Terminally dense PC Penhale (John Marquez) provides most of the Cornish clot comedy tonight as rumour of a genetic illness in the family brings on a bout of hypochondria. Meanwhile, with even Doc Edith's (Lia Williams) flirting failing to loosen up our emotionally constipated medic (Martin Clunes), the romantic focus remains on ex-fiancée - but soon-to-be mother of his child - Louisa (Caroline Catz), who has prenatal anxiety.

Another dollop of Sunday night whimsy as the hemophobic former surgeon (Martin Clunes) and his cluster of eccentric Cornish folk return for a fourth series. Life continues much the same in the tiny fishing village of Portwenn, with all the locals getting ever more odd. The aging local chemist Mrs Tishell (Selina Cadell) has developed nymphomaniac tendencies. Scatter-brained receptionist Pauline (Katherine Parkinson) is losing sleep because of her brother's snoring. Big Bert Large (Ian McNiece) is missing the spark of love in his life. And all of them, for some reason, think they'll get some sympathy from the world's least considerate GP. The truculent medic, meanwhile, is nursing his own wounds following the departure of his paramour, Louisa, and it's made him restless. When he hears a desirable consultant's post is opening in London, he thinks that finally he might be able to overcome the fear of blood that previously ruined his career. First though, he has to overcome the shock of meeting a snooty former fellow student at the hospital in Truro, surgeon Edith Montgomery (Lia Williams), who makes no bones whatsoever about letting him know how low she thinks he's fallen.