Bergerac is back but his father-in-law Charlie Hungerford is gone - the golf-loving character was replaced, to Philip Glenister's shock. The actor, 61, stars alongside Damien Molony in the Bergerac reboot as ruthless construction CEO Arthur Wakefield. And while he had an inkling he wouldn't star as Jim Bergerac, Philip had been hoping he could bring flashy Charlie back to life on-screen. But the role, a staple in the original Bergerac series, is gone. In the reboot, set to air on UKTV on February 27, Charlie is Jim’s bereft mother-in-law and is played by award-winning actress Zoë Wanamaker.
Philip didn't see the switch coming. "I originally thought I could be Charlie Hungerford”, jokes Philip Glenister, "Then they went with Zoë Wanamaker!". In the show, Arthur’s world implodes when his daughter-in-law Kate is found bludgeoned to death, her baby left unharmed at the scene. The only clue is a bloodied marble candlestick inches away. As police scrutiny intensifies, Arthur struggles, especially as his widowed son harbours his own secrets. “He’s threatened with exposure,” Philip explains. “The case threatens to expose things about his business and background. There’s more to his son, too.”.
Philip is selective about his roles. “As you get older, there aren’t as many parts,” he admits. But Bergerac piqued his interest - particularly since he appeared in the show’s 1991 finale alongside Bill Nighy and Simon Williams. “I was 19 and fresh out of drama school,” he remembers. He also has a personal connection to the Channel Islands. “I used to watch the show and I’ve been going to Alderney for years. I love the Channel Islands,” he shares.
The investigation soon leads Bergerac to John Blakely (Stephen Wight), a man Jim once convicted for the kidnapping of a teenager. When Jim discovers that John had unsuccessfully applied for a job at Arthur’s company, his suspicions deepen. Damien doesn’t believe the show is just about crime - it’s also about Jim’s personal struggle. The actor, a father-of-two, connected with Jim’s fear of disappointing his daughter.
Asked on his preparations for the role, he credits Paul Kalanithi’s book When Breath Becomes Air for exposing “the roller coaster of hope and disappointment” that comes with illness and grief. Some scenes hit particularly hard. “I’d ask myself: ‘What if my daughter moved out of the house and didn’t think that I was a good father?’”. Philip has advice as he remembers his own years as Gene Hunt on Life On Mars. “He’s carrying the baggage for the show,” Philip says. And he recommends his co-star not to get too caught up in his role. “Do something different when you’re not doing Bergerac. But it’s difficult if you’re going to get pigeonholed.”.
