John Nettles
John Nettles in the role of Jim Bergerac is undoubtedly Jersey's most iconic character.
From his early beginnings in the UK hit comedy "The Liver Birds" (1969), he became a household name overnight playing the Jersey detective "Jim Bergerac". The series, "Bergerac" (1981), was a huge hit in Britain and was exported to many countries across the world including France, Spain and Greece, gaining him thousands of fans.
His new found fame as Bergerac gave him almost film-star-like fame and fortune, not to mention many female admirers!
The series still has a considerable fan base and lingering popularity, especially locally in Jersey, where images of John Nettles still appear randomly throughout the island.
John Nettles is a very balanced and underrated actor, happy both on-screen or on-stage. His polished Shakesperean performances have won him critical acclaim and many consider him to rival fellow British stalwarts of theatre such as Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen.
He has been a familiar face on British and International television screens for over thirty years.
Bergerac
Bergerac was a British television show set on Jersey. Produced by the BBC in association with the Seven Network, and screened on BBC1, it starred John Nettles (who later starred in British crime series Midsomer Murders as Tom Barnaby) as the title character Detective Sergeant Jim Bergerac, a detective in "Le Bureau des Étrangers" ("The Foreign Office", a fictional department, based on the real Bureau des Étrangers, for dealing with non-Jersey residents), part of the States of Jersey Police.
Jim Bergerac was a complex character and presented by the series as a somewhat unorthodox cop.
The series ran from 1981 to 1991 and produced 87 episodes. The series played heavily on its Jersey location, and its 'Frenchness', even in its theme tune. The early storylines were usually in and around Jersey, with short scenes shot in England and France.
Such was Bergerac's popularity, the Island began working with John Nettles in its tourism marketing. Below is an advert from the 1980s.
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