Bergerac is Back

He may have made his last appearance on our screens as Jim Bergerac in December 1991, but John Nettles’ decade-long spell as the iconic British detective created a lasting legacy, forging an enduring affection for the character as well as his beautiful island home.

Fast-forward to 2025 and a much-anticipated reboot sees Damien Molony stepping into Bergerac’s beloved shoes – and legendary car. While Nettles declined the chance for a cameo in the new series, past and present collided when the two actors enjoyed time reminiscing together about their experiences of filming and memories of Jersey.

What became quickly evident to both was that they share a deep affection for the character. Damien explains, “I’ve never worked on a TV series with such a huge fan base. When I learned that I’d won the role of Jim Bergerac I was beyond thrilled, but I didn’t want just to copy what John had done. For me, it was about honouring what had gone before but making it my own.”

He continues, “John said to me, ‘Bergerac has been so good for me, I hope it’s good for you, too.’ That has always stayed with me.”

It seems that John’s hopes are already being realised, as Damien has clearly gained a new-found love of the island. He exclaims, “I never get tired talking about Jersey! We filmed the series last summer, and I was so lucky to have the family with me for the school holidays. We spent the first four nights staying here at Grand Jersey, and the team was amazing; the children were spoilt with double breakfasts and cookies every night – that’s pretty hard to beat!”

From a filming perspective, Jersey’s varied landscapes and compact geography were also a huge advantage. Damien explains, “Within minutes, we could relocate from the wide sweeping seascape of St Ouen’s Bay, where Bergerac’s brooding opening scene was shot, to the gorgeous golden sands of St Brelade’s Bay.”

He continues, “Jersey has everything; you couldn’t film like this anywhere else, and that’s very unique.”

For Damien and the crew, the summer also provided lasting memories. “Getting up to shoot a sunrise scene at 3am at Bouley Bay was an incredible experience,” he explains. “The gorgeous bright orange sun slowly emerging, I’ll never forget it – just beautiful.”

A great working atmosphere

Another cast member enchanted by Jersey’s exquisite beauty and warm hospitality was Ayesha Antoine, who plays savvy journalist Chloe Havron in the remake.

“The first day we arrived, I was struck by how welcoming everyone was,” she says. “All the members of staff here at the hotel were wonderful; nothing was too much trouble, but that extended out into the local community.”

She continues, “It was my first time in Jersey, so I didn’t know what to expect, and a Portuguese festival right on the doorstep was probably not top of the list! I didn’t realise there is such a proud Madeiran community here and the food, music and family atmosphere were just incredible.”

The nature of filming on an island also had a positive impact on the crew. Ayesha explains, “There was a really professional yet open vibe on set that made for a great working atmosphere, from start to finish.”

She also loved the talented production team’s attention to detail, explaining, “My character, Chloe, had a Channel News pen that I got quite attached to. Sadly, it was very limited edition so I couldn’t keep it as a souvenir!”

For Philip Glenister, playing a lead part in a detective series is nothing new, having made his name as DCI Gene Hunt in Life on Mars and its sequel Ashes to Ashes.

“Jersey has a wonderful community, everyone was so welcoming. Many people have very fond memories of the original Bergerac and meeting John, so it was lovely to hear their stories.”

Philip Glenister

However, the deliciously villainous role of Arthur Wakefield is a stark contrast to his ‘top cop’ character, and a little-known fact is that he also appeared in the final episode of the original Bergerac.

While the characters of Bergerac and Wakefield enjoy a thrilling game of cat and mouse in the series, Damien and Philip clearly enjoyed a more relaxing pace of island life while not in character.

On Sundays, when he could enjoy a day off from filming, Philip talked fondly of hopping on an electric bike for a jaunt up to St Aubin and a ‘pint in the sunshine’. He recalls, “I’ve got an electric bike at home in London, so it was great to switch off and enjoy an easy ride out of town. I loved sitting on the rocks in the sunshine, just thinking about things – sandwich in hand with a spectacular sea view in front.”

The Island is the real star

The crew did a lot of filming around the island’s famous Royal Square, so they would often have people turning out to enjoy the experience of seeing the production.

Phil also credits the locals for offering them a truly warm welcome. He explains, “Jersey has a wonderful community, and everyone was so welcoming, from the taxi drivers to the team here at Grand Jersey. It’s not unusual for locals to get annoyed with the disruption of a film crew, but so many of them wanted to come out and meet us and were extremely supportive.”

He continues, “Many people have very fond memories of the original Bergerac and meeting John, so it was lovely to hear their stories. Jersey is just such a wonderful place to work – and be.”

While Bergerac brings together some of the UK’s finest talent from stage and screen – including acting royalty Zoë Wannamaker and Pippa Haywood – Jersey’s idyllic island backdrop is arguably the star of the show.

Bergerac is available to stream for free on U.