Martin Clunes

Martin Clunes was born on November 28, 1961, in Wimbledon, South London, the son of Shakespearean actor Alec Clunes. He received his education at the Royal Russell School in Surrey and the Arts Educational School in Chiswick, London. His television debut was as an alien prince in “Snakedance: Part One” (1983) and he soon secured a regular role in the BBC sitcom “No Place Like Home” (1983).

Clunes achieved widespread recognition for his starring role as Gary Strang in “Men Behaving Badly” (1992-2014), a popular sitcom that solidified his status in British television, earning him a British Academy Television Award for Best Comedy Performance in 1996. Following this success, he maintained a consistent presence in high-profile productions, including the long-running “Doc Martin” (2004-2022), where he portrayed Dr. Martin Ellingham for 79 episodes. He also recreated Leonard Rossiter’s role in a new version of “Reggie Perrin” (2009-2010), and played Arthur Conan Doyle in the ITV mini-series “Arthur & George” (2015).

Beyond acting, Clunes has ventured into directing, notably with films like “Staggered” (1994) and “Hunting Venus” (1999). He is also a prolific voice actor, lending his voice to characters such as Kipper the Dog in “Kipper” (1997-2000) and Stripy in “Little Robots” (2003-2005). His work also includes presenting and narrating numerous documentaries focusing on animals and travel, such as “Martin Clunes: A Man and his Dogs” (2008), “Islands of Britain” (2009), and “Martin Clunes: Islands of America” (2019). His contributions to drama, charity, and the Dorset community were recognized with an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2015 Birthday Honours.