The beloved dog from Doc Martin, Buddy — played by Dodger, a Rough Jack Russell Terrier — has passed away. Dodger portrayed Buddy for a decade, becoming a fan favorite for his endearing presence alongside Martin Clunes's character, Dr. Martin Ellingham.
Though Dodger actually passed away in 2023 after retiring in 2019 due to canine dementia, the news wasn’t publicly confirmed until recently, when Martin Clunes fondly spoke about it on The One Show in 2025.
Despite the doctor’s infamous dislike for dogs on screen, Clunes shared a warm off-screen bond with Dodger. To avoid distressing him during scenes that required yelling, Clunes would mouth the lines silently, adding the audio in post. In the show's final season, Buddy was played by another Jack Russell named Taffy.
