Martin Clunes is in negotiations about playing Elwood P. Dowd in Mary Coyle Chase’s classic play, “Harvey.” The play won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1945, and James Stewart played Dowd in the 1950 film version. 
Dowd is a delightfully eccentric bachelor whose best friend is an invisible 6’3″ white rabbit, named Harvey. “Doc Martin” fans will recall that in S1E4, Stewart the Ranger’s best friend was a 6′ invisible squirrel, named Anthony — obviously a tip of the hat to “Harvey.”
Six degrees of separation from Martin Clunes? Mary Chase was a member of the Colorado Authors League, of which I am also a member.
Viewer “Ms. S” also notes: “Not to mention that the ranger was named Stewart James. Turn it around and you have James Stewart, who made the role in Harvey his own.” (Her comment is in the “Reply” tab, but it was too good not to post with the story itself.)
"Doc Martin" with Martin Clunes Fan 