The cast of a 1980s detective drama has been announced .
Streaming service UKTV more than three decades after the original series wrapped up.
Running for a decade between 1981 and 1991, the crime drama was set in and starred as the title character Jim Bergerac.
Initially a detective sergeant in Le Bureau des Étrangers (‘The Foreigners’ Office’, a fictional department dealing with non-Jersey residents), within the States of Jersey Police, Jim later left the force and became a private investigator.
The six-part series will star Irish actor Damien Molony as Jim Bergerac, with the actor best known for previous roles in Brassic and The Split.
‘I’m incredibly excited to be stepping into the role … John Nettles has left an incredible legacy with big shoes to fill, and I hope I can bring a fresh take on this iconic character,’ he said.
The show will also star My Family and Harry Potter actress Zoe Wanamaker as Jim’s mother-in-law Charlie Hungerford and Life on Mars’ Philip Glenister as Arthur Wakefield.
Rather than a new storyline for each episode, the ‘contemporary twist’ will see one mystery run across each of the six episodes in the series.
Viewers will meet Jim as a ‘broken man, grappling with grief and alcoholism following his wife’s recent death’.
‘His mother-in-law, Charlie is concerned Jim isn’t putting his daughter Kim first and, when a woman from a wealthy Jersey family is murdered, Jim must fight through his personal struggles to become the formidable investigator he once was.
‘With a troublesome convict resurfacing from his past, Bergerac is required to call on his sharp investigative instincts and past successes to navigate the intricate family dynamics, and watchful eyes of the police force, in order to solve the case.’
It is being written by Doctor Who’s Toby Whithouse, alongside Brian Fillis, Catherine Tregenna and Polly Buckle.
Filming is due to begin this month and will include locations in Jersey and the UK.
Visit Jersey’s chief executive Tricia Warwick said that the modern re-imagining of Bergerac ‘presents an opportunity to celebrate the show’s legacy in Jersey, while reaching a new generation of fans who will be eager to “set jet” to the featured locations’.
Bergerac was a major success when it aired on the BBC, regularly attracting 15 million viewers.
Although John previously said he ‘can’t imagine anyone playing him but me’ when asked about the reboot, he shut down speculation last week that he could appear.
The 80-year-old revealed he had turned down a cameo role in the new series because he felt he was too old.
‘I’m not going to do it because I can’t do it – I’m too old and I’d just get in the way,’ he said.
Bergerac will air on channel U&DRAMA and free streaming service, U, in 2025.
