Joe Absolom felt 'really sad' filming the final series of Doc Martin

Joe Absolom felt "really sad" filming the final series of 'Doc Martin.'

The 43-year-old actor has starred as Al Large in the ITV comedy drama opposite Martin Clunes since it first aired in 2004 but filming has wrapped on the final series of the Cornwall-based show after almost two decades and he admitted the last days shooting were "very emotional."

He said: "We've just filmed the final series, which was really sad. The last days of filming were very emotional. The crew have been working together for 18 years and we have had such a laugh on it. It's a lovely show and it introduced me to Cornwall."

The former 'EastEnders' star - who was born in London but now lives in the South West county with his wife Liz Brown and their children Lyla, Casper, and Daisy - went on to explain that he "never thought" he would leave the capital but has settled into Cornwall since moving there almost a decade ago.

He told Metro newspaper's SixtySeconds column: "I'm London born and bred and thought I could never leave but I moved to Cornwall eight years ago. My youngest daughter, Daisy, is nine and she's Cornish - she's got clotted cream in the blood! My kids go to surf club on a Friday night and I sit in the pub that overlooks the beach and watch them - it's a good way to live. But I like coming back and visiting London. I stay with my brother and sister and we get Deliveroo. We left London before Deliveroo and Uber and now everyone is buzzing around on scooters - the only problem is it makes me feel like a country bumpkin!"

'Doc Martin' is set to return to screens in autumn 2022.