Martin Clunes reveals first major role since end of Doc Martin is 'pretty dark'

Martin Clunes has revealed that his first major drama role since the end of Doc Martin is a million miles away from the comfy drama.

The 61-year-old actor will star in ITV's new thriller Out There, which will revolve around county lines drug dealing. Clunes will play a farmer who is confronted by "dark forces" as a crime wave threatens to engulf his son (Louis Ashbourne Serkis). Can farmer Nathan fight back against the gangs?

ITV teases: "The drama will depict the stealthy, surreptitious invasion of the land our farmer cherishes, with devastating consequences, as his livelihood, homestead and family life are threatened by local county lines drugs dealers, essentially urban gangs using the British countryside as a field of operations, moving drugs and money between their inner-city hubs and provincial areas."

Clunes said: "I'm very happy to be working with Marc Evans and Ed Whitmore again after the success of Manhunt. Out There couldn't be more different from Doc Martin. It’s pretty dark, but definitely a story worth telling.”

Clunes starred in two seasons of Manhunt as real-life cop DCI Colin Sutton, with the first series seeing him track down serial killer Levi Bellfield.

It’s all a long way from his part as Portwenn's grumpy Dr Martin Ellingham in Doc Martin. The show, one of ITV's most popular series ever, ran for 10 seasons, finally ending with a Christmas special last year.

Speaking about the end of the series, he said at the time: "I have loved going to Cornwall to make Doc Martin over the last 18 years, and I have looked forward to returning to this beautiful county this year for the tenth and final series. The people of Cornwall, and Port Isaac in particular, have always been so helpful to us when we are making the series.

"We have some great storylines for the new series, and for the Christmas special, which I hope Doc Martin fans will love. I shall miss Cornwall, and all the lovely people we have worked with. But it is the right time to say farewell to the Doc, and Portwenn."

Out There is produced by Martin's wife Philippa Braithwaite (Doc Martin, Manhunt, Arthur & George).

ITV is yet to reveal when Out There will air (see our best ITV dramas guide for more shows to enjoy).