Bergerac: Original Triumph Roadster is back

Bergerac's original iconic Triumph Roadster is returning to screens.

Jim Bergerac’s stylish 1949 red motor will feature in the re-imagined series of the BBC Jersey-based crime drama, which will debut in early 2025 on U and U Drama.

Damien Molony, 40, who is replacing John Nettles, 81, as the lead, said: “When people talk about ‘Bergerac’, two things immediately spring to mind – Jersey and the car.

“We’ve recently wrapped on filming, and I’ve had the best time stepping into the role of Jim Bergerac – I’ve even had the privilege of getting behind the wheel of the iconic Triumph Roadster.

“We couldn’t have re-imagined this series without paying homage to the original, and the car beautifully bridges the two.

“I can’t wait to share it with the fans.”

The show, which was created by the late Robert Banks Stewart and abruptly ended in 1991 after a 10-year run, will honour the iconic detective drama, but with a contemporary twist.

Unlike the original 80s hit, the new fresh talent series by Toby Whithouse, 54, will see one character-led murder mystery run across six episodes, in place of a new storyline in each episode.

Damien will be joined by Zoë Wanamaker, 75, as Charlie Hungerford; Philip Glenister, 61, as Arthur Wakefield; Pippa Haywood, 63, as Margaret Heaton; Robert Gilbert, 36, as Barney Crozier; Sasha Behar, 53, as Uma Dalal; Celine Arden as Kara; and Timothy Renouf, 35, as Julian Wakefield.

According to Tim, the “framework of the story is the same” with Bergerac getting back into investigating crime, but “it’s going to be grittier" and "probably a bit darker”.

John, who also starred in the ITV murder mystery ‘Midsomer Murders’, appeared on 'BBC Breakfast' last month where he revealed the brutally honest reason for his absence.

He said: “I got a lovely letter from them.

“They said will you come along and do a little cameo at the end?

“I thought, 'No, because that would get in the way of the actual production. It would destroy, in some sense, the integrity of the production, I thought.'

“In any case, I’m too old, and I’ve retired. I’ve got to face up to that.”