COVER STORY
In what promises to be a major tonic for fans, Doc Martin returns to TVNZ 1 this week. Martin Clunes tells James Rampton what viewers can expect and why he still loves starring in the show.
We catch up with the lovable Martin Clunes as grumpy Doc Martin returns.
If you are in any doubt at all about the global popularity of Doc Martin, the British comedy drama about the grumpy, yet lovable Doctor Martin Ellingham (played by Martin Clunes) in the picturesque Cornish coastal village of Portwenn (played by Port Isaac), just look at the worldwide devotion it inspires.
Clunes, who stars in his eighth series of Doc Martin this week, reflects that, “The people who visit Port Isaac the whole year round are from all over the world. It has surprised me because I never bargained for it.
“The one thing I see constantly, especially with the overseas fans, is that they want to say thank you for creating this show. Doc Martin has created this community which shows they have an appreciation beyond the drama. We now have the ‘Clunatics’ fan club.” The fans’ dedication to Doc Martin is only reinforced by the sheer variety of presents they donate to the cast. Clunes, 55, who has also starred in Men Behaving Badly, William And Mary, A Is For Acid, The Town, Reggie Perrin and A Mother’s Son, continues that, “We are all given lots of presents from the fans. “A very nice lady from Hungary left me some M&Ms, some cashew nuts from the Co-op, a big bag of jelly beans and a lovely painted egg. “I have a Lego Doc Martin from Holland, complete with doctor’s syringe and dog. You know you’ve made it when you’ve been Lego’d! “I was given a Buddha, a medicine
“I have a Lego Doc Martin from Holland, complete with doctor’s syringe and dog. You know you’ve made it when you’ve been Lego’d.” – Martin Clunes
bottle, and lots of paintings. I keep them all. It seems rude to throw them away.”
In the latest season the GP, who has a phobia of blood, and his long-suffering wife, local school headmistress Louisa (Caroline Catz), are trying to live happily ever after with their son James Henry following therapy sessions to rescue their marriage.
Clunes, who is married to Doc Martin’s producer Philippa Braithwaite and has one daughter, outlines the new series.
“The Doc and Louisa are attempting to live like other couples do and just get on with their lives.
“Louisa has a conflict because she loves her work, but also misses being with her child. So she is trying to find ways of spending more time with him.
“She wants to move away from her job as headmistress and become a counsellor, which involves training whilst she is also holding down a job. She is seeing even less of James while she’s training, which gives her a lot of frustration that reverberates through their home life.”
The actor adds that, “The Doc is sceptical but, in his bid to be more understanding, he takes on extra child-care duties to allow her the time to do her counselling training.”
Against his better judgment, the Doc also tries to help by giving in to his wife’s desire to have a family dog, a cute mongrel called Buddy. Louisa thinks Buddy will benefit James Henry.
Clunes, who loves dogs and has three of his own, details this development in the new series, which also features Sigourney Weaver, Caroline Quentin and Art Malik.
“The Doc is making a real effort to make things work between him and Louisa, and to be a better husband and father.
“As ever, the Doc would rather nothing changed and is resistant to the notion of change almost for the sake of it.
“But he sees that having the dog living with them is something Louisa wants and he is ultimately supportive and actually allows a dog into the house.”
But, Clunes, says, “The introduction of the dog is a token. It’s a trial period with strict parameters and when no one is looking, he throws the dog out.
“It doesn’t help when the dog causes the Doc to seek medical treatment. He twists his foot trying to catch the dog and has to have that bound up and go around on crutches for a while.”
Clunes closes by saying that playing the crotchety Doc is, “The best job in telly. I really love doing this. I love everything about it.
“I love being in Cornwall. Staying in the West Country of England, surrounded by dogs and people I really like – what could possibly match
this?”