Martin Clunes is back on television screens tonight, but rather than portray a compelling character the actor will star in a special ITV documentary about guide dogs. Martin Clunes: A Dog Called Laura will see the Doc Martin star adopt a retired guide dog from blind fitness guru Jaina Mistry.
The dog-loving actor was inspired to make the documentary after hearing a podcast story of a blind woman whose life had been changed by her guide dog, but who now faces the daunting task of finding a new dog. For the past decade Jaina Mistry's ‘eyes’ have been a black Labrador cross called Laura, but now it is time for Laura to retire.
"I heard Jaina’s story and it was like having a window opened on a whole other world" explained Martin. "It’s an incredibly moving world where animals are trained to do a life-changing job, and it dawned on me that most of us know virtually nothing about the secret lives of Britain’s heroic army of guide dogs."
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So, as Martin steps in to help Jaina find her new companion, let's take a look inside the star's life away from the camera. The 61-year-old has been a star on our screens for many years and has a long list of successful appearances in his portfolio.
The actor, from Wimbledon, is most notable for his appearances in Men Behaving Badly, William and Mary, Doc Martin, and Reggie Perrin. However, away from Martin's showbiz success, life couldn't be more different for the TV icon.
He lives a quiet lifestyle with his family far away from his South West London roots - on a farm! In 1997 Martin married his wife Philippa Braithwaite after the pair met whilst working alongside each other, and they are still going strong!
Philippa is a TV and film producer and is famed for her work on Sliding Doors (1998), Doc Martin (2019), and most recently the series, Manhunt (2019). Martin proposed to his adored wife while filming a documentary in Hawaii after their work commitments had kept them apart.
Since tying the knot 26 years ago, the couple have one daughter called Emily Clunes, and after living in the big smoke for years the Clunes family decided to move away from hectic London life and moved to Dorset in 2013.
They now live on a 130-acre farm near Beaminster which is home to an array of animals including horses, chickens, dogs, and cats. Making the most of their farm life the family even hosts an annual fair to raise money for charity.
Having a very famous father and a television producer mother would push some children into the spotlight, however, their daughter has taken a different path in life. Emily is pursuing a career in equestrian, thanks to her country lifestyle, and judging by her Instagram profile she's very talented.
The 23-year-old can be seen in action as her horse makes various jumps in competitions. Emily once starred alongside her dad Martin in an episode of Doc Martin during series four.
In some selfies posted to social media, there's also no wondering who her parents are as she clearly resembles her father!
Martin Clunes: A Dog Called Laura airs on ITV1 and ITVX from 9pm on Thursday, October 5.
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