Martin Clunes may be best known for playing the title character in medical comedy-drama Doc Martin, but he will soon be seen starring in a far grittier ITV series, leading the cast of Out There.
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Out There, which comes from Clunes's previous collaborators on Manhunt, Ed Whitmore and Marc Evans, follows a farmer called Nathan, who has to protect his son Johnny when he finds out he has become caught up in county lines drug dealing.
Given the sharp shift in tone, some might think that Clunes has planned this as a purposeful departure from his 18 years on Doc Martin – however, he has made clear that this is not the case.
Speaking at a Q&A for Out There, Clunes was asked this very question, as to whether the show was planned to be a direct contrast with his previous work, but he responded: "Not really, just the next thing, you know. I've never had a plan, really.
"I've always done other things alongside Doc Martin, be they factual or dramas, mainly written by Ed, actually. But no, it wasn't a conscious thing, was it? I don't think so."
Martin Clunes as Nathan Williams and Louis Ashbourne Serkis as Johnny Williams. Buffalo Pictures
Clunes then joked that he just goes wherever his wife, producer Philippa Braithwaite, "tells me to", imitating her as saying: "Go over there and say that!"
Clunes was later asked again how he chooses his projects, to which he said: "I don't know, I just get offered different things, I guess.
"I really never have had a plan. I’ve just been rolled into the next thing that came along that I liked the idea of."
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
