FINAL appointment

MARTIN CLUNES on why the time is right to say goodbye to his curmudgeonly doc

- ELAINE REILLY

DOC MARTIN

NEW - WEDNESDAY, 9 PM, ITV COMEDY DRAMA

Over the past 18 years, TV Times has enjoyed chatting to Martin Clunes about his adventures as Dr. Martin Ellingham for ITV's comedy-drama Doc Martin. So it's a bittersweet moment as we book an appointment with the charismatic actor to talk about the show's return for a 10th and final series...

As we head back to the fictional Cornish town of Portwenn for the new eight-part run, which will be followed by a Christmas special, our favourite grumpy medic is at a loss, having resigned from his role as GP at the end of the last season after his blood phobia came under scrutiny.

With wife Louisa (Caroline Catz) pursuing her new career in child counselling, the Doc is looking after their four-year-old son James Henry and new arrival Mary Elizabeth. However, when a new patient arrives needing his help, it kickstarts his return to medicine.

Here, Martin, 60, tells us about the show's action-packed final hurrah as he says goodbye to his popular character...

How are you feeling about the show coming to an end?

I'm in a numb denial at the moment. When we first started shooting back in February, I was wistful, thinking, 'I must drink this in. Then the pressure of the work took over, so I didn't have time for those thoughts!

Now the end is coming closer, art is imitating life, because in the final episode, the Doc and Louisa are packing up to leave Portwenn for London. Seeing the boxes and the bare set for those scenes is moving. And the goodbye scene with Jessica Ransom [AKA receptionist Morwenna Newcross] had us all in tears.