Outlander season 3 release date, spoilers: Starz says delay until September was necessary

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If fans are wondering why Outlander season 3 won't be coming to our screens before September, there's a very good reason for the wait, according to Starz.

By the time the show is back on TV, fans will have waited over a year to find out the fates of TV's most popular time-travelling duo, Jamie and Claire.

The network's president of programming Carmi Zlotnik explained that the hit historical drama needs the proper amount of time to get the production right and do justice to the book which season 3 is based on. 

And that's partly because the book has so much packed into it.  

"While 'Droughtlander' will last just a little longer, we feel it is important to allow the production the time and number of episodes needed to tell the story of the Voyager book in its entirety," Zlotnik was quoted as saying by Deadline. "The scale of this book is immense, and we owe the fans the very best show. Returning in September will make that possible."

In addition to filming in Scotland, the new season will also see some exciting new locations, like Cape Town in South Africa, where The Christian Post reports filming will take place in March for some scenes set at sea. 

The news outlet further reports that Starz will recycle the Cape Town sets used in another hit show, "Black Sails," with production expected to wrap up some time in June.

It will be a difficult season for Claire and Jamie as they have been split apart by time once again.  But this time, Claire is back in her own time of 1948 pregnant with Jamie's child, and that will make things very difficult for her when she has to break the news to husband Frank.

Catriona Balfe, who plays Claire,  revealed the two will try their best to get on with their marriage in spite of her pregnancy to another man and subsequent birth of daughter, Brianna.

It will be interesting to see how and when Claire and Jamie are reunited.  And importantly, when exactly Outlander will be back on our screens as although Starz has confirmed September, it is yet to peg down a specific date.