Damien Molony
Sunday, July 7, 2024
The casting for the newly conceived series of Bergerac (6×60′) with Damien Molony (The Split, Brassic, Crashing) will take on the lead role of Jim Bergerac. The six-part UKTV original series is produced by BlackLight TV, part of Banijay UK, Jersey-based Westward Studios and supported by Visit Jersey. Filming begins this month on location in the UK and on the Channel Island of Jersey.
Damien Molony said:
I am incredibly excited to be taking on the role of Jim Bergerac. John Nettles has left an incredible legacy to follow and I hope to bring a fresh, new take to this iconic character. I can’t wait for audiences to join me on this journey.
Zoe Wanamaker (My Family, Shadow and Bone, Black Ops) will play the role of Jim’s mother-in-law Charlie Hungerford – a change from the original series, alongside Philip Glenister (Steeltown murders, life on Mars) as Arthur Wakefield. Other actors include Pippa Haywood (Green Wing, Bodyguard) as Margaret Heaton, Robert Gilbert (Big Boys, Killing Eve) as Barney Crozier, Sascha Behar (Unforgettable, accident) as Uma Dalal and Celine Arden (We or them) as Kara. Bergerac will be broadcast in 2025 on the free-to-air channel U&DRAMA and the free streaming service U.
The series was written by Toby Whithouse (The Red King, Being Human), together with Brian Fillis (Trust, Sirens), Catherine Tregenna (The One That Got Away, Three Pines) and Polly Buckle (Love Rat, A Discovery of Witches). Banijay Rights will handle international distribution of the series.
Bergerac is based on the original series by Robert Banks Stewart, in which John Nettles played the leading role and which ran for nine seasons on the BBC between 1981 and 1991. The modern remake pays tribute to the cult crime drama, but gives it a contemporary twist. Unlike the original hit from the 80s, the new series will span all six episodes and will not offer a new storyline in each episode, but rather a character-based crime story.
Viewers meet Jim Bergerac (Molony) as a broken man struggling with grief and alcoholism after the death of his wife. His mother-in-law Charlie (Wanamaker) is concerned that Jim is not putting his daughter Kim first, and when a woman from a wealthy Jersey family is murdered, Jim must overcome his personal issues to once again become the formidable investigator he once was.
When a difficult convict from his past resurfaces, Bergerac must use his keen investigative instincts and past successes to navigate complex family dynamics and defy the watchful eyes of the police to solve the case.
Tricia Warwick, Managing Director of Visit Jerseycommented: “For many, the words ‘Jersey’ and ‘Bergerac‘ are synonymous, and we are delighted that the iconic TV series is returning to filming on our island’s beautiful beaches this summer. The modern reinterpretation of Bergerac offers the opportunity to celebrate the show’s Jersey heritage while reaching a new generation of fans who can’t wait to fly to the locations featured. We’re excited to be working with UKTV, Banijay UK and BlackLight TV to showcase Jersey’s unique charm and picturesque landscapes through the lens of this beloved show in a fresh, contemporary way.”
Brian Constantine, Executive Producer for Westward Studiosadded: “We are absolutely thrilled with today’s casting announcement. To have such an incredibly talented team of actors combined with Toby Whithouse’s world-class script is a real boost. This project has been many years in the making and now all the hard work is coming to fruition. Westward Studios is very honoured to be part of it. This fantastic collaboration will no doubt make Jersey proud.”
Bergerac was commissioned by Hilary Rosen, Head of Commissioning at UKTV, and ordered by Paula Fitzgerald, Head of Digital Content at UKTV Play, and Emma Ayech, Channel Head of Drama. Executive producers for BlackLight TV are Ben Bickerton, Philip Trethowan and Toby Whithouse. Brian Constantine is executive producer for Westward Studios. Helen Perry, Head of Drama, will be executive producer for UKTV. The series is directed by Colm McCarthy (The Bastard Son and the Devil Himself, Peaky Blinders) and produced by Clare Alan (Resistance, rebellion).
Bergerac is a brand new original commissioned series from UKTV and will air on U&DRAMA and U in 2025. UKTV recently announced the launch of a new master brand, U, which will see the free streaming service UKTV Play move to U&DRAMA and U on 16 July, and the family of free-to-air channels become U&Dave, U&DRAMA, U&YESTERDAY and U&W.
