Doc Martin star reveals grisly skull-drilling scene with Black & Decker tool sent medical watchdog into panic

DOC Martin’s real life doctor has revealed the grisly skull-drilling scene with a household Black & Decker tool sent the medical watchdog into a panic.

Martin Clunes has played the titular character in the ITV show for the last 15 years.

Appearing on Tuesday’s This Morning alongside the real-life doctor the show is based on – also called Martin – the pair revealed some show secrets to hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.

When Phillip told viewers that for medical shows to air storylines, the event or procedure needs to have happened at least once in real life, Dr. Martin recalled one scene in the show that came with a few issues.

The moment in question featured a Black & Decker drill being used in an emergency, and he said: “When the story first came out, drilling a hole in somebody’s head to relieve pressure after a head injury causing pressure on the skull… it was a great story.

“We thought it was very televisual, it will look good. But the compliance unit, that are a body to monitor our scripts, they said, ‘If this has not happened, you can’t do it’.

“We found that in Australia, it had really had happened.

“There was a time in the bush where someone had a head injury and the Black & Decker came out, a hole was drilled and the patient survived.”

Actor Martin joked: “Most surgery is conducted with household tools.”

Doctor Martin also revealed how he became involved with the show, telling the hosts how he first met with the writers to share his experiences as a local GP.

He said: “He admitted he had no idea where to begin with general practice so we took ourselves down to Portobello Road and sat in a cafe and I told him funny stories from my life.

Martin praised his real life counterpart, adding: “He’s a great source of funny conditions.”

Doc Martin continues tonight at 9pm on ITV.