Comments Off on FIRST LOOK images released for Bergerac Series 2 on U and U&DRAMA
As filming wraps on the highly anticipated second series ofBergerac(6×60’), UKTV today unveils a selection of first look images showcasing a glimpse of the Jersey locations and the new cast members joining the original ensemble. Following its record-breaking debut earlier this year, the hit U&Original drama, produced by BlackLight TV, part of Banijay UK, in collaboration with Jersey-based Westward Studios and with support from Visit Jersey, is set to make a triumphant return to U and U&DRAMA in 2026.
Damien Molony (The Split, Brassic, Crashing) returns as the complex Jim Bergerac – a brilliant detective grappling with life as a recovering alcoholic and widower. He is joined once again by Zoë Wanamaker (My Family, Shadow and Bone, Black Ops) as Charlie Hungerford, Robert Gilbert (Big Boys, Killing Eve) as Barney Crozier, and Chloé Sweetlove (The Crow Girl, My Husband’s Double Life) as Kim Bergerac.
New cast members include Adrian Edmondson (Rain Dogs, A Spy Among Friends) as Nigel, a charming new presence in Charlie’s life, and Lesley Sharp (Red Eye, Before We Die) as Monica, mother to Michael played by Turlough Convery (Sanditon, Killing Eve) and Nicola played by Camilla Beeput (The Tower, Hijack).
Series two will see Jim Bergerac (Molony) starting to put his life back together, while his mother-in-law Charlie Hungerford (Wanamaker) has a new man in her life. Jim’s even tentatively dating, with Kim’s (Sweetlove) encouragement, although it’s a big step for him. But then he meets Nicola (Beeput), a visitor to Jersey, and they connect. Could this be the start of something for Jim?
However, before the relationship even has time to blossom, Jim is pulled back into his next big case. When the groom at a wedding reception on the island is found murdered in his hotel room, the wedding party comes under intense suspicion and scrutiny. Jim will have to decipher the victim’s cryptic last words from his speech if he is ever going to bring the killer to justice. And when Jim starts to unravel old secrets, more skeletons come to light, making this his most intricate case yet.
Written by Toby Whithouse (The Red King, Being Human), alongside Ashley Sanders, Emilie Robson, Faebian Averies and Brian Fillis, the series continues to reimagine the iconic 80s detective drama with a contemporary, character-led mystery that unfolds across all six episodes.
Bergerac has been commissioned by Helen Perry, head of drama commissioning, and ordered by Emma Tibbetts, director of programming, scripted and Hilary Rosen, director of commissioning for UKTV. Executive producers for BlackLight TV (part of Banijay UK) are Ben Bickerton, Philip Trethowan and Toby Whithouse. Brian Constantine and James Ahier are executive producers for Westward Studios and Helen Perry will be executive producer for UKTV.
Banijay Rights will handle international distribution for the series, with Simon Cox, EVP Content & Acquisitions, also as executive producer.
Bergerac will return to U and U&DRAMA in 2026. Stream all episodes of the previous series for free on U.
Comments Off on Banijay Entertainment Lifts the Curtain on Must-See London TV Screenings Line-Up
Global content powerhouse, Banijay Entertainment, today announces its top-tier premium line-up for its exclusive London TV Screenings event, Banijay @ BAFTA 195 Piccadilly.With a range of captivating and multi-genre programming, the group’s event will span three sessions on Wednesday, 26th February.
Headlining the 2025 showcase is Maigret the first contemporary television adaptation of Georges Simenon’s beloved detective novels, from the Golden Globe and BAFTA award-winning production company behind Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light; landmark documentary series 7/7: The London Bombings, marking the 20th anniversary of the London attack; and reality dating format 30 Dates in 30 Nights with several brand new formats to be announced on the day. Additionally, the powerhouse will spotlight highly-anticipated reboots including fan-favourite reality series Faking It.
Cathy Payne, CEO, Banijay Rights says: “From high-end dramas to gripping factual series, this year’s line-up highlights the exceptional depth and quality of our burgeoning catalogue, reinforcing our reputation for delivering standout content across multiple genres to buyers worldwide. We cannot wait to come together later this month with our partners at BAFTA 195 Piccadilly for what has become an unmissable event in the TV industry calendar.”
James Townley, Chief Content Officer, Development and Lucas Green, Chief Content Officer, Operations at Banijay Entertainment, comment: “The London TV Screenings is the perfect stage to showcase Banijay Entertainment’s latest and most innovative IP, alongside reimagined hit formats. Creativity is brimming across our footprint, and with global partners seeking bold new formats, our portfolio of buzzworthy titles truly set us apart.”
