Doc Martin

Martin Clunes is making an unlikely return to the Doc Martin universe – three years after the ITV drama ended with fans devastated over the news

Martin Clunes is making an unlikely return to the Doc Martin universe. The actor, 63, played Doc Martin in the ITV show from 2004 and 2022, where he starred as the rather awkward GP of a small British village.

The show wrapped in 2022, with fans up and down the country devastated. At the time, ahead of the UK show’s final season, Martin and Philippa Braithwaite released a joint statement, which read: “We have loved making nine series of Doc Martin.

“When we launched the series in 2004 we could never have imagined how much our loyal viewers would take to the grumpy Doc like they have. The series has avid fans both in the UK and throughout the world and we are thrilled that Doc Martin has topped the ratings every time. However, after sixteen years we now feel that the time has come to say goodbye to Portwenn.

“We will be making the tenth and final series in 2021 and we are very much looking forward to returning to Cornwall to film it.”

At the time, Martin insisted there was no bad ratings that caused the end of the series – but they just felt it was time.

He said: “All good things have to come to an end. And I’m sure there are lots of people who aren’t fans of the show who think it’s terribly repetitive anyway, but we’re at huge pains not to repeat ourselves. I just think we’ve sort of done everything. I mean, it would be so great to just sort of carry on, but I don’t think we can keep it as good.”

However, Martin is back in the world of Port Wenn once more – but in a very different capacity. Martin will be returning to the show as the father of Dr Martin Best is the United States reboot of the show, titled Best Medicine.

Josh Charles, 54, will star as Dr Martin, who has left his career as a surgeon in Boston and heads to the East Coast fishing village of Port Wenn, but with a few secrets up his sleeve. Martin’s wife Philippa Braithwaite will also serve as executive producer on the new show.

The synopsis for Best Medicine teases drama ahead, as it reads: “A brilliant surgeon leaves Boston to become a small-town doctor where he spent childhood summers. Despite his medical skills, his rude manner alienates locals as he battles hidden phobias and struggles with personal connections.”

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A once tranquil fishing village famed for featuring in the TV series Doc Martin is now said to be inundated with visitors

Port Isaac, the picturesque Cornish village known for its role in the TV series Doc Martin and as the birthplace of sea-shanty band Fisherman’s Friends, is said to struggling under the weight of its own popularity.

The once peaceful fishing village, with its charming whitewashed cottages overlooking a harbour, is now teeming with tourists during the summer months. However, it has been reported that the lower part of Port Isaac has seen a significant drop in its population, with only about 30 residents remaining during the spring and autumn shoulder seasons.

Despite the influx of visitors drawn by its association with Doc Martin, Port Isaac has long been a favourite location for TV and film makers. The village served as the backdrop for the 2000 comedy thriller Saving Grace, as well as the original BBC Poldark series from the 1970s.

Local fisherman, Tom Brown, told the Telegraph that while visitor numbers have increased, they are spending less than previous tourists. He revealed that older locals “hate it” and avoid the bottom of Port Isaac, claiming “it’s ruined”.

However, Mr Brown believes that while the village has “definitely changed”, it isn’t ruined.

The surge in second-home ownership has reportedly priced local families out of the market. According to Rightmove, house prices in the village averaged £425,140 over the last year, reports the Express.

The online property website also noted that most properties sold in Port Isaac over the past year were detached houses, fetching an average price of £490,000.

Terraced houses were sold for an average price of £406,250, while flats went for £333,200. The Halifax House Price Index reported a UK-wide average of £299,331 in August.

Travel and Tour World has reported that a “steep” rise in property prices is driving locals away from Port Isaac, with those who stay facing an “overwhelming” cost of living.

Local businesses have also felt the impact of the surge in visitors over the summer, struggling to meet the demand from the influx of tourists and dealing with challenges during quieter periods.

Cornwall Council’s councillor responsible for homes, Olly Munk, stated that housing in the county is in a state of crisis, with more than 24,000 people on the local authority’s waiting list.

In 2024, the council added 775 “affordable” homes to the county’s total, and there are 600 sites approved for housing. Under a Government scheme, the county is required to build over 4,000 houses annually.

Doc Martin star Martin Clunes has signed up for a huge-budget film that will see him star alongside Margot Robbie as well as Euphoria actor Jacob Elordi

Martin Clunes is set to star in a major Hollywood film, alongside big names like Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.

The Doc Martin actor’s next role will be in the upcoming Wuthering Heights, directed by Emerald Fennell, slated for release in February 2026. However, many details about the film remain a secret.

In a recent interview with The i Paper, Martin unveiled his involvement in this “massive, Warner Brothers, huge-budget movie, all built on sets at Elstree”.

He will take on the character of Mr Earnshaw, father of Catherine Earnshaw, in Wuthering Heights. Margot Robbie is set to play Catherine, while Jacob Elordi will portray Heathcliff.

Other cast members include Hong Chau as Nelly Dean and Shazad Latif as Edgar Linton, with Alison Oliver playing Isabella Linton. Owen Cooper, Charlotte Mellington, and Vy Nguyen will also feature as young Heathcliff, teenage Catherine, and young Nelly respectively, reports Wales Online.

Wuthering Heights is based on Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel of the same name, which explores the turbulent relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff, an orphan adopted by Catherine’s family.

If the film stays true to the book, audiences can anticipate a gripping story of love and revenge set in 19th-century Yorkshire, with themes of social class, obsession, and love taking centre stage.

