The actor, who played the lead character on the hit drama for 18 years, revealed that Buddy, the dog who played his canine companion Dodger, had passed away.
He revealed the news during an appearance on The One Show last night (Thursday, May 1).
Martin Clunes reveals sad passing of canine Doc Martin star
That’s a wrap! 🎬
A huge thanks to tonight’s guests, Martin Clunes & Anna Haugh 👏
Catch up now on @BBCiPlayer” href=”https://twitter.com/BBCiPlayer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>@BBCiPlayer” id=”menur6qn” rel=”noreferrer noopener” target=”_blank” title=”https://twitter.com/bbciplayer?ref_src=twsrc%5etfw%22%3e@bbciplayer%3c/a%3e”>https://twitter.com/BBCiPlayer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@BBCiPlayer 👉 https://t.co/qyo6xgVMkl” href=”https://t.co/qyo6xgVMkl%22>https://t.co/qyo6xgVMkl” id=”menur6qq” rel=”noreferrer noopener” target=”_blank” title=”https://t.co/qyo6xgvmkl%22%3ehttps://t.co/qyo6xgvmkl%3c/a%3e”>https://t.co/qyo6xgVMkl”>https://t.co/qyo6xgVMkl pic.twitter.com/2FaEXxBodq
—” href=”https://t.co/2FaEXxBodq%22>pic.twitter.com/2FaEXxBodq
—” id=”menur6qt” rel=”noreferrer noopener” target=”_blank” title=”https://t.co/2faexxbodq%22%3epic.twitter.com/2faexxbodq%3c/a%3e%3c/p%3e—”>https://t.co/2FaEXxBodq”>pic.twitter.com/2FaEXxBodq
— BBC The One Show (@BBCTheOneShow) May” href=”https://twitter.com/BBCTheOneShow/status/1918013876026908997?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>May” id=”menur6r0″ rel=”noreferrer noopener” target=”_blank” title=”https://twitter.com/bbctheoneshow/status/1918013876026908997?ref_src=twsrc%5etfw%22%3emay”>https://twitter.com/BBCTheOneShow/status/1918013876026908997?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>May 1, 2025
According to The Sun, Roman Kemp said to Martin Clunes: “Your character was always irritated by his dog, but you had quite a good way of getting around that.”
To which the Doc Martin actor responded: “Oh Dodger, oh yeah! He was fantastic, that boy. Sadly, no longer with us.”
He added: “That was the joke, I thought… ‘Who hates dogs?’… that someone who hates dogs, but they all love him, and they just hang out with him.”
Recalling his time with the dog, he said: “So I had to yell at him, throw him around, do all sorts of things but I never shouted really at him.
“I just waved my lips around and added in the shouting later.
“Me and Sonia Turner, his trainer, and Dodger, we just had such fun on that, y’know? Pushing the limits of what we could do with him and he was fabulous.”
Buddy was reportedly diagnosed with dementia and retired during the ninth series of the ITV show.
At the time, Martin said: “Dodger who played Buddy is still with us and he’s happy.
Recommended Reading:
“It’s just that his trainer Sonia decided to retire him because he has doggy dementia.”
Buddy passed away in 2023 with owner Sonia telling fans: “A huge THANK YOU to everyone who has taken the time to remember Dodger and send their condolences.
“Tom and I are truly touched and amazed that our little chap had been taken to heart by so many people, both here and abroad. Bless you Dodger.”
