As lovers Gary and Dorothy in Men Behaving Badly, Martin Clunes and Caroline Quentin tickled the nation. Now they’re set for their first on-screen reunion since BBC’s Men Behaving Badly (1992–1999) ended almost 17 years ago!
Speaking about Caroline’s guest role in Doc Martin, Martin Clunes revealed there’s a simple explanation why they haven’t worked together again until now: “Nobody has asked us to! So we’ve written the part of holistic vet Angela Sim especially for Caroline. There was nobody else.”
During Caroline’s guest outing fans of Doc Martin will see her appear as alternative vet, Angela Sim. What’s on TV can reveal during the fifth episode the Doc loses the rag because he’s being followed incessantly by stray dog Buddy and resolves to get him put down. Fortunately, the grumpy medic fails in his attempts to have Buddy annihilated so, rest assured, no dogs were harmed in the making of this episode!
Instead, the Doc turns to holistic vet Angela Sim who offers to take Buddy in – for a fee of £94! But it’s not the last the Doc sees of Buddy or Angela. The stray keeps returning and later, while on a picnic with Louisa, hippy vet Angela appears to be hallucinating and in danger…
Martin said: “Caroline is so brilliant. It was very funny to see the reaction after Angela had self-medicated with animal medicine when we did a scene on the beach. Caroline played her role perfectly, is terribly funny, and completely plausible.
He added: “It was the first time we’ve filmed a scene together in 17 years. There was laughter of a childish nature. I was crying as I was chasing her around the beach.”
Martin also revealed there’s a possibility the role of Angela could be a recurring one for Caroline:
“If we’re lucky enough to make another series her character could return. There is an historical link because Angela’s father was the previous GP, the late, great Jim Sim. Doc Martin hates his predecessor, although he never met him, because he was a terrible doctor. So with Angela being a holistic vet – it’s everything the Doc hates.”
Martin, who was recently awarded an OBE, went on to say that although he’s not worked with Caroline in almost two decades they’re firm friends in real life: “I see Caroline all the time because we are friends, and family friends. She stayed with us in the house in Cornwall that we rent during filming. When we usually meet we both have our families with us and it becomes a larger thing. But with just Caroline and I together [on Doc Martin] I laughed like an idiot.”
Martin also sang the praises of Dodger, the dog who plays Buddy: “It has been lovely having him around so much. He is so well trained by Sonia Turner it is effortless. Dodger always hits his mark. We seldom go again for another take with him.”
Watch Caroline and Martin’s Doc Martin reunion on Monday, October 5 at 9pm on ITV
