Classic TV crime drama Bergerac is being rebooted for a new series, it has been announced.
Set on the island of Jersey, the BBC programme ran for nine series from 1981 until 1991 and starred John Nettles as complex detective sergeant Jim Bergerac, who later became a private investigator.
The show is being revived by Artists Studio, backed by Endemol Shine UK, and Westward Studios, as a potential future commission for Paramount Network International’s channels outside the US.
The remake will be updated for the present day, and will deal with “contemporary stories of the week” alongside a “strong serial spine”, Artists Studio’s executive producer Gub Neal said.
Neal, known for producing The Fall, Prime Suspect and Cracker, added: “We’ve been trying to bring back Bergerac for some time and I’m very glad that we have the next generation of such an iconic show in development.”
Jill Offman, executive vice president at Paramount Network, said: “We have several exciting dramas in development, one of which is the classic favourite Bergerac.
“Our hope is that we will be able to commission Bergerac as a full series for Paramount Network International.”
Brian Constantine, executive producer and chief executive of Jersey-based Westward Studios, said: “I’m excited at the prospect that Bergerac may be returning to our screens once again.
“It’s a much-loved drama and a real boost for Jersey, my home, where Bergerac has become part of the island’s identity.”