Emerald is set for her third venture with LuckyChap Entertainment, the production company helmed by Margot Robbie, her spouse Tom Ackerley, and Josey McNamara. She has previously joined forces with them for the acclaimed films Promising Young Woman and Saltburn.

Although Emerald has kept quiet about the particulars of her upcoming adaptation of Wuthering Heights, her fascination with gothic themes is no secret.

In a piece for the Los Angeles Times, Emerald confided: “I’ve always been obsessed with the gothic. Whether it was Edward Gorey’s children who are variously choked by peaches, sucked dry by leeches or smothered by rugs; Du Maurier’s imperilled heroines or the disturbing erotic power of Angela Carter’s fairy tales, the gothic world has always had me in its grip.”

She continued: “It’s a genre where comedy and horror, revulsion and desire, sex and death are forever entwined, where every exchange is heavy with the threat of violence, or sex or both.”

Wuthering Heights will be released 13 February 2026

Huge ITV show Doc Martin is getting a US remake and fans are overjoyed – but it won’t be Martin Clunes in the leading role

Long-running ITV drama Doc Martin is getting a US remake – but it won’t be Martin Clunes in the main role. Fox has announced an adaptation of the show, titled Best Medicine, starring Josh Charles.

Josh will star as a successful surgeon who abruptly leave his post in Boston to become a general practitioner in the East Coast fishing village where he spent summers as a kid.

Fans won’t have to wait long either, as it’s scheduled to premiere during the 2025-26 season, and they’re overjoyed at the announcement.

One wrote: “I’m addicted to the British version and looking forward to our US version,” while a second said: “Love this guy! Follow every thing he does!”

Speaking on the adaptation, Fox Television Network president Michael Thorn said: “The story of Doc Martin has resonated worldwide with its humanity, originality, and humour, and with Best Medicine coming to Fox, that eccentricity gets a small-town America spin, complete with idyllic charm and absurdity.

“Liz, Mark, Philippa, Ben, and Rodney have done a terrific job adapting this signature character for the Fox audience, especially in casting the terrifically talented Josh Charles as our lead.”

Doc Martin ran for ten series from 2007 to 2022. The long-running drama came to an end during the Christmas episode three years ago as Martin Clunes starred as TV’s grumpiest medic GP Martin Ellingham for the final time.

The show followed Martin’s character Dr Martin Ellingham on his trials and tribulations as he leaves his practice in London to become a become general practitioner in the sleepy fishing village of Portwenn.

Speaking ahead of the tenth and final season, Clunes and producer Philippa Braithwaite said in a statement: When we launched the series in 2004 we could never have imagined how much our loyal viewers would take to the grumpy Doc like they have.

“The series has avid fans both in the UK and throughout the world and we are thrilled that Doc Martin has topped the ratings every time. However, after sixteen years we now feel that the time has come to say goodbye to Portwenn. We will be making the tenth and final series in 2021 and we are very much looking forward to returning to Cornwall to film it.”

Fans were left gutted when the show came to an end, but as Martin told the Loose Women, “all good things must come to an end.”

I’m sure there are lots of people who aren’t fans of the show who think it’s terribly repetitive anyway, but we’re at huge pains not to repeat ourselves. I just think we’ve sort of done everything. I mean, it would be so great to just sort of carry on, but I don’t think we can keep it as good,” he continued.

However, fans are still hopeful, as the door was left open for a return. Martin recently addressed the chances of a return on Good Morning Britain. When asked if we’d see the show back on screens, he responded: “I’m almost at the age where a GP has to retire, you see. Eighteen years of private medicine!”

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Martin Clunes daughter once joined him in an episode of ITV sitcom Doc Martin, but she eventually pursued a different career

Martin Clunes, a familiar face on our television screens for years, is most recognised for his role as the lead character in ITV’s Doc Martin.

The 63-year-old actor featured in all 10 series of the popular comedy, which ran from 2004 to 2022. He’s also known for his roles in Men Behaving Badly and William and Mary, as well as hosting several documentaries.

His latest TV venture, Islands of the Atlantic, is set to premiere on ITV1 this Friday (2nd May), with Martin embarking on an adventure across the Atlantic.

Off-screen, Martin enjoys a blissful marriage with TV producer Philippa Braithwaite, and they are proud parents to their 25-year-old daughter Emily, who some might recognise.

Emily once appeared in Doc Martin alongside her famous father, playing a schoolgirl. She made her acting debut in the eighth episode of the fourth series, reports Gloucestershire Live.

In her scene, she attends to Tasha (portrayed by Sophie Thompson) after she becomes agitated during Harbour Day celebration rehearsals. In the unearthed scene, Emily can be seen wearing a white polo shirt with her hair pulled back.

Despite making her television debut at a young age, Emily has chosen a career path quite different from her renowned father.

She is a professional event rider and is currently studying equine vet nursing at Hartpury University.

Emily, who previously managed Chedington Equestrian, has participated in numerous showjumping competitions, such as BENovice and BS115.

Emily’s passion for horses runs in the family, shared by both her mum and dad. Together, they live in Beaminster, Dorset, where they have their own horses on the farm.

In 2011, Martin took on the role of president for the British Horse Society.

The actor has opened up about how Emily’s equestrian enthusiasm prompted their relocation to the countryside of Dorset.

Chatting on This Morning, Martin reflected: “We always wanted a field for a pony for our daughter Emily. And one never came up and suddenly, 130 acres came up which wasn’t quite what we were looking for but if you don’t do something you’ll have a grass problem. It will all go wild so we started with loads of sheep.”

Martin Clunes’ Islands of the Atlantic airs on ITV1 at 9pm on Friday, 2 May