Bergerac (TV series)
Bergerac is a British crime drama television series. Produced by the BBC in association with the Australian Seven Network, and first screened on BBC1, it ran from 18 October 1981 to 26 December 1991. Set in Jersey, it stars John Nettles as the title character Jim Bergerac. He is initially a detective sergeant in Le Bureau des Étrangers, within the States of Jersey Police, but later leaves the force and becomes a private investigator.
Westward Studios' Bergerac reboot launched on U&Drama in February 2025.
Background
The series ran from 1981 to 1991. It was created by producer Robert Banks Stewart. The series begins with a man returning to work after a particularly bad period in his life: Eddie Shoestring from a nervous breakdown; Jim Bergerac from alcoholism and from a crushed and badly-broken leg.The final episode filmed was the 1991 Christmas special titled "All for Love", set partly in Bath.
On 24 February 2014, the BBC started a rerun of the series on daytime afternoons on BBC Two. The repeats concluded with series 3, in order to avoid showing the Haut de la Garenne location, a former children's home which was the focus of an investigation into historic child abuse.
Cast and characters
Main
- John Nettles as Detective Sergeant Jim Bergerac
- Terence Alexander as Charlie Hungerford
- Sean Arnold as Chief Inspector/Superintendent Barney Crozier
- Cécile Paoli as Francine Leland
- Deborah Grant as Deborah Bergerac
- Annette Badland as Charlotte
- Celia Imrie as Marianne Bellshade
- Louise Jameson as Susan Young
- Thérèse Liotard as Danielle Aubry
Supporting
- Mela White as Diamante Lil
- Lindsay Heath as Kim Bergerac
- Geoffrey Leesley as Detective Constable Terry Wilson
- Tony Melody as the Chief
- Jonathan Adams as Dr. LeJeune
- Liza Goddard as Philippa Vale
- Nancy Mansfield as Peggy Masters
- Jolyon Baker as DC Barry Goddard
- John Telfer as DC Willy Pettit
- Ben Kershaw as DC Ben Lomas
Lead character and casting
According to a 2001 interview with Robert Banks Stewart, John Nettles was cast on his insistence. He said, "A programme like that would never get made today without having a household name, but back then I fought to have John Nettles play Bergerac because he was right for it." Bergerac drives a burgundy 1947 Triumph Roadster instead of an approved police vehicle.Home media
In June 2021, the first two series became available on BritBox; series 3 to series 9 with all of the Christmas special episodes became available in October 2021. As of September 2021, seasons 1–3 and 5–9 were available to stream in the United States via Amazon Prime with a BritBox subscription.Theme music
The original Bergerac theme music, composed by George Fenton, featured a reggae and accordion refrain. In 1982, Fenton won a BAFTA Best Original Television Music award for the music. In 2018, Youngr re-recorded the track, entitled "Bergerac Remastered", with a video shot in locations around Jersey.Reboot
Writer Toby Whithouse oversaw a new six-episode Bergerac series which was aired in 2025. Damien Molony appeared in the title role, with filming taking place in Jersey and Plymouth for exterior and interior shots.Co-stars include Zoë Wanamaker as a gender flipped Charlie Hungerford, and Robert Gilbert as Barney Crozier. New characters include Arthur Wakefield, Margaret Heaton, Uma Dalal and Kara.