Filming on new Doc Martin begins

Filming on the next series of smash hit ITV drama Doc Martin has begun on location in Cornwall. Contains the ITV Press Release.

Martin Clunes is back in Cornwall to film a new series of the ratings winning comedy drama Doc Martin for ITV1. He returns to play the curmudgeonly Dr Martin Ellingham whose truculent and tactless manner upsets the convivial community of the picture postcard village of Portwenn on the North Cornwall coast. Filming of the new series, which is written by Ben Bolt, Jack Lothian and Richard Stoneman, has just begun on locations in North Cornwall

The last series, which won nine million viewers, ended with a wedding day disaster when the doc and his bride, Louisa, both got cold feet just as they were about to take their vows. Martin is joined by Caroline Catz as Louisa. Stephanie Cole (Housewife 49, Waiting for God, A Bit of a Do) plays his Aunt Joan, who despairs at her nephew’s caustic comments, but continues to supply emotional support in the face of disquiet among the villagers. Ian McNeice (Rome, Oliver Twist, White Noise) and Joe Absolom (Vincent, New Tricks, EastEnders) star as father and son, Bert and Al Large. They’ve abandoned Portwenn’s plumbing problems to open a restaurant with unsavoury results. Bert is tired of living on his own and is looking for love. Al tries to play cupid, but Bert isn’t ready for the amorous advances from a local lady.

Katherine Parkinson (The Boat That Rocked, The IT Crowd, Ahead of the Class) returns as the doctor’s hot headed receptionist, who is resisting Al’s requests to move in with him. In this fourth series school headmistress Louisa has left the village, and the Doc is starting to question whether he wants to stay too. He sets out to conquer his blood phobia in a bid to resume his former high flying career as a vascular surgeon, and move out of Portwenn for good. But he finds the task is easier said than done. To complicate matters the Doc discovers an old medical school acquaintance is working at the local hospital. There’s always been a volatile relationship between the doc and ambitious consultant, Dr Edith Montgomery, played by Lia Williams. But when he questions her diagnosis of one of his patients the sparks fly. But there’s an even bigger surprise in store for the grumpy GP.

“We are delighted to be back in Cornwall to make this fourth series. There are plenty of surprises in store for the Doc, and compelling story lines.” – Producer Philippa Braithwaite

The series is directed by Ben Bolt (Losing It, Second Nature, Forgotten). The executive producer is Mark Crowdy (Saving Grace, Sorted). Doc Martin is a Buffalo Pictures production in association with Homerun Productions for ITV1.