Outlander's Sam Heughan 'replaced' in second season of steamy drama away from show

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Outlander lead Sam Heughan won’t be back for the second season of The Couple Next Door, a steamy romantic thriller which lit a fire under UK viewers last year.

Ahead of the show’s long-awaited release to American audiences on Starz, Channel 4 has now confirmed a second season is in the works.

However, series leads Heughan, Eleanor Tomlinson, Alfred Enoch and Jessica De Gouw won’t be back for seconds.

Instead, season two will follow a completely new set of characters, led by star of The Split Annabel Scholey.

Also getting involved in the hot-under-the-collar drama are The Princess Switch’s Sam Palladio, The Witcher's Aggy K Adams and One Piece’s Sendhil Ramamurthy.

Although it looks like two brand new couples will be taking the plunge in the follow-up, Outnumbered star Hugh Dennis is confirmed to be reprising his role as Alan.

Heughan did not comment on the news but recently shared a clip of DeWanda Wise of Three Women fame reacting to the trailer for the first season, hinting it will finally be coming to Starz very soon.

Actress Scholey said in a statement: "I am delighted to be joining the brilliant team behind Channel 4’s The Couple Next Door.

"I was a big fan of series one and I am excited to be delving into David Allison’s gripping new script with a hugely talented cast and crew, whilst going back to my West Yorkshire roots, as heart surgeon Charlotte Roberts."

Filming is already well underway in Belgium with the fresh plot reportedly occurring in a similar cul-de-sac locale.

As Scholey confirmed, she’ll be portraying a heart surgeon, one half of an aspirational couple opposite Palladio’s Jacob, a consultant anaesthetist.

An official synopsis teases: “Working her way into Charlotte and Jacob’s confidence and eventually their bed, Mia also quickly befriends cul-de-sac outcast Alan (Dennis) whilst Charlotte has to handle the reappearance of past flame Leo (Ramamurthy).

"However, it’s not long before Mia’s past comes back to haunt her, leading Charlotte and Jacob to question who she really is, especially when patients at the hospital mysteriously start dying.

“But one thing is clear, giving into desires can have deadly consequences…"

Showrunner David Allison could still pull a blinder and bring back Heughan’s character PC Danny Whitwell in a shock twist but, for now, it appears he’s staying in 18th Century Scotland.

His role as rugged Highlander Jamie Fraser continues in just over a week’s time in the highly-anticipated second half of Outlander season seven,

The hit Starz historical drama will also return for an eighth season, expected to drop next year, which will wrap up the time-travelling saga of Jamie and Claire (Caitriona Balfe).

The Couple Next Door is available to stream on Channel 4.

Outlander season seven part two premieres on Friday, November 22, on MGM+ via Prime Video in the UK and on Starz in the US.

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