It has finally been announced who will be heading the eagerly anticipated remake of Bergerac, which was announced earlier this April. Irish actor Damien Molony will be playing the iconic leading role of Jim Bergerac, originally played by John Nettles in 1981. Molony is best known for roles such as Anthony, the love interest in Crashing alongside Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Jonathan Bailey, and Gabriel in the popular Irish series Derry Girls. Alongside Molony, the Bergerac revival will star a few more famous faces, such as Zoë Wanamaker, known for Shadow and Bone, as Charlie Hungerford, and Philip Glenister, known for Steeltown Murders, as Arthur Wakefield. In addition, the series lineup includes Pippa Haywood, known for Green Wing, as Margaret Heaton, Robert Gilbert, known for Big Boys, as Barney Crozier, Sasha Behar, known for Unforgotten, as Uma Dalal and Celine Arden, known for Us or Them, as Kara.
According to the Radio Times, Molony discussed his excitement towards the role upon the announcement of his casting, saying, “I’m incredibly excited to be stepping into the role of Jim Bergerac. John Nettles has left an incredible legacy with big shoes to fill, and I hope I can bring a fresh new take on this iconic character. I can’t wait for audiences to join me on this journey.” Executive producer Brian Constantine expressed his views on the exciting casting announcement, saying:
“We are absolutely thrilled by today’s cast announcement, having such an incredibly talented team of actors, combined with the world-class writing of Toby Whithouse, is a real boost. This project has been many years in the making, and now all that hard work is coming to fruition. Westward Studios is very honored to be part of it. This fantastic collaboration will undoubtedly do Jersey proud.”
What Can Fans Expect from the ‘Bergerac’ Remake?
Written by screenwriters including Toby Whithouse, Brian Fillis, Catherine Tregenna and Polly Buckle, the newly released synopsis for the reimagining reads:
“Viewers will meet Jim Bergerac (Molony) as a broken man, grappling with grief and alcoholism following his wife’s recent death. His mother-in-law, Charlie (Wanamaker), is concerned Jim isn’t putting his daughter Kim first and, when a woman from a wealthy Jersey family is murdered , Jim must fight through his personal struggles to become the formidable investigator he once was. With a troublesome convict resurfacing from his past, Bergerac is required to call on his sharp investigative instincts and past successes to navigate the intricate family dynamics, and watchful eyes of the police force, in order to solve the case .”
The revival is expected to consist of a six-episode run. Production is scheduled to begin later this month, with the series expected to drop sometime next year. The show will stray from the 1981 procedural structure and will instead focus on a broader story arc across the murder mystery series’ 6 episode run.
A release date has not yet been set for the Bergerac reimagining. Stay tuned to Collider for more information. Leading man Damien Molony can be seen in Crashing, which is streaming now on Netflix.
via Collider