Martin Clunes described his “buddy” as “very precious”, saying they did everything together on his Dorset farm, where he lives with his wife, Philippa Braithwaite.
Martin Clunes has shed light on a heartbreaking family loss (Image: UK Press via Getty Images)
Martin Clunes has shed light on a heartbreaking family loss, describing his “buddy” as “one in a million”. Since moving from London to a 130-acre farm near Beaminster, Dorset, in 2007, the Doc Martin star has lived on the £5 million estate with dogs, horses, cattle, sheep and chickens over the years.
Animals are also the focus of his latest book, Training John and Murray. Amazon’s description says it follows the “whirlwind of chaos” sparked by two Jack Russell puppies that he welcomed into his home.
In the book, Martin recounts how a litter of Jack Russells came “wriggling into the world”. The dog lover said they were tiny; in fact, they were small enough to fit in the “palm of a hand” and included two “celestial” brothers.
Martin wrote: “I didn’t know it then, but these two little celestial wolves would soon change our lives, push us to the brink and turn our whole world upside down.”
He also touched upon the loss of his “very precious” dog, Jim.
He wrote: “The previous year, we’d lost my very own and very precious Jack Russell, Jim, to liver cancer. Jim was everything I hadn’t realised that I wanted from a dog. He was one in a million.
“For fourteen years, he had been my buddy and my right-hand dog. We did everything around the farm together. He had actually been a surprise Christmas present.”
It comes after Martin admitted that he wished he had “more work” as he spoke about the financial challenges of farm life. Martin, who lives with his wife, Philippa Braithwaite, once described the estate as his “favourite place in the world”.
Martin confessed that it’s an “expensive” operation, particularly in terms of staff costs and his love of food and drink. He told The Times: “I wish I had more work because we’re very expensive to run.”
He added: “If I didn’t employ people and enjoy food and drink so much, it might wash its face, but yes – if I don’t work, within a year we’d have to sell up.”
Speaking to Dorset Magazine, the Men Behaving Badly actor disclosed that they’d initially wanted a field in order to get a pony for their daughter, Emily Clunes (now an equine veterinary nurse), but “suddenly 130 acres came up”.
It appears that it’s all worth it, though, as Martin previously revealed in an interview with the Express that he “can go for weeks without leaving” the farm and said he enjoys feeling “connected to the seasons” there.
He said: “It’s my favourite place in the world. I can go for weeks without leaving the farm. I like being connected to the seasons in a real way – making hay, worrying about the grass, watching the leaves come and go, and caring for the animals.”
