Isle be back...Bergerac is returning to Jersey
JIM Bergerac is heading back to Jersey for a reimagining of detective series Bergerac on free-to-air channel Drama.
Filming on the six-part series will begin this summer, and will take place on the Channel Island among other locations.
It will be based on the original BBC show created by Robert Banks Stewart, which starred John Nettles and ran for nine series between 1981 and 1991.
The modern reimagining will honour the iconic detective drama, but makers UKTV say it will have a “contemporary twist”.
Bergerac will be thrown into a knotty, high-stakes police investigation and “challenged to his very core”, they said. He will be forced to confront his demons, while trying to save his family and career.
The new series, due to hit our screens next year, will have one character-led murder mystery running across all six episodes, instead of a new storyline each episode. There is no current casting but the new series has been written by Toby Whithouse.
Toby said: “It’s a rare honour to bring back a show as beloved and iconic as Bergerac.
Beloved
“Our mission was always to respect the show’s history and legacy, while making it impactful and relevant for a modern-day audience. We’ll be bringing back other beloved supporting characters, as well as introducing new friends and foes. Just like his predecessor, our Bergerac is complex, driven, brilliant and flawed.”
Bergerac was commissioned by Hilary Rosen, director of commissioning for UKTV. She said: “We’re delighted to be working with BlackLight TV and Banijay on this re-imagining of a muchloved classic British drama.”
Producers BlackLight TV said: “We are thrilled to be working with UKTV to bring Jim Bergerac back to the small screen where he belongs.”
Rumours of a possible remake grew in 2019, when actor Nettles said he was open to the show returning and would be willing to appear in it, just not as the lead detective.
The actor, now 80, added: “I’m too old now. I’d still be up for a smaller role. I might even try a Jersey accent this time.”