In the seventies he broke into Television and appeared in various programmes including 'The Liver Birds' and 'Family at War', though popular he didn't really make his mark until he was offered the title role in 'Bergerac' in 1980. He spent the next 10 years navigating the winding lanes of Jersey in his 'clapped out' Triumph Roadster - in hot pursuit of the latest criminal to cross his path. It was this role of Sgt James Bergerac that made him a household name throughout the country - Bergerac pulled in a regular 10million viewers at its peak. During this time he also starred in a number of Pantomimes and made guest appearances on programmes such as 'Blankety Blank' 'Call my Bluff' and 'Celebrity Question of Sport'.
He was voted Radio Actor of the Year in 1982 and Variety Club of Great Britain's BBC Personality of the Year in 1985.
Bergerac came to an end in the early Nineties and John left the island shortly afterwards. He now lives just outside Stratford-upon-Avon with his second wife Cathryn Sealey, and is currently taking the lead role of the hugely popular ITV drama 'Midsomer Murders'.
DCI Barnaby, a thoughtful, reliable, dependable family man is a very different character from the divorced, womanising, ex-alcoholic that was Jim Bergerac. It is this contrast in characters that John particularly enjoys. He is still a regular face on the Pantomime Circuit and also narrates the very popular docusoap 'Airport' for BBC1.
When he finds the time, he likes to unwind with a visit to his beloved Jersey - not least because his daughter, Emma, is a resident there and works for the Jersey States Police.
John has also written three books to date - 'Bergerac's Jersey' in 1988, 'John Nettles' Jersey' in 1992 and the very witty, and in my opinion the best, 'Nudity in a Public Place' in 1991.
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