Golden beaches. Tasty seafood. Low taxes. Being close enough to France to steal its wifi. Foyle’s War.
Conduct a Family Fortunes-style poll of what your average Brit associates with the Channel Islands and those are some of the words likely to ‘ding’ on the big screen. But you wouldn’t be surprised if the number one spot belonged to John Nettles’ BBC cop Bergerac – especially among those old enough to remember the TV cop’s Jersey crime solving back during its 1980s run.
Well, the smooth sleuth has been rebooted in a new six-episode U&DRAMA reboot – kind of like Batman, if Batman wore sports jackets and the Batmobile was a 1949 Triumph Roadster. As before, the series is about to work wonders for tourism in Jersey, showcasing the glorious scenery of the largest of the 19 Channels Islands.
What is the new Bergerac about?
Played by The Split’s Damien Molony, the new Jim Bergerac is a more troubled character than his blue-eyed 1980s predecessor. He’s lost his wife and gained a drinking habit, as well as a no-nonsense mother-in-law (acting legend Zoë Wanamaker) and a teenage daughter (Chloé Sweetlove) who needs him back on track asap.
The people of Jersey need it too, with a murderer on the loose and a member of the island’s upper-crust lying in the morgue. Is the chief suspect, a ruthless local tycoon payed by Life on Mars’s Philip Glenister, really the perpetrator?
Billed as ‘a knotty whodunnit that will keep the audience guessing’, the new Bergerac is a one-crime series, rather than a crime-of-the-week format of the original, and boasts surprises and scenery in equal measures.
‘This is not Bergerac 2, it’s an entirely new Bergerac,’ John Nettles, the OG Bergerac, tells The Telegraph. ‘I was Cliff Richard, this is much more Clint Eastwood.’
Where was the new Bergerac filmed?
Filming in the summer of 2024, Bergerac’s shoot spanned the island from the fishing village of Gorey in the east to La Pulente in the west. ‘Bergerac equals Jersey. It’s such an integral part of the story, it’s a character in its own right,’ says Molony. Here are the Jersey spots to look out for.
Bouley Bay
Filming on the new Bergerac kicked off at this idyllic Jersey cove, a haunt of scuba divers and sea swimming enthusiasts – although not usually at the time Damien Molony and the crew were there. ‘The very first scene we filmed there was at 4am in Bouley Bay, which had the most stunning sunrise,’ he remembers. ‘We were actually using it as a sunset, and it was so beautiful, the early wake-up call was worth it!’
The St Brelade’s Bay Hotel
This luxury spa hotel has two generations’ worth of Bergerac history: it popped up in the 1984 episode ‘Tug of War’ and hosted scenes for the new series too. The venue overlooks the picturesque St Brelade's Bay, a popular watersports spot that even the cast took advantage of. ‘We lucked out with some lovely August weather,’ says Molony, ‘and we could swim at lunchtime and have ice-cream’.
‘It’s this lovely old-fashioned hotel right on the seafront,’ says Philip Glenister, a veteran of the original Bergerac. ‘We filmed a lot there. The locals seemed really pleased that we were there.’
📍Here’s how to stay at St Brelade’s Bay Hotel
La Rocco Tower, St Ouen's Bay
Built in 1796 to defend the island from French invasion, La Rocco Tower is a recognisable landmark in the new Bergerac on – or at high-tide, just off – the shore of St Ouen's Bay. The location backdrops a key scene in episode 1 of the new series. ‘Jim decides to give up alcohol and properly focus on getting back to work,’ says Molony. ‘It’s a very dark and brooding scene and the weather was perfect.’ The tower can be booked for groups of six for £80 per person/night.
📍Here’s how to stay at La Rocco Tower
Gorey
With its pastel-coloured cottages and outdoor eating spots, overlooked by the 13th century Mont Orgeuil Castle, the little fishing port of Gorey is one of Jersey’s must-visit spots. The town’s pier hosted Bergerac for a day’s filming and the man playing Jim Bergerac, Damien Molony, even stayed in local hotel The Moorings on a post-shoot holiday.
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📍Here’s how to stay at The Moorings
Archirondel Beach
This shingle-y stretch of coastline on the island’s east coast is another Jersey beach to get its Bergerac badge. Popular with swimmers, it’s also notable for Archirondel Tower – a red-and-white defensive structure that hosts overnights stays these days. If you’re in the area, head to the Driftwood Café for its trademark Thursday night seafood boil.
📍Visit the Driftwood Café
St Helier
The Jersey capital was another location used more than once by the production. ‘We had a quick sprint through Royal Square in St Helier’, says Molony, ‘and filmed in the vast grounds of Victoria College’.
Where can I watch Bergerac?
All six episodes will be available on U and U&DRAMA from Thursday, February 27.
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