Outlander star Lauren Lyle has revealed why she chooses to avoid social media particularly when playing popular characters.


The actress who will be playing the lead role in ITVs adaption of Karen Pirie spoke to Digital Spy alongside co-star Emer Kenny about the pressure of fan reactions on social media.

I remember with Outlander being told this is a big character you might not be what people imagined in their heads and you have to be okay with that she said.

Lyle did however recall an incident which led her to avoid Twitter I do remember people saying on Twitter [regarding her Outlander character] If she was my daughter Id punch her in the face and that was something that made me go oh maybe Ill just stay away from Twitter.

Regarding the online reactions to her role as Karen Lyle recalled how Kenny reassured her about the casting.With Karen Pirie I remember Emer [Kenny] coming to me and saying you need to be aware that there will be people who think you dont look and seem as the Karen people have in their heads and you have to be okay with that because this is our adaptation we have all supported you and and Val [McDermid author] said yes to you she continued.

Kenny added that their adaption is also based off of the earlier novels where the main character was in her 20s.

The first one was written in 2004. If you go back to that book thats what were going from. I think peoples versions in their heads has developed and changed over time. Its definitely the 28/29-year-old interpretation of who that character is she said.

ITVs Karen Pirie is adapted from McDermids first book in the series The Distant Echo. Lyle will star as DS Karen Pirie a young Scottish investigator who is investigating a historic murder case.