For its UK premium scripted slate, Banijay Rights’ offering includes Maigret for MASTERPIECE from Playground, which reframes Parisian Chief Inspector, Jules Maigret, as an unconventional young detective; a modern re-imagining of iconic detective series Bergerac, an U&Original seriesfor U and U&DRAMA from Blacklight TV; Emmy-winning Baby Reindeer-creator Richard Gadd’s deeply personal drama Half Man for BBC and BBC Scotland, in coproduction with HBO, from Mam Tor Productions; Wild Mercury and Capricorn Productions’ psychological thriller FEAR for Amazon Prime Video; The Forge Entertainment’s Just Act Normal a comedy drama series about three stubbornly optimistic siblings with a dark secret, for BBC iPlayer and BBC Three; and The Feud, a domestic thriller for Channel 5 from Lonesome Pine Productions in association and North East Screen.
Crossing over to continental Europe is French crime series The Family Detective for TF1 from Shine Fiction; Dutch thriller Elixir for NPO and New8 from Banijay Benelux label Topkapi Films; and French horror thrillerThe Rose Family for Cine+ OCS from Black Sheep Films. Also featured are the eagerly awaited second seasons of Marie Antoinette, the CANAL+ Creation Originale, produced by CAPA Drama, Banijay Studios France and Beside Production; and Filmlance’s Swedish crime drama Fallen for TV4.
A range of fascinating documentaries headline the factual slate including 7/7: The London Bombings from The Slate Worksfor BBC Two and BBC iPlayer; true-crime series The Drowning Pool from Caravan for Channel 5;Workerbee’s gripping title Anatomy of a Murder; investigative climate justice documentary The Silence of the Earth,from Diagonal TV with Crescendo Media Production for TVE and ARTE;and CNN Original series Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain from Hyphenate Media Group.
Banijay Entertainment’s formats continue to push boundaries, with a blend of original and highly-entertaining offerings including Meter/Jarowskij’s cross-country skiing competition Against All Odds for SVT; influencer-fuelled adventure Mission Unknown: Atlantic from Banijay Productions Germanyfor Prime Video; life-changing Danish reality format TheRest of Your Life for DR1 and DR TV; and Nordisk Film TV’s docu-format AI Love You for TV 2.
On the reality front comes 30 Dates in 30 Nights from Cuarzo Producciones (part of Banijay Iberia) for Mitele Plus (Mediaset España) and highly-anticipated popular reboots including Faking it; Ladette to Lady and hit extension LEGO Masters: Out of the Box.
From its third-party non-scripted portfolio is reality format My Name Is Gabriel for JTBC and Disney+; unique culinary format Atypical Critics featuring autistic food critics; ultimate gameshows Genius Game for ITV and Clone Heads; and competitive knitting series Game of Wool for More 4. This follows yesterday’s announcement of The Insider, the first format to stem from a newly-announced co-development deal between Endemol Shine Australia and Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) – a reinvention of Junya Ueda’s Actor Vs Reactors.
These London TV Screenings highlights complement Banijay Entertainment’s globally renowned catalogue, which includes superbrands Big Brother and Peaky Blinders; travelling hits The Fifty and Good Luck Guys from Banijay France’s B Prod; and streamer launches Celebrity Bear Hunt, co-produced by Banijay UK’s Workerbee, The Natural Studios and Talkback for Netflix; Last One Laughing UK from Zeppotron and Initial for Prime Video, created byHitoshi Matsumotoand produced by Banijay Entertainment labels in 11 markets; and visually-stunning French drama Carême, a Shine Fiction (part of Banijay France) and VVZ Production for Apple TV+.
Comments Off on Banijay Rights Triumphs with Bergerac International Deals
Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of content powerhouse Banijay Entertainment, today announces landmark acquisitions of major new six-part drama series Bergerac ahead of this month’s London TV Screenings.
In deals negotiated across the Banijay Rights global sales team, Bergerac has been acquired by NPO in Netherlands, VRT in Belgium, SVT in Sweden, YLE in Finland, NRK in Norway, DR in Denmark, BBC First in Poland and TVNZ in New Zealand. ABC in Australia has also acquired the series, as previously announced.
Produced by BlackLight TV, part of Banijay UK, Jersey-based Westward Studios and supported by Visit Jersey for U&DRAMA in the UK, the 6 x 60’ series sees Damien Molony (The Split, Brassic, Crashing) star in the iconic role of Jim Bergerac.
Based on the original series created by Robert Banks Stewart, which starred John Nettles and ran for nine series on the BBC between 1981 and 1991, this modern re-imagining honours the iconic detective drama, but with a contemporary twist. Unlike the original hit from the 80s, the new series sees one character-led murder mystery run across all six episodes, in place of a new storyline each episode.
Claire Jago, EVP Sales & Acquisitions EMEA, Banijay Rights said: “Bergerac is an enthralling, contemporary re-imagining of the much-loved 1980s crime drama, once again set in Jersey and featuring the iconic Triumph Roadster car. We have a fantastic new cast, writing and directing talent and are privileged to bring this drama to broadcasters and platforms around the world as we head into London TV Screenings this month.”
