Martin Clunes has admitted that he wishes he had “more work” as he shed light on the financial pressures of running his 130-acre farm in Dorset. The actor, best known for playing Doc Martin, bought the property near Beaminster with his wife Philippa Braithwaite in 2007, leaving behind their London lifestyle.
The £5 million farm, which Clunes once called his “favourite place in the world”, is home to five dogs, six horses, and has housed Shetland ponies, Dexter cattle, sheep and hens. However, maintaining the property and lifestyle is proving expensive.
Clunes told The Times: “I wish I had more work because we’re very expensive to run.” He added that without a “decent acting gig”, the farm could be in jeopardy: “If I didn’t employ people and enjoy food and drink so much, it might wash its face, but yes — if I don’t work, within a year we’d have to sell up.”
Despite the costs, Clunes values the rural life. He previously told the Express: “It’s my favourite place in the world. I can go for weeks without leaving the farm. I like being connected to the seasons in a real way — making hay, worrying about the grass, watching the leaves come and go, and caring for the animals.”
The family originally wanted a field for a pony for their daughter Emily, now an equine veterinary nurse. Clunes told Dorset Magazine: “We always wanted a field for a pony for our daughter, Emily. And one never came up, and suddenly 130 acres came up, which wasn’t quite what we were looking for. But if you don’t do something, you’ll have a grass problem.”
