Inside Gavin and Stacey's Mathew Horne's quiet life in tiny Scottish Highlands village

The actor has expressed his love for the area, referring to himself as a "Scotophile".

A tiny Scottish village has won the heart of Gavin and Stacey actor Mathew Horne.

A long way away from the Essex home of his character in the hit TV series, the 46-year-old actor was previously been rumoured to have quit city life and relocated to Helmsdale on the east coast of Sutherland.

Originally from Nottingham, the sitcom favourite, who also appeared in the Catherine Tate Show and Dad's Army, is believed to split his time between his professional life in London and a quieter, more peaceful existence in the idyllic yet remote village.

With filming now wrapped on the long-awaited Gavin & Stacey Christmas 2024 special, the cast is believed to have reunited for the final time. Perhaps now would be the perfect time for the actor to set down more permanent roots in his beloved Scotland, if he hasn't already.

Speaking about his love for the Highlands, Horne previously said on That Gaby Roslin podcast that he "would very much like to live there. I am all things Scotophile."

On a separate occasion, the actor spoke to the Sunday Post, describing Scotland as "the best country in the world. My shoulders drop and I feel free. It is where my heart lies and hopefully one day I will have a place of my own there so I can retreat as and when I need to."

He continued: "I love the peace and tranquillity and the people. The food is wonderful, the weather is nowhere near as bad as everybody says and midges don’t like me, so that’s good.

"Most of my downtime when I’m not working is now spent in Scotland."

Helmsdale is located on the North Coast 500 (NC500) route, a 516-mile journey that showcases the stunning beauty of the Scottish Highlands.

Speaking to the Sunday Post he explained: “I have a very special relationship with Helmsdale. It’s partly because of discovering it when I was in the Highlands because of my ancestry through my great-great-grandparents who were from Huntly."

He added: “That makes me one-eighth Scottish, although I wish I was more."

The village’s origins date back as far as 1814 and are deeply tied to the 19th-century herring boom, which brought prosperity to many coastal Scottish communities.

The once bustling harbour still remains in use by local fishermen and is a very popular place to enjoy a scenic walk. There is a small shingle beach close by, with incredible views out across the Moray Firth.

The village is also home to the Emigrants statue. A nod to darker times in the town’s history, the landmark is dedicated to the people who were forced to leave the land and travel far and wide to rebuild their lives.

Modern-day visitors can stop by The Timespan Heritage Centre, a popular community hub that is home to not only a local history museum but also a contemporary art programme, herb gardens, a shop, a bakery and a cafe.

Helmsdale could be the perfect spot for anyone who enjoys a wee dram or two. The picturesque village is just a short drive from the Old Pulteney, Clynelish, Glenmorangie and Dornoch Distilleries.

It's not just the incredible scenery and peaceful way of life that attracts the actor to the area.

The star, who reportedly owns a two-bedroom flat in London's Barbican, has taken a very different career trajectory from his former best friend and Gavin & Stacey cast mate, James Corden.

While James has seen stratospheric success as a late-night talk show in America, Mat has chosen to stay closer to home.

Mathew is also said to enjoy spending time on the Isle of Skye and has a special place in his heart for the city of Edinburgh, where he made his comedy debut at the Fringe Festival in 2000.

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