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Martin Clunes has won unanimous praise for his latest role as disgraced newsreader Huw Edwards.
And following on from his successful turn in Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights, it seems Clunes is stepping into a new chapter of his career.
The actor, 64, is best known for his roles as Dr Martin Ellingham in the ten series of ITV show Doc Martin from 2004 until 2022.
He is also renowned for his role as Gary Strang in the BBC sitcom Men Behaving Badly and William Shawcross in William and Mary.
And while Clunes is undeniably talented in his own right, it’s with the help of his incredibly successful wife, Phillipa Braithwaite, that he has been able to dominate the industry.
Ms Braithwaite has worked on major film and TV successes including her husband’s successful series, Manhunt and Doc Martin.
The TV power couple tied the knot in 1997, the same year Clunes divorced his first wife Lucy Aston.
Speaking about the end of his marriage, he told the Daily Mail’s Weekend Magazine in 2008: ‘I don’t know if I was searching for anything. Maybe I was.
‘I kind of found it without looking. When I met Philippa I was coming out of a rotten marriage, and was very resistant to the idea of getting involved again.’
In 1999 the pair welcomed their daughter Emily and the family live on a 130-acre farm in Dorset, where they keep a host of animals including cows, horses, sheep, chickens, dogs and cats.
While Ms Braithwaite, 61, is one of Britain’s most respected producers she keeps away from the public eye, keeping her personal life private.
Her first widely recognised breakthrough came in the 1994 when she was involved in feature film Staggered.
Four years later, she she secured one of the biggest projects of her career, the 1998 hit film Sliding Doors, starring Gwyneth Paltrow and John Hannah.
The film achieved international success and grossed $67million against a $6million budget. It also significantly expanded Ms Braithwaite’s reputation, and opened the door to more television work.
In 1996, Clunes and Braithwaite founded Buffalo Pictures, with the aim of prioritising creative independence and sustainable production values.
The pair also challenged the London-centric production model, instead choosing to operate from the countryside.
The company is keen to champion environmental sustainability for film and TV.
Aiming to keep its carbon footprint as low as possible, Buffalo uses reusable water bottles, biodegradable snow and support local businesses.
The team also use an eco-friendly makeup department, with their makeup designer Alice Hopkins launching her own brand of non-toxic vegan skincare with plastic free packaging.
In 2004, the couple began working on Doc Martin together.
It ran for 79 episodes across ten seasons and was a huge ratings success for ITV.
As producer, Ms Braithwaite was was integral to the show’s success, overseeing all aspects including the storyline, casting and narrative consistency.
And she cast her husband again in their next project, the murder investigation drama Manhunt.
The first series focused on the true story of the death of French student Amelie Delagrange and the subsequent manhunt which led to the arrest of her murderer.
Serving as executive producer the show ran for two series and gave Ms Braithwaite the chance to explore darker material.
And the star is showing no signs of slowing down, producing mini-series Out There in 2025 and she has already been confirmed as an executive producer on her next project Best Medicine which is set to begin filming this year.
During the course of her career she has received multiple nominations, including two BAFTA nominations.
Residing in Dorset, their family life on the farm couldn’t be further from the world of showbiz.
And daughter Emily has chosen a life outside the industry, forgoing any potential nepo baby leverage to instead pursing a career as an Equine vet.
The 26-year-old is an event rider and is studying equine vet nursing at Hartpury University with her Instagram account dedicated to her riding.
Clunes’ latest role as Huw Edwards is a departure from some of his past roles, and he recently said: ‘I never try to second guess what the audience will think, and I’ve never been confused with any of my characters, like people in soap operas are.
‘I think viewers just see an actor doing his best, and whether they approve or not is entirely up to them.
‘I’ve played a murderer before and I’m vile in Wuthering Heights, so this isn’t my first dark role, but I always just take work from what’s on offer, and I’ve never had a plan.
‘I’ve always been lucky enough to balance light-hearted jobs like Doc Martin with dramas in between. I’m not desperate to reshape myself – I’d play someone like Doc Martin again in a heartbeat.’
