Puppy love is the best medicine
Martin Clunes tells all about new arrivals, cast bonding, and his talkative toddler rival as Doc Martin returns
Put aside any grumbles about your own GP’s surgery not having heritage paint and antique nick-nacks. If it’s escapism you’re after, then a visit to Doc Martin in perennially sunny Port Isaac is just the medicine.
In this ninth series, Martin Clunes returns as the doctor with the terrible bedside manner who loves telling his patients to shut up but always cures even the most bizarre afflictions.
He’s finally settled down to domestic bliss with Louise (Caroline Catz) and their young son Jimmy. ‘Named after my dog’ smiled Martin, when we visited the seaside set, just as his excitable Jack Russell bounced into the room.
Martin said: “It’s the best job in television.”
Yet while the Doc has a quieter home life this time round, his career is hanging in the balance. The medical council is threatening to strike him off. It has concerns about a Doc who throws up at the sight of blood and is regularly described as ‘a bit of a tosser’ by his patients – even if he does have the prettiest surgery in the loveliest of locations.
Meanwhile, Ruth (Dame Eileen Atkins) is worried she’s getting Alzheimer’s, Bert (Ian McNeice) has a new romantic interest and Al (Joe Absolom) makes a bungled marriage proposal to surgery receptionist Morwenna (Jessica Ransom). Just in case the series isn’t warm-hearted enough, Buddy the dog is going to have a litter of pups.
Martin tells us more about filming the hit series in Cornwall… After 15 years of the show, are the cast and crew like a family? I suppose, yeah. It’s a ghastly showbiz nightmare. We have our quiz night once a week – no, I’m not telling you where – and we all went to Joe’s wedding. It was lovely. Is it easy to slip back into character? Funnily enough, no, because as I get older everything gets harder. But it’s always a nice place to be.
We hear the three-year-old who plays little Jimmy has been stealing your lines?
Yes, he has. They had written him as a grumpy clone of Doc Martin, but of course like any three-year-old he brings his own thing to the party – and it’s fabulous, much better, and much funnier.
He even said at school that he wanted to be you Martin…
As he gets older, he’ll set his sights higher.
What’s the Doc’s main irritant this series?
Patients and having to live with a dog. That’ll do. Same old same old. He doesn’t get any better.
Is Martin’s fear of blood – haemophobia – getting worse?
No, but it isn’t getting better unfortunately. Though he does have a chance to remedy it. What can you tell us about the guest stars? They’re either under wraps or I’ve forgotten their names. But word has got out that this is a good gig. Actors want to come down, eat crab and listen to The Fisherman’s Friends singers, so we get the cream of the crop. They all write afterwards saying ‘thank you very much for a lovely time’.
Your wife, Philippa Braithwaite, produces Doc Martin. Who talks who into doing the next series?
Nobody talks my wife into doing anything. You’re kept busy with your travel adventures and acting. Ever feel like time off?
Yeah, but I get to spend months at home, and I’m home every weekend when I’m filming Doc Martin.
are What Doc’s main irritants this time? Patients and having to live with a dog. That’ll do. Same old same old. He doesn’t get any better. Martin Clunes
Finally, it must have been the best day on set filming with the puppies…
A box of puppies? Nothing better.