Synopsis
Dr. Martin Ellingham (Martin Clunes), a brilliant and successful vascular surgeon at Imperial College London, develops haemophobia (a fear of blood), forcing him to stop practising surgery. He obtains a post as the general practitioner (GP) in the sleepy Cornish village of Portwenn, where he spent childhood holidays with his Aunt Joan (Stephanie Cole). Upon arriving in Portwenn, Ellingham - whom, to his frustration, the locals address as "Doc Martin" - finds the surgery in disarray. He inherits an incompetent receptionist, Elaine Denham (Lucy Punch). In series 2-4, Pauline Lamb (Katherine Parkinson), a new receptionist and later phlebotomist, replaces Elaine. In 2011, Morwenna Newcross (Jessica Ransom) takes up the post.
The show revolves around Ellingham's interactions with the local Cornish villagers. Despite his medical brilliance, Ellingham is gruff, ill-mannered, and lacks social skills. His cold, abrasive manner offends many of the villagers. They perceive him to be short tempered and lacking in a bedside manner, whereas he feels he is performing his duties in a professional and no-nonsense manner, not wasting time chatting with the villagers. The villagers eventually discover his haemophobia and the frequent and debilitating bouts of nausea and vomiting it causes. Ellingham's aunt, Joan Norton, provides emotional support in the face of the disquiet his abrupt manner causes among the villagers. Ellingham also finds it difficult to express his romantic feelings to primary school teacher Louisa Glasson (Caroline Catz), often spoiling a rare tender moment with, for example, a comment about an unpleasant medical condition or requesting a stool sample.
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