Outlander’s Jamie Fraser actor Sam Heughan ‘so proud’ as he wins BAFTA Scotland award

Sam Heughan was among the winners at Bafta Scotland's awards evening on Sunday

Sam Heughan said he was “so proud” after winning the audience award at the Scottish Baftas.

Sam Heughan said he was “so proud” after winning the audience award at the Scottish Baftas.

The 42-year-old, who got into acting after moving to Edinburgh as a teenager, was presented with the Audience Award for his role as highland warrior Jamie Fraser in Outlander.

In a post on social media following the glitzy ceremony at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel in Glasgow, Heughan wrote: “So proud of Scotland and @Outlander_STARZ. Thank you to all our fans. This is for them!”

The Balmaclellan-born starr had earlier given a cheeky smile to the cameras alongside his colleagues at the event, where he was joined at the awards by Caitriona Balfe who plays Claire Fraser in Outlander.

Speaking as he arrived, he said: “We may be a small country and a small affair, but it's a great big celebration."

Elsewhere, Peter Capaldi was presented with the Bafta Scotland Award for Outstanding Contribution to Film & Television by Phyllis Logan.

One of Bafta’s highest accolades, this prestigious award is presented to a Scottish individual who has made significant contributions in either major feature films or network television programmes.

In a moving address, Capaldi thanked The Thick of It writer Amando Iannuci, who was meant to hand him his award, but was unable attend this year’s ceremony.

He also gave a nod to his parents, and quipped: “I wish they could be here tonight but they were short staffed in the chip shop.

“They taught me everything I know; the real Scottish virtues of hard work and sarcasm – which have got me through.”

Holding the award, he said: “I think this is really an award for getting lucky, for being lucky enough to be born in Scotland.”

Best male actor went to Jack Lowden for his portrayal of Siegfried Sassoon in Benediction, where he starred alongside Capaldi.

The best actress in film award was won by Izuka Hoyle as Camille in hit British film Boiling Point.

The two-part film The Hunt For Bible John picked up two awards, for specialist factual and director.

The award for best Feature Film went to documentary Dying to Divorce.

Dougray Scott won the award for the best actor in television category for his leading role in Irvine Welsh’s Crime.

The director of fiction award was won by James Strong for Vigil, and Darren McGarvey’s Addictions was the winner of the factual series category.

The winner of Short Film & Animation award went to Too Rough.

Biffy Clyro: A Celebration of Endings won the Entertainment award, while for Features was won by Miriam and Alan: Lost in Scotland.

As reported in the Evening News last week, Heughan has admitted he would love a role in Amazon series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

The Scottish star said in a recent interview that he loves the fantasy genre, and he would relish the chance to star in The Rings of Power, which has just been confirmed for a second season.

Heughan interviewer Holly Newson: “I’m still desperate to be an elf or a dwarf.

“So if The Rings of Power are still casting, I’m available! I’ve even got a ginger wig if they’re interested.”

Newson then replied: “I can imagine you as an elf.”

Laughing, Heughan added: “Thank you. Well, I may have had some prosthetics done at some point.

“You might see in the future,” he teased. “It was a lot of fun.”

Earlier this year, the Evening News reported that Heughan has opened up about his family’s move to Edinburgh when he was a teenager – saying it was like a “like a whole new world for him”.

The hugely-popular actor moved from his native Dumfries and Galloway to the Scottish capital at the age of 12.

In his new memoir Waypoints, which currently tops the New York Times bestseller list, he talks about what it was like to be uprooted from a quiet community to a bustling city.

In a chapter titled ‘The Wake-Up Call’, Heughan reveals that his family moved to Edinburgh so his mother could enrol at Edinburgh College of Art.

He writes: “After years of living in a quiet community, my mother, my brother and I packed our belongings for what felt like a whole new world.

“Swapping the stable and the castle ruins for a suburban street in Edinburgh, we set about settling in for this new chapter in our lives.

“It was a big change, but also hugely exciting for two young lads like Cirdan and me. I had just finished at my little primary school, so I started high school at the same time as all my new classmates.

“It was a little overwhelming to begin with, but since I could now see without the dreaded glasses, I soon started to make friends and feel comfortable in a crowd.”