It’s always sad when a much-loved TV drama series ends, especially after a successful run of almost 20 years. But nothing lasts forever and this tenth series of Doc Martin (airing in September) will be the last.
We caught up with Actor Martin Clunes who plays grumpy GP Martin Ellingham, plus other cast members, to find out how they're feeling about it being the last run for Doc Martin.
Doc Martin cast
Martin Clunes, GP Martin Ellingham, Doc Martin
“When we started shooting back in February, we were so busy I didn’t have time to dwell on this series being the last,” he says. “I think I was in a kind of numb denial. But now there are boxes everywhere and a bare set, it feels very strange. I’ve spent so much of my life down here. We all have. Doc Martin aside, we’ve had real life marriages here, babies being born, our kids spending their school holidays here… “My daughter Emily, who’s now 23, came down for a visit and when she was driving away, she said she was in tears because she was thinking it was the last time she’d do that. I hadn’t realised the impact it would have on her. On set, we were all in tears towards the end of shooting.”
Caroline Catz, Doc Martin's wife Louisa
“The show has been so much a part of my life on every level,” she says. “Like Martin’s daughter, my two children have spent so many holidays down here. They’re hoping we’ll come back on holiday next year but right now, I just can’t imagine doing that. It would just feel too strange and I can’t contemplate it. Finishing Doc Martin feels like we’re closing the final chapter of a book.”
Jessica Ransom, receptionist Morwenna Newcross
“Like going out in a boat and drinking a pint of the local ‘Cornish Rattler’ beer,” she reveals. “I will miss this place so much. Many locals have become friends. It’s going to be a big shift not having the Doc Martin shoot ear-marked in the diary. We’ve never had to properly say goodbye to each other for a start.”
Joe Absolom, Al Large
“I’ll be wandering around Port Isaac forever more, thinking about all the fun times we had on “Doc Martin”,’ he laughs. “The show introduced me to a part of the world I never knew and I’m very grateful for that. My family love it here. I’ll miss my ‘Doc Martin’ family, of course. At the end of shooting a series, we usually all go, ‘OK, see you next series’, but this time we’ll have to make proper arrangements to meet up. A friend who was visiting commented that we really seemed like a family. And we do.”
How does Doc Martin end?
The final series will have eight episodes, as well as a Christmas special.
“We’ve got action scenes and explosions,” he promises. “Let’s just say we give the Marvel movie franchise a run for their money! The Doc and Louisa have a new baby daughter, Mary Elizabeth, who’s named after the first spaniel Philippa and I ever owned. There’s a new dog, too, Taffy!
“But don’t panic! Dodger who played Buddy is still with us and he’s happy. It’s just that his trainer Sonia decided to retire him because he has doggy dementia. We couldn’t have Doc Martin and no dog. It just wouldn’t have been the same!”
“It feels like the right time to end the series here,” Martin adds. “It would be very tempting to keep going but we want to go out on a high rather than have the show cancelled at some point. It’s been very important to us to keep the quality of the scripts and the characters very high. Series Ten seemed the right time to end it plus we’ve done a Christmas special which rounds things off very nicely.”
“We didn’t want to start repeating storylines,” says producer Philippa Braithwaite who is also Martin Clunes' wife. “But there are only so many medical conditions a GP can fix – especially when he has a phobia of blood!”
“That does get addressed in this series,” interrupts Martin with a laugh. “We have been asked about a ‘Doc Martin’ film or maybe a prequel – a kind of ‘Baby Doc’ – but we’ll have to wait and see about that.”
Where is Doc Martin filmed?
All 10 series of Doc Martin have been filmed in Port Isaac, Cornwall, which is called Portwenn in the series.
In fact the Doc’s famous hillside house and surgery was recently up for sale.
Martin wasn't tempted to put in an offer though, “It’s a perfectly charming house but how surreal would it be if I actually lived there? Imagine people starring through the window and seeing me there! Good luck to whoever’s bought it. I wonder how long the new residents will be able to put up with people knocking at the front door and asking if the doc is in!’”