Doc Martin

• Martin Clunes as Martin Ellingham – Village GP doctor. Martin has no bedside manner. He despises small talk, and is straightforward with patients, delivering his diagnoses and advice without trying to protect their feelings, though he is genuinely concerned about their health. Regular cast members have characterised Ellingham's personality thus:

Joe Absolom: "The Doctor is ... slightly autistic, probably, on the spectrum."[4]

Martin Clunes: "Lots of people say that he is Aspergic or something to some degree—which yes, I think he is."[5] He has also said, "He's clearly wired the way he's wired, but growing up being loathed by both your parents is going to leave a footprint. That's why he's so dysfunctional with relationships, 'cause there's gaps in his makeup. There's a sad little boy in there that comes out a lot, and that's what a lot of that frowning is."[4]

Eileen Atkins: "He's unable to connect with people. He just can't understand why people can't just take the truth, in a rather rough manner. If your parents have been very cold towards you and just factual, then that's very hard for you to grow up being—'loving' is too strong a word—an affectionate person."[6]

• Caroline Catz as Louisa Ellingham (née Glasson) – School teacher/headmistress; later, Martin's wife.
• Ian McNeice as Bert Large – Local businessman.
• Joe Absolom as Al Large – Bert's son, who works in a variety of jobs during the series.
• Selina Cadell as Sally Tishell – Pharmacist.
• John Marquez as Joe Penhale (series 3– ) – Police officer.
• Eileen Atkins as Ruth Ellingham (series 5– ) – Retired forensic psychiatrist; Martin's aunt.
• Jessica Ransom as Morwenna Newcross (Series 5– ) – Surgery receptionist.

• Stephanie Cole as Joan Norton, Martin's aunt (series 1–4).
• Stewart Wright as Police Constable and later Sgt Mark Mylow (series 1–2, one episode in series 9).
• Lucy Punch as Elaine Denham, the surgery receptionist (series 1).
• Katherine Parkinson as Pauline Lamb, the surgery receptionist (series 2–4).

Martin Clunes originally played a character called "Dr Martin Bamford" in the 2000 film Saving Grace and its two made-for-TV prequels, Doc Martin and Doc Martin and the Legend of the Cloutie, which were made by British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB). The prequels show Bamford as a successful obstetrician, rather than a surgeon, who finds out that his wife has been carrying on extramarital affairs behind his back. After confronting her with his discovery, he escapes London and heads for Port Isaac, a small coastal town in Cornwall which he remembers fondly from his youth. Shortly after he arrives, he is involved in the mystery of the "Jellymaker" and, following the departure of the village's resident GP, decides to stay and fill the vacancy. In these three films the village is not known as Portwenn.

The Martin Bamford character is friendly and laid-back, seeming to enjoy his retreat from the career pressures and conflicts he left behind in London. He drinks and smokes carelessly, including a mild illegal drug, and has no problem getting his hands and clothes dirty by temporarily working as a lobster and crab fisherman aboard a local boat.

The original deal had been to produce two television films per year for three years, but Sky Pictures folded after the first two episodes were made, so Clunes' company tried to sell the franchise to ITV. The new network felt that the doctor character should be portrayed as a "townie", a fish out of water who is uncomfortable in the countryside. They also wanted something darker, so Clunes suggested that the doctor be curmudgeonly, socially inept, and formal. The new doctor's surname was changed to Ellingham, an anagram of the last name of the new writer, Dominic Minghella, who was brought in to rework the doctor's background and create a new cast of supporting characters.

Along with Clunes, the only actors to appear in both versions of Doc Martin are Tristan Sturrock and Tony Maudsley.

In the UK, Doc Martin has been a ratings success for ITV, with the third series achieving ITV's best midweek drama performance in the 9pm Monday slot since December 2004.[7] The final episode of the third series was watched by 10.37 million viewers, which is the programme's highest-ever viewing figure for a single episode.[8]

In 2009, Doc Martin was moved to a 9pm Sunday time slot for the broadcast of Series 4. That change meant that it followed-on from ITV's The X Factor programme. Series 4 ratings were adversely affected by STV not screening the majority of ITV drama productions in Scotland. The final episode of Series 4 had ratings of 10.29 million viewers.[9] STV went back on its decision not to screen ITV drama in Scotland. Series 4 of Doc Martin was broadcast on Sunday afternoons in August 2011.

In 2004, Doc Martin won the British Comedy Award for "Best TV Comedy Drama", having also been nominated as "Best New TV Comedy". In the same year, Martin Clunes won the "Best TV Comedy Actor" award, primarily for his portrayal of Doc Martin.

In 2014, Czech Television began filming their own TV series starring Miroslav Donutil, which is heavily inspired by the original British series.[10] The series started to air from 4 September 2015. The Czech version is set in the Beskydy mountains, which is a picturesque area in the east of the Czech Republic; like Portwenn, it is a long way from the capital, Prague, and dependent on the tourist industry.[11]

French television producers Ego Productions, in cooperation with TF1, have produced a French version of the series starring Thierry Lhermitte as Dr Martin Le Foll, with the series based in the fictional Breton town of Port-Garrec and filmed in Finistère.[12][13]

In Germany, Doktor Martin, an adaptation of the original series, airs on ZDF with Axel Milberg as Doktor Martin Helling,[14] a surgeon from Berlin. The counterpart of Portwenn was the real North Sea coastal village of Neuharlingersiel in East Frisia.

In Greece, Kliniki Periptosi, an adaptation of the original series filmed in the Ionian seaside town of Kardamyli,[15] was aired in November 2011 on Mega Channel with Yannis Bezos as Markos Staikos, a surgeon from New York.[16]

In the Netherlands Dokter Tinus based on the original series began airing in late August 2012 on SBS6, with the main role being played by actor Thom Hoffman.[17] The series was shot in Woudrichem on the Waal riverside.[18]

A Russian version is mentioned in the Series 5 DVD bonus material. Since September 2 series Doc Martin shows OTR (TV Channel).

Notro Films produced a Spanish version under the title Doctor Mateo for Antena 3 Televisión. The lead role of Dr. Mateo Sancristobal was played by Gonzalo de Castro.[19] It aired in 2009 and was shot in Lastres, Asturias, called the fictional village of San Martín del Sella.[20][21][22]