Gold Derby Apologizes to Caitriona Balfe and Shotts Over Misquote
Gold Derby, a US entertainment website, has apologized to Outlander star Caitriona Balfe and the people of Shotts, North Lanarkshire, after an editing error made it appear she called the town "an armpit." Balfe, who played Clare Randall in the time-traveling drama, actually said a particular location in Shotts—an old dump turned swamp near Hartwood Hill—was her least favorite shoot. The unedited transcript shows she specified it was not the town itself. The apology came after social media backlash and reports of production issues, including theft and fire. Outlander, which ended in 2024, has been praised for boosting Scottish tourism.
Key facts
- Gold Derby misquoted Caitriona Balfe calling Shotts 'an armpit' due to an editing error.
- Balfe actually criticized a specific location in Shotts, not the entire town.
- Gold Derby removed the video and issued an apology to Balfe and the people of Shotts.
- The unedited transcript shows Balfe said 'It's a particular place in Shotts.'
- The problematic location was an old dump/swamp near Hartwood Hill, site of an abandoned hospital.
- Production was disrupted by gangs of youths who stole and set fire to a quad bike.
- Outlander concluded in 2024 and has been credited with boosting Scottish tourism.
- The Spotlight Shotts community group found the comment hurtful.
Entities
Artists
- Caitriona Balfe
- Sam Heughan
Institutions
- Gold Derby
- BBC Scotland News
- Daily Record
- Spotlight Shotts
Locations
- Shotts
- North Lanarkshire
- Scotland
- Hartwood Hill