Martin Clunes has revealed that he and his family will be having turkey for their Christmas lunch.
In a new interview, the actor said that the original plan was to eat a calf he was “fattening up” for the occasion, but it “didn’t quite come right”.
The 61-year-old, best known for his role as the titular character in ITV’s Doc Martin, owns, and works on, a farm in Dorset with his wife Philippa.
Speaking to the Radio Times, Clunes was asked what he would be eating on Christmas Day this year, to which he answered: “Turkey. I had a calf called Noel that I was fattening up, but he didn’t quite come right.”
“We renamed him Jesus and thought we might have him at Easter.”
The Men Behaving Badly and Manhunt star shared that he will be hosting Christmas lunch for 15 family members, while also taking care of his various horses, dogs, cattle and hens.
“Everybody comes to us for Christmas and we have a big party,” he told the publication.
Clunes said that he makes sure that all the staff working on his farm are given Christmas Day off, which leaves him and his wife to keep it running.
He said: “We always give everyone [on the farm] Christmas off, so it’s hard work as well.”
“It’s knackering, especially when we had sheep. Bloody hell, lambing. Lambing is a pain in the arse. I’ve sold the flock.”
Clunes also reflected on how his childhood experience at Christmas has shaped him as an adult: “My father died when I was eight, so I remember they were a little bit grim when I was in my mid-teens, because it was a bit of a thin family – the three of us, then my sister was off with friends.”
“But there were presents, so that made up for it,” Clunes added.
“I’m a big fan of my family now, quite possibly because of that. It’s the most important thing to me.”
In October, Clunes was the president of this year’s World Clydesdale Show. He has a longstanding passion for horses.
Clunes took over as president of the British Horse Society in June 2011 and made the 2010 ITV documentary series Horsepower followed by Heavy Horsepower in 2013, both of which reveal his fascination with animals.
