and to see it at risk would be a “tragedy, not just for the industry, but for future generations of Scottish talent”.
Maureen Hascoet, director of Firewalker Pictures, previously told The National that Dumbarton Studios has long been a cornerstone of Scotland’s creative industry and that “it deserves more than to fade into history”.
Firewalker Pictures said that saving the facility was more than just preserving Scotland’s film and TV infrastructure, it is about “investing in ourselves as storytellers” and finding Scotland’s place as leaders in the global economy.
Hascoet stressed that the proposed acquisition is still in its early stages.
However, during the Scottish Screenwriters Festival, hosted by Firewalker Pictures and running over two days on September 13 and 14, Hascoet (left) will be hosting an event on Saturday aimed at rallying support and finding investors in saving the studio.
River City’s executive producer, McCardie, who has been involved in the show since 2005, previously echoed how Dumbarton’s closure would have a profound effect on Scotland’s creative industry.
He added that he believes people will be "interested" in the plans, but stressed that time is of the essence to save the facility.
“I think there is a lot of potential in the studio,” McCardie told Prolific North last month.
He added: “I think people will be interested in Maureen’s plans, but let’s wait and see. It feels like there’s a really good idea there, but it is a while off happening – at the moment.”
