‘Outlander’ Star Sam Heughan Just Got Real About Bullying in a Heartbreaking Post

Outlander star Sam Heughan has had enough of online bullying and harassment. Taking to Instagram, Heughan shared a lengthy post to address “six years of constant bullying, harassment, stalking, and false narrative” in what might be his most shocking revelation to date. The statement comes after Heughan was heavily criticized for staying in Hawaii amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Heughan takes heat for Hawaii trip

With most of the world under lockdown due to the pandemic, Sam Heughan has been sheltering in place in Hawaii. The actor flew to the island right before travel bans were put in place.

Since the start of the quarantine, the Outlander star has been sharing work-out challenges on social media as part of his initiative, My Peak Challenge. Heughan hopes that his videos will bring some “levity” to people stuck at home and motivate them to stay in shape.

“The best thing we can do is to try help in whatever way we can, whether it’s to bring some levity or galvanize people to stay healthy and fit,” he shared. “We wanted to do something to help. This was a simple way for us to hopefully bring a little lightness to people as they stay indoors.

Sam Heughan has also been promoting the current season of Outlander. This includes sharing his thoughts on recent developments on the show, including the death of Jamie’s godfather, Murtagh (Duncan Lacroix).

During a Q&A session on social media, some disgruntled fans criticized Heughan for flying to Hawaii to spend the quarantine. The viewers thought Heughan should have remained in place instead of putting more strain on the locals in Hawaii.

Although most of Heughan’s posts have been positive, he recently shared an emotional statement that targeted those who have bullied and harassed him over the past six years.

Sam Heughan slams bullying

In his scathing post, Heughan revealed that people have accused him of “manipulating fans, being a closet-homosexual,” and “disregarding” advice from healthcare professionals about the pandemic.

“I’m safe, isolated, putting no one at risk and am not a burden to the locals,” he noted.

The actor added that people have sent him death threats, shared his personal information, and stalked him. With everything that has happened to him, Heughan admitted that he is “upset” and “hurt” and felt a need to open up.

“It’s affecting my life, mental state and is a daily concern … I’ve never spoken about it because I believe in humanity and always hoped these bullies would just go away,” he added.

Sam Heughan could not elaborate more on what he has dealt with over the years due to legal issues. He also hinted that some of the people who have bullied him include teachers and psychologists “who should know better.”

Fans have been very supportive of Heughan in light of his plight. Taking to social media, his loyal followers created the hashtag #WeStandWithSam and have shared kind words of support.

What about those romance rumors?

One of the many rumors that Heughan has fought over the years surrounds his relationship with his Outlander co-star Caitriona Balfe. The two play romantic interests on the show and fans have wanted them to get together in real life ever they appeared on-screen together.

Sam Heughan and Balfe have shut down the romance rumors on more than one occasion. Back in 2016, for instance, Balfe told Entertainment Weekly that she is tired of the rumors and assured fans that they are nothing more than friends.

“Honestly I’m tired of that conversation,” Balfe stated. “This is fantasy. This is our job. We are very different in our private life. We are best friends. From the moment we met, we got along. Sam is one of the most generous people you’ll ever meet. Such a great guy, no ego involved.”

Balfe is currently engaged to Tony McGill. Heughan, meanwhile, has been linked to several women over the years, including MacKenzie Mauzy and Amy Shiels.

What’s ahead for Sam Heughan on ‘Outlander’?

Circling back to Outlander, Heughan’s Jamie Fraser has experienced a rough season so far. Following Murtagh’s tragic death, Jamie has had to deal with Roger (Richard Rankin) suffering from PTSD after almost getting hung.

He also was forced to suit up as a Redcoat and fight in the Battle of Alamance, something Outlander fans never thought they would see.

The upcoming episode of Outlander will give Jamie and Roger more time to bond when the two venture out on a hunting rip on Fraser’s Ridge. But given how the season has unfolded so far, we have our fingers crossed that nothing bad happens during the expedition.

Fans can watch Sam Heughan in action when new episodes of Outlander air Sunday nights on Starz.