Series 2 News

Doc Martin... Behind The Scenes
PROGRAMME OF THE MONTH
THURSDAY 10th NOVEMBER 22:00-23:00
To accompany the second series on ITV1, ITV3 viewers are treated to an access-all-areas documentary, filmed on set to give an insight into the making of this beautifully scenic drama. The programme features interviews with Martin Clunes, and many more of the high-profile cast, plus sneak previews of what can be expected from the new series.

Martin Clunes "This Morning" interview

Doc Martin
Doctor Martin Ellingham (Clunes) is a celebrated London surgeon who turns his back on the bright lights of the city to retrain as a GP. Harking back to the good old days, he moves to the sleepy village of Portwenn in Cornwall, where his family holidayed when he was a boy. But tea and sympathy are not things his new patients are going to get from this man of medicine!

New Series
Martin is back as the curmudgeonly Dr Martin Ellingham, whose truculent and tactless manner causes mayhem in a small Cornish community.

The new series is written by Dominic Minghella, his sister Edana Minghella, Richard Stoneman and Jack Lothian and is filmed in the North Cornwall village of Port Isaac. Philippa Braithwaite (his wife) says: "We were thrilled to return to Cornwall to make another series. We were delighted by the viewers response to the first series, and we hope to replicate our success with this new series."

The guest stars for the series include Jeff Rawle, Roger Lloyd Pack, Rebecca Callard, John Woodvine, Claire Bloom, Margaret Tyzack, Julia Deakin, Gerard Horan and Jonathan Coy.Katherine Parkinson (Ahead of the Class) makes her debut as Pauline, the new receptionist at the doctor's surgery.

Martin on the New Series
Martin shared an apartment on the coast with his partner Phillippa Braithwaite, the show's producer and their 6 year old daughter Emily. Martin said that he'd had to give up the pasties though.

"I love working on Doc Martin; being in Cornwall, and being able to work with my wife Philippa, who is the producer. At the end of the day's filming we were able to go back to a beautiful house along the coast from Port Isaac, which has stunning sea views.....And it means I was home before my daughter Emily had to go to bed, which doesnt happen when I am filming in London. We had our two spaniels in Cornwall with us too"

"When we were filming in Cornwall last year we did consider buying a property because we loved the place so much. We are still looking, and if we found the right property we would buy. It would be a perfect holiday retreat. The trouble is we loved the place we rented during filming, but it is not for sale."

Future
After the first series of Doc Martin, Martin starred in the ITV drama Beauty, and went on to film the third, and final series of William and Mary.

With back to back filming Martin is finally taking a break till next year. Phillippa has been in post production, whilst Martin has been spending his time making school lunches and picking up 6 year old Emily from school. He plans to continue this very rewarding lifestyle through till Christmas.

For 2006 Martin has two one-off films with ITV.

The first movie "Losing it" about a gentlemen with testicular cancer.

The second "From Stockport With Love" (by Buffalo Pictures) written by David Bowker. Martin plays a man with an obsession with James Bond. A comedy drama, where Martin's characters father dies (the father used to take him to Bond films) and his daughter has a hole in her heart. He begins to crack up and spy games paranoia takes hold, Martin believing such things as the surgeon operating on his daughter is from an evil organisation plotting to get to him.

Shooting of both films will keep him busy for over 4 months. At which point he will return to Cornwall to film a Christmas special of Doc Martin.