Put aside any grumbles about your own doctor’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,’ smiles Martin, when we visit the seaside set, just as his excitable Jack Russell bounces into the room to join us.
Even behind the scenes is darn cute on this medical comedy drama!
Actors turning up on the show this season include Danny Huston, Conleth Hill and Tom Conti. Martin’s Men Behaving Badly co-star Caroline Quentin returns as vet Angela Sim.
‘It’s the best job in television,’ Martin tells us.
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 puppies.
Martin tells us more about filming the hit series in Cornwall…
Q) After 15 years of the show, have the cast and crew become like a family?
A) 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, and it was lovely.
Q) 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.
Q) We hear that 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.
Q) He even said at school that he wanted to be you Martin.
As he gets older and discovers a bit more of the world he’ll set his sights higher!
Q) 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.
Q) Is Martin’s fear of blood – haemophobia – getting worse?
No, but it isn’t getting better unfortunately.
He does have a chance to remedy it though.
Q) What can you tell us about the guest stars this series?
They’re either under wraps or I’ve forgotten their names!
But the word has got out that this is a good gig.
Actors want to come down here and eat some crab and listen to The Fisherman’s Friends singers, so we’re getting the cream of the crop.
They all write afterwards saying ‘thank you very much for a lovely time’.
Q) Your wife, Philippa Braithwaite, produces Doc Martin. So who talks who into doing the next series?
Nobody talks my wife into doing anything!
Q) You like to keep busy with your travel adventures and acting. Are you ever tempted to take time off?
Yeah, but I get to spend months at home, and I’m home every weekend when I’m filming Doc Martin.
Q) Finally, it must have been the best day on set filming with the puppies.
A box of puppies? Nothing better!
