'Doc Martin' Will Officially End with Season 10

It's finally official: Popular comedy Doc Martin will conclude with its upcoming tenth season. 

The series, which stars Martin Clunes as cantankerous, irascible GP Martin Ellingham, follows the story of his medical practice and interactions with his quirkily bizarre neighbors in the small seaside town of Portwenn. The series originally premiered in 2004 and has won legions of fans throughout the world with its biting humor, memorable characters and the on-again off-again romance between the grumpy doctor and local schoolteacher Louisa played by Caroline Catz. (By Season 9, the two have married and had a child.)  

ITV and the production team behind the show have confirmed that the cantankerous doctor will officially hang up his stethoscope following Season 10, which will film in at some point in the spring of 2021. It's currently slated to premiere on ITV at some point late next year, with a U.S. debut to follow. 

Clunes and executive producer Phillippa Braithwaite (who is also his real-life wife) released a statement on behalf of their production company Buffalo Pictures confirming the series end.

“We have loved making nine series of Doc Martin.  When we launched the series in 2004 we could never have imagined how much our loyal viewers would take to the grumpy Doc like they have.  The series has avid fans both in the UK and throughout the world and we are thrilled that Doc Martin has topped the ratings every time.

However, after sixteen years we now feel that the time has come to say goodbye to Portwenn.  We will be making the tenth and final series in 2021 and we are very much looking forward to returning to Cornwall to film it.”

 The series has also regularly featured Eileen Atkins, as Martin’s aunt Ruth, Ian McNeice as local businessman Bert Large, Joe Absolom, as Bert’s son Al, Selina Cadell as pharmacist Sally Tishell, John Marquez as policeman, Joe Penhale, and Jessica Ransom as Martin Ellingham’s surgery receptionist, Morwenna Newcross. 

All nine seasons of Doc Martin can be found on Acorn TV, as well as the series two prequel movies. (Don't ask, it's a little weird.) And, as many of you likely know, most PBS stations in America air the series (including ours!) so check your local listings for more information on when Season 9 is likely to premiere.

How are you feeling about Doc Martin ending - for real this time? Let's discuss in the comments.