Ben Bickerton, BlackLight TV, said: “We are so excited to be bringing back such an iconic title that means so much to so many people. With Toby Whithouse’s compelling scripts and Colm McCarthy’s outstanding direction, the relaunch will delight fans of the original and introduce Bergerac, and the beautiful island of Jersey, to a new audience around the world.”
Bergerac is written by Toby Whithouse (The Red King, Being Human), alongside Brian Fillis (Trust, Sirens), Catherine Tregenna (The One That Got Away, Three Pines) and Polly Buckle (Love Rat, A Discovery of Witches). The drama also features Zoë Wanamaker(My Family, Shadow and Bone, Black Ops) as Charlie Hungerford, Philip Glenister(Steeltown Murders, Life on Mars) as Arthur Wakefield and introduces Chloé Sweet Love as Jim’s daughter, Kim.
Viewers meet 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 series was commissioned by Hilary Rosen, director of commissioning for UKTV, with Helen Perry, head of drama commissioning, acting as executive producer for UKTV. Executive producers for BlackLight TV are Ben Bickerton, Philip Trethowan and Toby Whithouse. Brian Constantine is executive producer for Westward Studios. The series is directed by Colm McCarthy (The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself, Peaky Blinders) and Sean Spencer (The Lazarus Project, A Town Called Malice) and produced by Clare Alan (Resistance, Rebellion).
Bergerac is one of several scripted highlights on Banijay Entertainment’s slate for London TV Screenings 2025, with the content powerhouse’s full line up due to be announced shortly. The Banijay Entertainment Showcase will be held on Wednesday 26th February at BAFTA, 195 Piccadilly.
Comments Off on Banijay Entertainment Showcases Must-See Slate for MIPCOM 2024
Content powerhouse, Banijay Entertainment, today announces this year’s standout titles across all genres for MIPCOM 2024, bolstering its position as the number one European studio.
Leading the charge is the re-imagining of iconic detective drama Bergerac; original new competition format, Three Are The Champions; Dutch reboot By Land, Air and Sea; and high-end travelogue series, Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain. Additionally, the powerhouse will celebrate its latest travelling formats launched last MIPCOM, including The Summit and Deal or No Deal Island.
This year’s premium UK scripted offering includes the revival of Bergerac for UKTV’s U&DRAMA and free streaming service, U; the much-awaited Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light for the BBC and Masterpiece PBS; Welsh crime drama The One that Got Away for S4C; We Go Again (w/t), a comedy drama for BBC Three and BBC iPlayer; and The Feud, a domestic thriller for Channel 5. From New Zealand is new returnable crime procedural A Remarkable Place to Die for TVNZ, ZDF, and Acorn TV, and crossing over to Europe, is Italy’s pop band drama Accidentally Famous for Sky Italia; Dutch thriller Elixir for NPO and New8, and French crime drama The Family Detective for TF1. Anticipated returners Marie Antoinette for Canal+, PBS, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer and SASRogue Heroes for BBC iPlayer and MGM+ will also be highlighted.
New formats making their international debut include the Dutch reboot of iconic entertainment programme By Land, Air and Sea, and Germany’s ratings success Three Are The Champions for RTL. Australia brings competitive renovation show Dream Home, insightful comedy travelogue Origin Odyssey, and music themed social experiment Headliners; the US launches new dating series The Never Ever Mets, and from the UK is strategic reality format, The Fortune Hotel. Building the next generation of superbrands, Banijay Entertainment will also highlight its successful travelling formats, including blockbuster adventure reality series The Summit; latest MasterChef iteration, Dessert Masters; and spin-off Deal or No Deal Island.
On the factual front, CNN Original travelogue series Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain will headline, alongside feature-length documentary, Atomic People for the BBC, as well as docu-series 7/7: Three Weeks in July for the BBC and BBC iPlayer. In addition, two feature-length premium documentaries from Scenery, a joint venture with Banijay Benelux, are available to buyers in Cannes: Front Row and LARA: The Man Who Tried to Save Colombia.
Cathy Payne, CEO Banijay Rights, says: “Our dynamic line-up for this year’s MIPCOM truly highlights the continued growth and global appeal of our catalogue. From riveting dramas such as Bergerac and Wolf Hall, to high-end factual series like Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain, we are eager to present a diverse and competitive slate that celebrates the power of storymaking and the outstanding talent behind our IP.”
