Title: Martin Clunes Opens Up About Heartbreak and Healing Through His Beloved Animals
For Martin Clunes, 64, animals have always been a source of joy, but over the past year, they’ve become something even more profound: a source of healing. Despite experiencing the heartbreaking loss of his loyal companion, Jim, the actor insists that his life with animals has not only made him a better person but a happier one.
The past year has been particularly tough for Martin. His beloved Jack Russell, Jim, who had been by his side for over 14 years, passed away from liver cancer in 2024. The pair had shared countless memories, from filming Doc Martin to early morning lambing sessions on their 135-acre Dorset farm. Jim’s death marked the end of an era, and the pain of losing him was felt deeply by the entire Clunes family.
“I miss him every single day, but I can still smile when I think of him,” Martin says with a wistful smile. “Jim and I went through so much together. He was my right hand.”
To honor Jim’s memory, Martin and his wife, Philippa, said their final goodbye in the most personal way. Martin hand-crafted a wooden coffin for Jim and filled it with squeaky tennis balls—an homage to Jim’s playful and loyal nature. “We were all here with him. We all went down the garden and paid our respects,” Martin reflects with deep emotion.
But even in the face of grief, healing began to take shape. Shortly after Jim’s passing, the Clunes family opened their hearts and home to two new Jack Russell puppies, John and Murray. “We like to dovetail them,” Martin jokes, explaining that their arrival helped fill the gap left by Jim’s departure. The family’s dynamic was shifting, but their new puppies quickly brought joy back into their lives, even as the natural world outside remained as unpredictable as ever—“The deer were in the garden eating the roses; the squirrels took bark from the trees, and the fox took the hen,” he laughs.
Martin’s connection to animals began long before Jim came into his life. As a young boy, after the death of his father, Martin was sent to boarding school, where his love for animals truly began. “A teacher put me in charge of the menagerie,” he recalls. “It was a good call. It kept me grounded at a very tough time in my life.”
Now, Martin’s menagerie includes five dogs, six and a half horses (yes, including a miniature Shetland pony), two cats, and a herd of sheep and cattle. Despite his busy career, Martin has always made time for his animals and has found joy in sharing that time with others.
For over two decades, Martin and his animals have been bringing comfort to patients at two local hospices. “It’s a privilege. I have such admiration for everybody who works there,” he says, recalling a particularly moving moment when his dog provided comfort to a terminally ill woman on her final day. “She was a lovely lady, and I got such a nice letter from her sister after she passed, saying it was the best day she’d had in a long time.”
For Martin, it’s not just about offering comfort to others—he truly believes animals have the power to heal. “When a pet dies, there’s this unique kind of grief. It’s different from losing a human, but it’s no less significant,” he explains. “And having animals around has definitely made me a nicer, less needy person.”
Through grief and joy, Martin Clunes’ deep love for animals has only grown stronger. While he continues to juggle his work projects, his farm remains his sanctuary—a place where life, love, and healing continue to flourish.
