Martin Clunes has revealed details of his upcoming role in the star-studded period drama Wuthering Heights, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.
Appearing on ITV's This Morning on Thursday, the Doc Martin star – who played the famous GP from 2004 to 2022 – has swapped sleepy Cornish village life for the wild Yorkshire moors in the new Hollywood blockbuster. Martin plays Cathy's father Mr Earnshaw, whom Martin describes as "rotten to the core".
Martin Clunes talks Wuthering Heights on This Morning
The film is one of the most highly anticipated releases of 2026, and while it's based on the classic novel by Emily Brontë, Martin had one confession to make to hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley.
"I didn't know the book before we started doing the film," he admitted, revealing he turned to his wife for help. "I called out to Philippa. I said, 'Oh, Emerald wants me to play – who's Mr Earnshaw?' [She said] Cathy's dad. Oh! That'll be good."
© Alamy Stock PhotoReflecting on the darker elements of his role, Martin teased what viewers can expect. "He's sort of drinking from the start. He's a devout misogynist. He's got a damn gambling addiction and is covered in vomit."
Differences from TV to film
A far cry from Martin's previous TV roles, the actor spoke about the "exciting" and "scary" prospect of stepping onto a blockbuster movie set.
"Obviously it's a big Hollywood movie. There's the money and the time for everyone to flourish, but when you work in telly you're racing against the clock every single day. We were to a certain extent with this, but everyone was allowed to do their best."
© ITVWhile the film features sweeping locations set on the famous moors, Martin revealed his character spent most of his time in far less glamorous surroundings. "I had the horrible set, didn't I? Yeah – the lovely set, my set.
"It was one day that people from Warner Brothers came, the Americans, and they couldn't make eye contact with me. So I was about to start a scene where I started like in a pool of vomit and I had urine stains, and they couldn't make eye contact with me. And then they went and they stood in the vomit."
Martin Clunes' prop from set
Alongside Margot and Jacob, one of Martin's other co-stars is Adolescence actor Owen Cooper, whom Martin joked he spent much of filming chasing with a stick. It was this prop that he later took home. "Emerald gave me, mounted in a frame, the whip that I'd hit everyone with. With the captain underneath, saying, 'I'm the kindest man alive,' which is one of his lines."
© Alamy Stock PhotoWith the London premiere set to take place on Thursday evening, Martin revealed he would be taking "Lady Clunes" – a change from their usual low-key lifestyle.
"We're both a bit like, 'Wooo!' We live a quiet little life down in the country. You know, it's quite a change for us."
Wuthering Heights lands in UK cinemas on 14 February.
