Bergerac (TV series)

Bergerac
Genre
Created byRobert Banks Stewart
Starring
Theme music composerGeorge Fenton
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series9
No. of episodes87 (list of episodes)
Production
Producers
  • Robert Banks Stewart (series 1–2)
  • Jonathan Alwyn (series 3–5)
  • George Gallaccio (series 6–9)
Running time
  • 50 minutes (81 episodes)
  • 90 minutes (6 Christmas specials)
Original release
NetworkBBC1
Release18 October 1981 (1981-10-18) –
26 December 1991 (1991-12-26)

Bergerac (/ˈbɜːʒəræk/ BUR-zhə-rak) is a British crime drama television series.[1] 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 ("The Foreigners' Office", a fictional department dealing with non-Jersey residents), within the States of Jersey Police, but later leaves the force and becomes a private investigator.[2][3]

Westward Studios' Bergerac reboot launched on U&Drama in February 2025.[4]

Background

The series ran from 1981 to 1991. It was created by producer Robert Banks Stewart.[5][6] 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.[7][8]

Episodes

Main article: List of Bergerac episodes
Series Episodes First aired Last aired
1 10 18 October 1981 20 December 1981
2 9 9 January 1983 6 March 1983
3 10 3 December 1983 4 February 1984
4 9 11 October 1985 20 December 1985
Christmas special 26 December 1986
5 8 3 January 1987 21 February 1987
Christmas special 26 December 1987
6 7 2 January 1988 13 February 1988
Christmas special 27 December 1988
7 8 28 January 1989 18 March 1989
Christmas special 23 December 1989
8 10 14 January 1990 18 March 1990
Christmas special 26 December 1990
9 10 5 January 1991 9 March 1991
Christmas special 26 December 1991


Cast and characters

Main

Supporting

  • Mela White as Diamante Lil (series 1–5)
  • Lindsay Heath as Kim Bergerac (series 1–5)
  • Geoffrey Leesley as Detective Constable Terry Wilson (series 1–5)
  • Tony Melody as the Chief (series 1–3)
  • Jonathan Adams as Dr. LeJeune (series 1–3)
  • Liza Goddard as Philippa Vale (series 3–7)
  • Nancy Mansfield as Peggy Masters (series 4–7)
  • Jolyon Baker as DC Barry Goddard (series 4–5)
  • John Telfer as DC Willy Pettit (series 6–9)
  • Ben Kershaw as DC Ben Lomas (series 6–9)

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."[9] Bergerac drives a burgundy 1947 Triumph Roadster instead of an approved police vehicle.[10]

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.[11] 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.[12]

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.[13] In 2018, Youngr re-recorded the track, entitled "Bergerac Remastered", with a video shot in locations around Jersey.[14]

Reboot

Main article: Bergerac (2025 TV series)

Writer Toby Whithouse oversaw a new six-episode Bergerac series which was aired in 2025.[15] Damien Molony appeared in the title role, with filming taking place in Jersey and Plymouth for exterior and interior shots.[16]

Co-stars include Zoë Wanamaker as a gender flipped Charlie Hungerford, and Robert Gilbert as Barney Crozier. New characters include Arthur Wakefield (Philip Glenister), Margaret Heaton (Pippa Haywood), Uma Dalal (Sasha Behar) and Kara (Celine Arden).[17]

Portions of Bergerac's credits were featured in the Black Mirror episode "Loch Henry": in the episode's story, it is revealed that VHS recordings of Bergerac had been taped over with snuff films.[18][19]

See also

  • The Detectives, a BBC comedy series, one episode of which features John Nettles' last performance to date as Jim Bergerac.
  • Will Smith Presents the Tao of Bergerac, a radio comedy series based on an obsessive fan of Bergerac
  • The Cult of Bergerac, a 30 minute 2008 BBC4 documentary, featuring many cast members and writer Robert Banks Stewart
  • Triumph Roadster 1947 model automobile introduced in series 1 episode 1.

References

  1. ^ "Classic crime show Bergerac set to return". BBC News. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Bergerac set for a come back 20 years on?". The Independent. 18 April 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  3. ^ "BBC News – Bergerac return 'a boost'". BBC News. 18 April 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  4. ^ Barnes, Georgina (18 February 2025). "New series to pay homage to original, star says". Retrieved 11 May 2025.
  5. ^ "Robert Banks Stewart on creating Charles Endell, Esquire". STV Entertainment. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  6. ^ "The 30 best TV detectives and sleuths – Telegraph". Telegraph.co.uk. 1 November 2014. Archived from the original on 26 September 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  7. ^ "BBC News – Bergerac rerun postponed owing to abuse inquiry". BBC News. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  8. ^ Jane Mathews (3 March 2014). "John Nettles blasts BBC for pulling Bergerac reruns featuring Haut de la Garenne home". Express.co.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  9. ^ Hodgkinson, Will (27 October 2001). "The feelgood factory". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  10. ^ "Bergerac's car up for sale". Telegraph.co.uk. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  11. ^ "BritBox - S3".
  12. ^ "Amazon search result page". Amazon. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  13. ^ "1982 Television Original Television Music". BAFTA Awards. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  14. ^ "LISTEN: Bergerac gets an electro twist in new music mix". Bailiwick Express. 30 May 2018. Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  15. ^ "Bergerac reboot to begin filming in Jersey this summer". BBC News. 13 April 2024.
  16. ^ "Damien Molony to play Bergerac in new series". BBC. 8 July 2024.
  17. ^ "Damien Molony set to star as Jim Bergerac in reimagined series of Bergerac for U&DRAMA and U". UKTV Corporate Site. 7 July 2024.
  18. ^ Collis, Clark (17 June 2023). "'Bergerac' from 'Loch Henry' episode of 'Black Mirror' is a real show". EW.com. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  19. ^ Mellor, Louisa (16 June 2023). "1980s Detective Series Bergerac Was the Perfect Reference for Black Mirror's "Loch Henry"". Den of Geek. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
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