Banijay Rights, the global distribution arm of content powerhouse Banijay Entertainment, has announced WOWOW, Japan’s leading premium pay TV broadcaster, has acquired six-part drama series Bergerac.
Produced by BlackLight TV, part of Banijay UK, Jersey-based Westward Studios and supported by Visit Jersey for U and 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.
In a deal negotiated by Rashmi Bajpai, EVP Sales Asia, Banijay Rights, WOWOW will launch the series on WOWOW Prime channel and WOWOW On Demand in August 2025. The agreement follows previously announced international sales to broadcasters including NPO in Netherlands, VRT in Belgium, SVT in Sweden, YLE in Finland, NRK in Norway, DR in Denmark, BBC First in Poland, TVNZ in New Zealand and ABC in Australia. Renewed last week for a second season, Bergerac premiered on U and U&DRAMA on 27th February in the UK and is U&DRAMA’s second-highest rated show ever.
Rashmi Bajpai said, “With its superb cast and engrossing storytelling, this enthralling new version of Bergerac is clearly proving to be a hit with broadcasters across the world. WOWOW is the perfect home in Japan for this iconic series and we look forward to its success with a whole new viewership.”
Rie Izumi, International Acquisition, WOWOW, said, “It’s an honour to present this wonderful production to our Japanese audience. We are sure the audience will be captivated by this fascinating story and cast, and confident that Jim Bergerac will become one of the people’s favourite detectives in Japan.”
Ben Bickerton and Phil Trethowan, Joint Managing Directors, BlackLight TV, said, “We’re delighted that with the help of our partners at Banijay Rights, Bergerac
is finding a new audience around the globe. We’re confident in the universal appeal of Bergerac and can’t wait for more people to see it.”
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.
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 a Jim’s daughter, Kim.
