Beauty and the Beast puts Duns Castle in the spotlight

Highland dancers at Duns Castle with the NBC Today Show hosts.

NBC’s Today Show, broadcast across the USA, was filmed live from the castle.

Castle residents Aileen and Alick Hay hosted the vist, showing NBC presenters Sheinelle Jones, Keir Simmons and Al Roker around the 14th century castle and 1,200-acre estate.

An American morning programme theToday Show was filmed live this week from Duns Castlewith hosts Sheinelle Jones and Keir Simmons in prime position in front of the castle.

The 50-strong television crew spent several days in Duns, and were introduced to Highland dancers from across Scotland, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers and Duns Pipe Band, as well as seeing horses, ponies, sheep and falcons, and trying their hand at Highland games and archery.

More than a million people have entered a competition to promote the movie and win a five-night stay at the castle.

Duns Castle is on the HomeAway holiday rental company website and it teamed up with Disney to celebrate the release of the £130million film, directed by Bill Condon and starring Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Ewan McGregor and Luke Evans.

Entrants are asked to send in photos of themselves dressed up and acting out a scene from their favourite Disney film. One lucky winner and 20 of his or her chosen guests will get the chance to live a real-life fairy tale. The competition closes at the end of March.