For more information, please contact:
Kelly Phelps, PR Manager, UKTV
Notes for editors:
Robert Gilbert is represented by Denton Brierley
About Drama
Sky 143, Virgin Media 130, Freeview 20, Freesat 158 +1 Sky 243, Virgin Media 226, Freeview, 60 On Demand on Sky, Virgin Media & UKTV Play
Free-to-air channel Drama is committed to bringing the UK the best drama. From historical to contemporary, family shows to comedy, the channel is a treasure trove of beloved classics and modern dramas with stories that viewers can fully immerse themselves in.
With programmes such as familiar favourites ‘Call the Midwife’, ‘The Bill’, ‘New Tricks’ and ‘Silent Witness’, as well as brand new and exclusive hits ‘Sister Boniface Mysteries’, ‘Whitstable Pearl’ and ‘Signora Volpe’, this is the channel where viewers can escape from everyday life and indulge in a handpicked selection of the country’s most celebrated TV dramas.
The channel’s offering has also been expanded in recent years with the UKTV Original TV adaptation of Robert Thorogood’s best-selling novel The Marlow Murder Club. In this two-part series, Samantha Bond plays the sober, crossword-solving and wild swimmer Judith Potts, alongside Jo Martin, Cara Horgan and Natalie Dew.
Programming on U
There will be thousands of hours of free content available on U across a range of genres, including drama (Annika, Holby City, Madam Secretary, Sister Boniface Mysteries, A Million Little Things), comedy (Meet the Richardsons, Red Dwarf, Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week, We Are Not Alone), entertainment (Big Zuu’s Big Eats, David Mitchell’s Outsiders, QI, Mel Giedroyc: Unforgivable, World’s Most Dangerous Roads) and reality TV (Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over, MasterChef Australia, Katie Piper: Jailhouse Mums, Secrets of the London Underground, Bangers & Cash). Viewers will also get access to exclusive shows, award-winning originals, premiere acquisitions and cult BBC programming.
About UKTV
UKTV has been a leader in branded television for over 30 years, entertaining the nation with much-loved programming. Its leading brands – Dave, Gold, W, Drama, Alibi, Eden and Yesterday – cover comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and drama and are delivered to audiences via UKTV Play, Sky, Virgin Media, Now Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, Freeview and Freesat, and to Irish viewers via Sky, Virgin Media, Eir, Vodafone and NOW. Channel and content availability varies by platform. UKTV’s content is also available to UK viewers via dedicated FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Freevee, Virgin and Pluto TV. UKTV invests significantly in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme makers. UKTV is part of BBC Studios, the UK’s most award-winning production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services and a commercial subsidiary of the world’s leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.
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About Banijay UK
Banijay UK is a collective of leading independent television producers from across the UK. Our companies are responsible for some of the biggest television brands on TV including MasterChef, Big Brother, Peaky Blinders, Deal or No Deal, SAS Rogue Heroes, Pointless, Ambulance and many more.
Banijay UK is part of media and entertainment giant Banijay, which houses over 130 production companies across 21 territories, offers a multi-genre catalogue of over 180,000 hours of outstanding original programming and operates a complementary live entertainment business – Banijay Events.
About BlackLight TV
BlackLight was founded in 2017 by Ben Bickerton and Philip Trethowan. Ben and Phil met while making the critically acclaimed film Ellen together and are backed by Banijay Media Group. Ben and Phil both have over 20 years’ experience producing award-winning dramas and films such as Being Human and The Curse of Steptoe. More recently, BlackLight produced four seasons of the award-winning anthology On The Edge for Channel 4, which was nominated for 11 BAFTAs, won a BAFTA Cymru as well as a number of other awards. They are currently producing Cleddau/The One That Got Away, a new six-part drama series for S4C.
About Visit Jersey
Visit Jersey was established in March 2015 with the aim of promoting tourism to and within Jersey in an innovative, economical and efficient way. Led by CEO Tricia Warwick since April 2023, Visit Jersey is taking a new approach to showcasing the island and repositioning Jersey as a destination in the minds of current and potential visitors from around the world. The Visit Jersey team works closely with industry and government to drive growth and build a stronger, more sustainable visitor economy. For more information visit Jersey.com or the Visit Jersey Travel Trade website.
