ON SET WITH...

Bert Large in Ian, 63, stars as restaurateur Doc Martin, a role he’s played since the series Bert prepares began in 2004. As lovestruck to pop the question to old flame Jennifer, Ian takes us behind the scenes on the series, which is shot in Port Isaac, C

24 MONDAY

Today we’re filming scenes outside Large’s restaurant, which Bert runs with his son Al, played by Joe Absolom. We’ve lost count of the number of people who think it’s a real restaurant and want to book a table, and today we hear an American couple saying they can’t understand why they can’t find Large’s listed in the phone book. As Joe and I run through our lines together, I consider the possibility of opening a real restaurant, but my fear is that people would think the food was going to be as bad as it is at Large’s.

25 TUESDAY

Because romance is blooming with pharmacist Jennifer [Annabelle Apsion, below with Bert], today I’m looking at engagement rings with costume designer Les Lansdown. There’s a vintage one that’s perfect – it’s gold and clearly quite old. It could well have belonged to Bert’s mother, a treasured possession he now wants to pass on to the woman he loves.

26 WEDNESDAY

The day of the proposal. We’re filming on a cliff overlooking Port Isaac. It’s supposed to be a warm summer’s day – hence our light clothing – but we have a Force 10 wind blowing, our teeth are chattering and our eyes are watering. What’s more, we have to film the scene several times to get it right – it’s a very important moment in Bert’s life, after all. But Annabelle is a wonderful actress and the scene works well.

27 THURSDAY

Over breakfast at a café I get speaking to a gentleman and discover that, incredibly, his son is proposing in the same spot on the cliff where I proposed yesterday. He invites me along to the lunchtime engagement party, and a big celebration ensues with yours truly present. This afternoon we film the scene in which Al finally leaves the family home. I’m very close to Joe Absolom, he’s an adorable guy who calls me ‘Dad’ and ‘Pop’, and I find myself shedding a tear as we film. The director clearly feels I’ve gone a bit over the top. ‘Maybe a little less next time, Ian,’ he says.

28

FRIDAY

A nightshoot on the beach tonight. It’s a party scene – for reasons that will become apparent when you watch the final episode – and Bert and Jennifer are sporting sombreros. Director Nigel Cole sends out for real alcohol towards the end of filming, but by the time we actually do the scene we’ve drunk it all and really are quite jolly! An American lady who has been watching the filming wants to know if I’m a local brought in to add colour or a professional actor. I take it as a compliment – if she thinks I could be a local, I must be doing something right!