The ‘s classic detective drama, Bergerac, is set for a reboot with a fresh face stepping into the shoes of the troubled detective Jim Bergerac, a role originally played by John Nettles. The six-part series will premiere on the free streaming service U today (Thursday, February 27), providing crime enthusiasts with a new mystery to sink their teeth into.
The series follows the titular detective as he investigates a chilling murder while attempting to rebuild his life after the death of his wife and battling his personal demons. Irish actor Damien Molony, known for his roles in Ripper Street, Suspects, Derry Girls and Brassic, takes on the lead role.
This reunites the 41 year old star with writer Toby Whithouse, with whom he previously collaborated on Being Human. The cast also includes Pippa Haywood, Philip Glenister, Sarah Behar, Zoë Wanamaker, Chloé Sweetlove and Robert Gilbert.
Set once again on the island of Jersey, the show promises to be a riveting watch, with one key difference from the original series: it focuses on a single case rather than episodic crime-solving. Filming for Bergerac took place last year in various locations, including Jersey and Devon, starting in July 2024.
The shoot was divided into two blocks, with the first half filmed in Devon between July and August, before moving to Jersey for the second half, followed by a brief return to Devon for additional filming.
Bergerac was filmed across Jersey and Devon in 2024 (Image: UKTV)
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The drama Bergerac was filmed in various locations across Jersey, including La Pulente, Bouley Bay, St Ouen’s Bay, St Brelade’s Bay, Gorey Pier, the Driftwood Café on Archirondel Beach, Royal Square in St Helier and Victoria College.
In an exclusive chat with Express.co.uk, actress Pippa Haywood shared her experiences of working on the show and its filming locations.
The 63 year old star described the show had the “gloriousness of Jersey” as a backdrop, giving it a Scandi Noir feel.
Jersey serves as another character in Bergerac (Image: UKTV)
“It’s not quite Bradford or those northern crime dramas where it’s all pretty grey and gritty, you’ve got these complex stories, but in this glorious island that makes it a little bit exotic and a little bit quite close to home but a bit off-set,” she said.
She also revealed that some scenes were shot in Devon to resemble Jersey. “So, I think Jersey – and we shot some of it in Devon to look like Jersey – but they are glorious locations. So, I think it’s almost like another character in the piece, like his car is another character, the sets and the locations give it a richness that will be enjoyable for people to watch alongside just a fantastic, gripping story.”
Haywood also shared how she landed the part in Bergerac shortly after holidaying in Devon.
“It was very nice to be able to do a day’s work and then go for a swim, you don’t get that option very often. It was very lovely,” she said.
The new Bergerac series has a Nordic Noir quality to it (Image: UKTV)
Green Wing icon and Bridgerton sensation disclosed an amusing behind-the-scenes tidbit, revealing that Timothy Renouf, the Jersey-born star portraying Julien Wakefield in Bergerac, would turn tour guide, delighting his fellow cast with island excursions on their days off. The actress confessed to some testing times during filming, mentioning a particularly difficult scene that was almost spoiled by relentless gusts. “The rehearsal was brilliant and then my hair was all over the shop with the wind,” Haywood recalled.
However, luck was on their side as the troublesome breeze halted just in time, allowing for a flawless take, about which Haywood joyfully remarked, “just knew it was the take” when the wind “just calmed”.
Bergerac is available to watch on UKTV’s U and U&DRAMA from today