James Townley, Chief Content Officer, Development and Lucas Green, Chief Content Officer, Operations at Banijay, add: “Our offering of distinctive and fresh formats coming from the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, UK, and the US, underscores our commitment to creating popular IP like Three Are The Champions, and evolving classic favourites like By Land, Air and Sea. The success of our new travelling hits, The Summitand Deal or No Deal Island, speaks to the creativity of our talented teams across the footprint, and illustrates our expertise in building the next generation of superbrands.”
The UK continues to offer strong premium scripted content, including the modern re-imagining of Bergerac, based on the original series created by Robert Banks Stewart and starring Damien Molony (The Split, Brassic),produced by Blacklight TV, a Banijay UK company. Blacklight TV also brings The One That Got Away, a thriller about a nurse’s murder that questions a historic conviction. Additionally, The Forge, recently acquired by Banijay UK, presents We Go Again (w/t), a new comedy drama from Janice Okoh about three stubbornly optimistic siblings with a dark secret.
Launching this year, Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light, a Playground Entertainment and Company Pictures co-production, continues the Tudor saga of Thomas Cromwell’s complex journey. Additionally, The Feud, a Lonesome Pine Productions title in association with Banijay Rights and Northeast Screen, uncovers dark secrets through a family’s contentious home renovation, leading to a spiral of paranoia and fear.
Screentime New Zealand’s A Remarkable Place to Die, features a detective facing a series of intriguing local homicides, and from Groenlandia, a Banijay Italia company, and Sky Studios, comes Accidentally Famous, depicting the rise of Italian pop band 883. Elixir, a thriller from Banijay Benelux label Topkapi Films, along with NTR and BNNVARRA, revolves around a pharmaceutical scandal, while The Family Detective, from Banijay France’s Shine Fiction, brings a new crime drama about a family immersed in solving police cases. Finally, the group celebrates eagerly awaited second seasons of Marie Antoinette, The CANAL+ Creation Originale, produced by Capa Drama, Banijay Studios France and Beside Production; and SAS Rogue Heroes produced by Kudos (a Banijay UK company) and created, written and executive produced by Steven Knight.
Banijay Entertainment will showcase an array of formats available for adaptation globally. Three Are The Champions from EndemolShine Germany and Potatohead Pictures (part of Banijay Germany), has a second season greenlit, and spotlights three celebrities as they compete in challenges against top champions. Adrenaline-fuelled reboot By Land, Air and Sea from EndemolShine Nederland (part of Banijay Benelux) features contestants navigating creative obstacle courses using custom-built vehicles. Dream Home from Endemol Shine Australia for Channel 7 sees six teams face-off in an epic renovation showdown, while Origin Odyssey for SBS explores cultural roots in a new comedy travelogue, and Headliners for SBS, is a celebration of music and inclusion. Elsewhere, the US brings The Never Ever Mets from Bunim/Murray Productions (part of Banijay Americas), a returning series for OWN, where online dating comes to life. And from Tuesday’s Child, the producer behind hit competition reality series, LEGO Masters, is strategy gameshow The Fortune Hotel for ITV.
Banijay Entertainment’s travelling formats will be celebrated with the 9Network and Endemol Shine Australia original series, The Summit, which has travelled to three territories, including the US, with more to be announced; spin-off Deal Or No Deal Island by Endemol Shine North America, which has been renewed for by NBC; and Endemol Shine Australia’s MasterChef spinoff, Dessert Masters, which has recently launched in Brazil, showcasing top pastry chefs competing in high-stakes challenges.
Crossing over to factual with Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain from Hyphenate Media Group, takes viewers on a delectable culinary journey in Spain. Minnow Films’ Atomic People explores the human fallout from atomic bombs, while Slate Work’s 7/7: Three Weeks in July, explores the 2005 UK terrorist attacks in a compelling docu-series. Meanwhile, Front Row, from Scenery and Pretty Matches and Executive Produced by award-winning actor and producer Sarah Jessica Parker, highlights the resilience of Ukrainian ballet dancers during wartime where an unlikely friendship forms between a dancer and a front-line soldier, while LARA: The Man Who Tried to Save Colombia recounts the extraordinary reconciliation story behind Pablo Escobar’s most famous assassination.
These MIPCOM highlights complement Banijay Entertainment’s globally renowned catalogue, which includes superbrands like Big Brother and Peaky Blinders, new travelling hits such as The Fifty and Good Luck Guys,and its highly-anticipated streamer launches Bear Hunt, co-produced by Banijay UK’s Workerbee, The Natural Studios and Talkback for Netflix; Last One Laughing UK from Zeppotron and Initial for Prime Video, created byHitoshi Matsumotoand produced by Banijay Entertainment labels in 11 markets; Culte from Banijay France’s label Screenline Productions and 27 Tribe for Prime Video; Billionaire Island from Banijay Nordics’ label Rubicon;and the second series of The Rig, from Banijay UK’s Wild Mercury for Prime Video. The company will exhibit at C.20 at MIPCOM 2024.