Interview Caroline Catz

Doc Martin star Caroline Catz looks stunning in her wedding dress for the new series.

But the gorgeous ivory lace and silk satin gown hides a multitude of secrets like thermals and trainers!

“There were all sorts of criteria for the dress,” reveals Caroline, whose schoolteacher Louisa is finally set to get hitched to Martin Clunes’ grumpy GP Martin Ellingham.

“A lot of the first episode is filmed at night and Louisa and Martin get into all sorts of scrapes.

“The dress had to have thermals fitted to keep me warm. And I also had to have stacked white trainers so I would still be at the right height.

“We had to have four dresses made one really good one for the wedding and others in various stages of demise.

“It was a beautiful, romantic dress. I fell in love with it and loved wearing it.”

Doc Martin has been one of ITV’s biggest drama hits and viewers will be delighted to see the hapless couple finally together.

“We start the new series with them actually making a go of it for the first time,” says Caroline.

“There have been moments when it almost happens but it always gets messed up.”

The couple have childcare to work out for baby James and with two kids, Sonny and Honour with actor husband Michael Higgs, Caroline knows all about being a working mum.

But the filming location has a big appeal.

“We’ve been going to Cornwall for nine years,” reveals London-based Caroline. “On the years in between filming the kids have said, ‘Can we go to Port Isaac?’

“It has a special place in our hearts.”

Caroline went straight into filming the new series of gritty cop show DCI Banks with Stephen Tompkinson, playing DI Helen Morton.

“She couldn’t be more different to Louisa,” adds Caroline. “She’s not very sociable and makes herself unpopular unlike Louisa, who people tend to like.”

Doc Martin, ITV, Monday, 9pm