What was the original show?

The original Bergerac ran for nine series from 1981-91. John Nettles starred as the eponymous Jim Bergerac, whose struggle with alcoholism cast doubts over his ability to work as a detective. Before the first episode takes place, Bergerac’s leg was crushed in a drunken pursuit of a suspect, further complicating matters. Eventually, though, his skill as a cop wins out, allowing him to solve crimes in a case-of-the-week format.  

The show takes place on Jersey, the island nation between the UK and France. Though officially a Crown Dependency, it also shares a lot of culture with its mainland neighbour. In the original series, Bergerac starts out by working at Le Bureau des Étrangers (The Foreigners’ Office), which deals with non-Jersey residents.

What’s changed in the new show?

Instead of a different crime every week, the reboot will look at just one case, namely the murder of a young girl and abduction of her infant daughter. The pair belong to one of the wealthiest families on the island, with whom Bergerac quickly finds himself butting heads.

In the reboot, Bergerac’s personal life is similarly tumultuous: like his 1980s counterpart, the detective struggles with alcoholism. Unlike in the original programme, Bergerac is also mourning the loss of his wife. He starts the series by rejoining the police after six months’ bereavement leave.

Who’s in the cast?

Damien Molony as Jim Bergerac

Damien Molony is perhaps best-known for his role on Being Human. Now, he’s taking the reins as Bergerac.

“When I was first cast as Bergerac, I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone I was playing Jim or even that there was a re-imagined series in the works,” Molony said. “People would ask me what I was doing for the summer holidays, and I’d say ‘well, I’m actually going to Jersey to do some work’. You could see their brains putting two and two together and lots of people commented that I would be like a young version of Bergerac. I found it funny that even at the very mention of Jersey, people were already thinking about the series. It really does go to show how synonymous it is with the island.”

Chloé Sweetlove plays Kim, Bergerac’s daughter, who in the first episode moves out of her dad’s house to go and live with her grandma. Throughout the show, Bergerac will have to prove that he is ready to be a functioning parent again.

Who is this grandma, I hear you ask?

Zoë Wanamaker as Charlie Hungerford

Charlie is Bergerac’s mother-in-law, mourning the loss of her daughter. Observant and acerbic, she sees right through Bergerac, and doubts he can balance work and fatherhood. Deep down, though, she still has affection for her son-in-law.

“At the point that we meet them in this series, there is conflict where there was once humour and an understanding,” explained Zoë (Killing Eve). “There’s a real chasm that’s happened and the series starts at a very dramatic moment in their lives, leaving Jim and Charlie at a precipice.”

Philip Glenister as Arthur Wakefield

Philip Glenister (Life on Mars) plays the father-in-law of Cate, the woman murdered at the beginning of the series. A ruthless entrepreneur who’s used to getting his own way, it doesn’t take long for him and the similarly stubborn Bergerac to fall out.

Glenister appeared in the last ever episode of the original Bergerac, which he recalls fondly.

“I remember John Nettles took everybody out for dinner to this lovely seafood restaurant and we had a great meal,” Glenister said. “He was very generous, so it was a really nice experience.”

Rounding out the cast is Robert Gilbert (Big Boys) as Barney Crozier, who took over from Bergerac when he went on bereavement leave. Now, both are having to work together, but neither is quite willing to accept the other’s authority. Stephen Wight (Sherlock) also appears as John Blakely, a convicted criminal who’s had run-ins with Bergerac in the past. Has he finally turned over a new leaf?

Does Bergerac still have the car?

Yes, the iconic 1940s Triumph Roadster driven by Bergerac in the 1980s will be returning in the reboot. Every now and again, he even sleeps in it. But he’s doing great, honest.

Who wrote it?

The new Bergerac has been penned by Toby Whithouse, best known as the creator of BBC Three comedy-drama Being Human. He was also behind Cold War thriller The Game, which featured a pre-Succession Brian Cox, and wrote several episodes of Doctor Who.

“The original show was very much a product of its time,” Whithouse said, “so all of our conversations at the beginning were about how to take the original character and plant him in a modern world, without making him seem anachronistic or old fashioned.”

“The drama is going to come from the challenges that the character faces but also from his weaknesses, shortcomings and mistakes. The more nuanced and flawed you make them the more we see ourselves in that character, and the more recognisable they are, the more we can empathise with them,” Whithouse explained.

What role does Jersey play in the show?

“Without a doubt, Jersey is the second lead in the series,” said Glenister. “The coastal areas are beautiful, and it’s also got a history of some darkness about it. During the war it was occupied by the Nazis, which was the case for many islands at the time. So, you can see that there was already a lot of light and dark shades about it, and that’s great for storytelling.”

“It’s a character in its own right,” Moloney concurred. “There are huge, vast, windswept beaches that, on a rainy day, look dark, brooding, foreboding and dangerous. Then, over the hill on the same day, you have this gorgeous family-friendly bay with golden sand and ice cream. Within a 20-minute drive, you can be in the city or an immense countryside full of natural beauty. It’s incredible. And as well as being compact, it creates natural tension by being surrounded by the sea… catch the killer before they can get off the island.”

Where and when can I watch it?

All episodes will be available on U and U&Drama from Thursday 27 February.