Residents were left stunned this week when Jersey police cars rolled onto the University of Plymouth campus and an entire Jersey police HQ spawned overnight.
The Immersive Vision Theatre was turned into a Jersey police public service centre and Mary Newman Hall of Residence became a police station. Police cars sporting Jersey Police insignia and actors in police uniforms brought the set to life, while camera crews worked with boom mics, dollies and high-end TV cameras.
Philip Glenister, who plays Arthur Wakefield in the new Bergerac series and is known to millions as Gene Hunt in Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes, was spotted in a suit walking alongside a female actor wearing Chief Inspector insignia.
Jonathan Aris, who plays Superintendent Richard Gibbon and is recognised from The Night Manager and Sherlock, was seen on set in full ceremonial police uniform.
Robert Gilbert, who plays Barney Crozier and is known for roles in Killing Eve and Big Boys, was seen filming scenes with Aris.
A large fleet of production vehicles linked to the shoot has been parked at Central Park, with restricted parking notices in place until August 10. Several trucks carried BTFS branding. Bristol Television and Film Services supplies facilities vehicles to major productions including Channel 4, Sky, Netflix, ITV, BBC and Film 4.
The reboot of the classic 1980s crime drama Bergerac stars Damien Molony as Jim Bergerac and is being filmed in locations across the South West as well as in Jersey. The six-part drama streams on the U&Drama platform and is available on UKTV’s U service.
The Government of Jersey has invested £1.8 million to support the series in an effort to boost the island’s economy. A spokesperson for the University of Plymouth told Plymouth Plus:
"We can indeed confirm that filming is taking place on our campus over a few days this week, but there’s not really anything to say beyond that."
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