It has been over a decade since John Nettles bowed out of Midsomer Murders after a 14-year stint as Causton's resident detective DCI Tom Barnaby, and since then, he has sadly only made a handful of television appearances. But could the actor soon be returning to the very role that made him a household name?
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It was announced earlier this year that detective drama Bergerac is set to make a comeback, with a new series of the classic BBC drama set to land on screens in the next few years.
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The reboot has been in the works for some time, according to executive producer Brian Constantine, and as of June of this year, it was in its final stages of development.
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He told the BBC: "Fingers crossed we'll be filming towards the beginning of next summer and of course there's a process then of the production and the post-production periods."
"It really depends on the broadcaster but one would hope maybe 2024 could be the time that you see it absolutely back on our screens in terms of first season," he continued, adding that they are hoping to film on location in Jersey once again.
© Photo: RexA reboot of John's eighties drama Bergerac is in the works
The series originally ran for nine series between 1981 and 1991 and featured John in the lead role as DS Jim Bergerac, an alcoholic and divorced father who is unconventional in his methods but consistent in his results, always managing to catch the criminal.
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While it's most likely that another actor will take on the lead role in the series, there is, of course the possibility that John could give the show his blessing by appearing in some capacity, either as an older version of his character (if the show chooses to focus on a relative of Bergerac's, similar to how Midsomer Murders continued without him) or as a new character completely.
We've got our fingers crossed that he does, although it is worth keeping in mind that John has previously joked that he "never want[s] to see a camera ever again". Speaking to The Moorlander back in 2021, he admitted that he is unlikely to return to acting and is instead enjoying his new venture as a historical writer.
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