Everything you need to know about Bergerac series 2

Bergerac is back for a second series on U&Drama, and things are about to get even more complicated for detective Jim Bergerac (Damien Molony, Brassic).

The hugely successful re-imagined crime series from writer Toby Whithouse (Being Human, The Red King) picks up a year after the events of series 1 with a new run of six hour-long episodes that blends a gripping central murder mystery with deeper character drama, new relationships and moral dilemmas. It’s all going down in Jersey, basically.

Led by Molony alongside Zoë Wanamaker (Shadow And Bone), Robert Gilbert (Killing Eve), Lesley Sharp (Red Eye) and Adrian Edmondson (Rain Dogs), the second series promises romance, corruption and plenty of twists… plus Bergerac’s dreamy car, of course.

Here’s the show’s cast with all you need to know – and how to watch it on Virgin TV.

The new series finds Jim beginning to move forward after the loss of his wife 18 months ago. Nudged/corralled into it by his daughter Kim (Chloé Sweetlove, The Crow Girl), he’s gently stepping back into the world of dating – even if his heart isn’t fully in it.

That changes when he meets Nicola (Camilla Beeput, Save Me), a visitor to the island. Could this connection be the start of something for the lonely detective?

Well, nothing comes easy for Bergerac, because at the same time, a shocking murder sets his next big case in motion: a groom is found dead in his hotel room during a wedding reception – which is traditionally the worst start to a marriage.

With a killer potentially hiding among the guests and with his new love interest a possible suspect, the leather-jacketed detective is pulled into a case involving police corruption, dark family secrets and some major twists.

Yep, and not just for Jim. Romance plays a bigger role this time around. While Bergerac’s emotional journey is front and centre as he navigates grief, loneliness and the possibility of happiness again, his formidable mother-in-law, Charlie Hungerford (Wanamaker), also finds herself in a new relationship with the charming Nigel (Edmondson).

As Zoë Wanamaker puts it: “Nigel is somebody who is open, enthusiastic and seems to be genuinely attracted to Charlie, which gives her a new perspective on life.”

For Damien Molony, it’s a change that has a profound effect on his brooding detective this series: “Everyone is starting to move on. More importantly, his support network is moving on. Charlie’s moving on, she’s dating! Jim’s daughter Kim is moving to a school on the mainland to study music.

“Jim has been slightly left behind, so he’s on a date, and he meets someone that he really connects with, they go on quite a journey, full of twists and turns, all brilliantly orchestrated by our wonderful writer Toby Whithouse.”

Jim is in a very different emotional place this time around. While the immediate grief has softened, it’s been traded by something else: “It is replaced with a loneliness and a longing. Longing for companionship. Longing for happiness,” says Molony.

“But that happiness will come at a huge cost. His morality will be tested, his sense of what’s right and what’s wrong. So, he has to make a choice: what’s more important – his happiness or catching the bad guy?”

Wanamaker’s combative yet defensive dynamic with Jim and Kim also remains central: “Charlie is protective of her granddaughter, Kim, as she doesn’t have her mother as a role model anymore. Jim is an obsessive human being and Charlie recognises that.”

The second series introduces a few important – and recognisable – new faces who are all deeply tied to the central mystery, and our heroes:

Monica is at the heart of the story in the second series of Bergerac. As Lesley Sharp explains: “When the series opens, Monica is on the brink of marrying her second husband, Tony. She has two children, Nicola and Michael. She hasn’t seen Nicola for a long time, but Michael has lived with her for most of his life. Something goes catastrophically wrong at the wedding, and in the aftermath, the entire family comes under police investigation. Monica sits right at the centre of that implosion.”

Monica’s relationships – especially with her children – are complex and fractured, adding further emotional depth to the investigation, especially when you factor in that a certain young detective has massively “vibed” with her daughter…

Charlie’s new love interest Nigel brings warmth, humour… and maybe something more suspicious. As Adrian Edmondson says: “Where has he come from? No one really knows. He’s a chef – I think he’s been a private chef in his past – and he’s coming to Jersey to set up a restaurant, but he needs some money for his restaurant.”

And his character’s relationship with inimitable Charlie? “[It’s] sick making!” Edmondson laughs. “They are incredibly sweet with each other, very cute; they hold hands together when they are in bed. Yeah, it’s finger down the throat!”

Jersey remains a huge part of the show’s identity, with stunning locations playing into both the atmosphere and storytelling. From beaches and harbours to iconic spots like Fort Regent and the Lido, the island is more visible than ever.

“I love any excuse to get back to Jersey,” Molony confesses. “The fact that we were back in Jersey to shoot Bergerac series 2 makes it even better! I really love going there. I was staying on the east coast of the island, near Gorey. Waking up to those sea views and running through the country lanes in the morning before filming was very special.”

With a bigger, more ambitious story, richer characters and higher emotional stakes, Bergerac’s return builds on everything that worked in the first series – with the cast teasing that this mystery will really challenge your sense of right and wrong.

Director Joss Agnew adds: “We hope people will fall in love with series 2 like they did for series 1 and stick with Jim on where he’s going. There’s some darker territory in store this time, so viewers are in for a treat.”

And according to Sharp, viewers should expect plenty of surprises: “Just as you think you’ve solved it, a suspect is ruled out, disappears, or is killed, and the story shifts again.”

You’ll go from Jersey sure, to Jersey unsure…

You can catch this latest mystery in Bergerac series 2 on U&Drama through Virgin TV.

Find the first episode of series 2 on U&Drama HD (CH 116) at 9pm on Thursday 16 April 2026, with new episodes airing on the channel every Thursday at the same time.

Once an episode has aired, you find the episode in U&Drama on demand. Customers with our Stream box or Virgin TV 360 can also find episodes in the U app. Just head to Apps > U and search for the show to start streaming.

Fancy more crime dramas like Bergerac? With U, BBC iPlayer, ITVX and loads more other streaming apps like Netflix and Prime Video on Virgin TV, it’s an easy mystery to solve.

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