A Doc Martin Christmas special 2022 is heading to ITV, which will also be tinged with a little sadness as it will be the last time we'll see Dr Martin Ellingham (Martin Clunes), Louisa (Caroline Catz), their family and all the Portwenn regulars.
This festive episode is the Cornish drama's final-ever outing with Doc Martin season 10 being the last ever series after 18 years — yes the hit show started way back in 2004 if you can believe it!
So here's everything we know so far about the Doc Martin Christmas special on ITV1...
Doc Martin Christmas special 2022 air date
The Doc Martin Christmas special will air on ITV1 on Christmas Day at 9.05 pm, it's been officially confirmed. It will run until 10.35 pm and will be followed by the news.
Doc Martin series 10 is shown international on Acorn TV. To sign up for Acorn, visit www.acorn.tv or download the Acorn TV app on your favourite device to start your 30 day free trial. You can also get Doc Martin through Acorn TV on Amazon Prime (for extra charge).
Is there a trailer for Doc Martin Christmas special 2022?
Yes a Doc Martin Christmas special trailer has been launched so do take a look below at all the festive shenanigans in Portwenn!
Doc Martin season 10 can be watched on ITV Hub and Acorn TV, and you can watch the trailer for this last-ever series below...
What happens in the Doc Martin Christmas special 2022?
Having decided to stay in Cornwall at the end of the final series, the Doc, his wife Louisa and their kids are definitely in Portwenn for Christmas, alongside all the regulars and eccentric locals. The small Cornish town is going to be full of festive fun, until the Doc has Santa's grotto closed down because he fears Santa (Ron Cook) has something contagious, upsetting all the children, particularly his own son James. His wife Louisa (Caroline Catz) organises a Christmas lantern parade through the village, led by PC Joe Penhale, but parish councillor Agatha Higgins (Emma Amos) turns all ‘bah humbug!’ citing health and safety issues! Will it be a Merry Christmas in Portwenn? We ho-ho-hope so…
Martin Clunes on the Doc Martin Christmas special 2022
Speaking to Whattowatch, Martin Clunes gave us an insight into the Doc Martin Christmas special along with his other projects and plans...
Tell us about the Christmas episode...
Martin reveals: "It’s really good, he said big headedly! The final series did tie up, so the Christmas episode is just an addendum, but it’s really, really Christmassy. Although obviously Doc Martin is not into Christmas. It turns out his ghastly parents ran away from him at Christmas and left him on his own at home with an orange and a pencil case in his stocking. It scarred him!"
What was it like seeing Portwenn looking so festive?
Martin says: It was really lovely. Our art department, as they always do, excelled themselves. So there’s a Christmas Grotto, a great big Christmas tree on the harbour and lots of fake snow. Honestly, it’s got the lot, and seeing Port Isaac covered in twinkly coloured lights was just lovely. And we've never been there in the winter before. It was freezing!"
There are also some good guest stars in the festive special, including Ron Cook, who plays Portwenn’s Santa...
"Oh yeah! I’ve been a fan of Ron since he was in [1980s series] The Singing Detective Detective. We've had a few Singing Detective guests over the years. Michael Gambon slipped through the net, but we’ve got Ron and he's just a fantastic actor. He just gives it so much heart and soul as to what, on the surface, might look like a drunken Santa, but turns out not to be!"
Claire Bloom also makes a return as Doc Martin’s mum. What was that like?
Martin says: "She's amazing. I can't tell you too much about her plotline because that would give something away, but she's fantastic in it. She's in her 90s now and she’s just so charming and gracious and brilliant!"
One of the highlights is a mistletoe kiss with Mrs Tishell. Tell us more...
Matin reveals: "Well you see, that’s an echo of the very first episode where Mrs Tishell offers to make the Doc a sandwich and she asks him ‘do you like tongue?’ – and this time finally she slips him one!"
We also need to talk about the real life scene-stealing turkey called Toby...
Martin says: "Well, again I don't want to give too much away, but there are a few turkey surprises! But yes, the turkey is presence throughout, because there’s a guess the weight of the turkey compeitition. And obviously the doctor’s appalled and asks people not to touch it because these birds carry diseases!"
On set did you have several turkeys, or just the one?
Martin reveals: "I think we had the same turkey. Yeah, there’s turkey continuity in case anybody spots it. We change the babies all the time, but the turkey stayed!"
Talking about turkey, do you like to cook a traditional Christmas dinner?
Martin says: "Actually we’ll have one of my calfs this Christmas, who I've named Noel. He's had a lovely life. We were meant to have him last Christmas but he didn't quite get fat enough! We all like to have a hand in the cooking though, we all have our specialities!"
Are you fan of Christmas?
Martin reveals "Oh God, yes. That's why we have a big house. Everybody comes to us for Christmas, so we have 15 in the house, plus all the dogs and a huge tree outside and another big one inside. We have lots of quizzes and nonsense, and then we then we all go to a local pub on Boxing Day where we have a game of old fashioned skittles – we tend to get quite noisy! But it's sort of developed really. My dad died when I was quite young, so it wasn't always a big festival. But since I joined my extended family and started my own it's become a wonderful thing.
Have you developed any family traditions over the years?
Martin says: Well, we did have the one where my sister-in-law put the turkey in the wrong oven in the Aga overnight and it came out like charcoal. That was funny. I think somebody put something in her glass the night before!
And in terms of like Christmas presents, what are you hoping for under the tree this year?
Martin says: "Actually, my wife Philippa and I have started giving each other trips for Christmas rather than stuff, which I think is a great idea as we’ve got enough stuff! So we've been to Madeira for a week and we went the Fife Arms in Braemar in the Cairngorms, which was just fantastic."
And finally, is this really the last ever episode, or you ever envisage a return of Doc Martin one day or some kind of spin off?
Martin says: "No, I’ve finished it, it’s over. I had a month off before heading of to Papua New Guinea for a new series of The Islands, so I haven’t seen any of the final series yet. But no, I don’t think there will be any more. I think enough is enough!"
More about the Doc Martin Christmas special 2022
The Doc Martin Christmas special was filmed in Cornwall over the summer of 2022. Talking about this very special episode, ITV’s Head of Drama Polly Hill says: "We thought we'd also commission a Christmas special! It'll be sad to see the series come to an end after entertaining audiences on ITV for the last 18 years, but we'll make sure the finale is memorable and befitting such a success story. Our thanks to Martin Clunes, producer Philippa Braithwaite and the amazing cast and crew for creating such a special show and series."
