Jersey's 'natural beauty' at heart of Bergerac series

The star of Bergerac has said the "natural beauty of Jersey" is at the heart of the show as the second series is set to return.

Damien Molony, who plays detective Jim Bergerac, came back to the island for Monday's premiere at Jersey Opera House where he was joined by old and new cast members, including Adrian Edmondson.

The popular TV policeman said although he was the main character, the scenes of Jersey were a strong focus throughout.

"The first shot of the whole series is this incredible drone shot over Gorey Harbour and it just shows the beauty, just the natural beauty of Jersey off in such a brilliant way," Molony said.

Viewers can expect to see the detective pitted against "the most challenging case of his career" for series two and romance could also be on the cards, with the series set to be broadcast this spring.

Molony said filming series two had been a whole new experience.

"I guess this time people knew who we were - we had lots of people coming up to us to say hi, to say lovely things about the first series," he said.

"We had a great, great time and you know, travelling all around the island and going to these wonderful locations."

In series one, Bergerac struggled with alcohol addiction and the grief of losing his wife.

Molony said he spoke to "a lot of people who were struggling" to help channel that.

"It's really important from an acting point of view that you want to kind of do that justice and honour that," he said.

"Series two, it's not so much doom and gloom, because everyone has kind of moved on a little bit - Jim is obviously still in an element of grief, it's only 18 months since his wife passed away, but everyone else is moving on."

When asked if Bergerac would be seen driving the iconic original red Triumph Roadster in series two instead of sleeping in it like in series one, Molony said he didn't want to "give it away".

Edmondson, known for his starring roles in The Young Ones and more recently Alien: Earth, has joined the cast as the love interest of Zoe Wanamaker - Bergerac's mother-in-law Charlie Hungerford.

He said this was his first time taking on such a role.

"I've never played a love interest before... any character is a character so you kind of invest in it as much as you can to kind of make it a realistic being," Edmondson said.

"This was a rather delightful, a very well written character and more complicated than people might think."

Edmondson said the new take on the original Bergerac series, which starred John Nettles and ran from 1981 to 1991, had opened the door for more variety.

He said: "It was always the kind of programme where they give you a murder and they'd solve it within the hour and it would make you feel very happy - this series is very different.

"It kind of takes a very complicated story... it's kind of weirder and kind of darker and more complicated - and it allows room for people like me."

Robert Gilbert, who plays detective Barney Crozier, said his rivalry with the main character would continue into series two.

He said: "The last season was about Jim's grief and trying to understand how he was going to return to work.

"I think now that relationship is stable, it's how his return now affects everybody around him, whether it's his family life or his professional life and the tension now exists rather than Jim trying to figure out how to return.

"I think the danger in this season as well as being from the case is also just about the danger that it puts the rest of us in."

Returning cast member Chloe Sweetlove, who plays Bergerac's daughter Kim, said series two continued to show their fractured relationship.

She said: "This season has been kind of a really interesting exploration about how grief is not just like an immediate experience, but it's this ongoing kind of aftermath.

"I think for Kim particularly, she's really grappling with what it means to be, you know, exploring her independence and also navigating a relationship with a parent who she still feels very, I suppose, emotionally responsible for in some ways."

Sweetlove added that Jersey was "like a character in the show".

"I think there's something very familiar about being here, it's a very kind of comfortable, welcoming and naturally beautiful place."

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