In brief: George Fenton, the award-winning composer behind the instantly recognisable theme music for the original Bergerac detective series, has died unexpectedly at the age of 76. His music, described as a “musical postcard for the Island”, won a BAFTA and became deeply woven into Jersey’s cultural identity.
A Theme That Became Part of Jersey
CMG Management confirmed that George Fenton passed away unexpectedly on Monday. Over a distinguished career spanning theatre, film and television, Fenton built an extensive body of work that included scores for David Attenborough documentaries, but it is perhaps his contribution to a small island in the English Channel for which he will be most fondly remembered here.
Fenton composed the theme music for the original Bergerac detective drama, created by Robert Banks Stewart, which starred John Nettles and ran on the BBC between 1981 and 1991. That jaunty, accordion-led melody, punctuated by the cry of a seagull, became one of the most recognisable pieces of television music of its era. For anyone who grew up watching Sunday evening television in the 1980s, it is the kind of tune that lodges itself somewhere between the ears and simply refuses to leave.
Tributes From Those Bringing Bergerac Back
Brian Constantine, executive producer at Westward Studios and a driving force behind the contemporary revival of Bergerac, was among those paying tribute. He said that Fenton “gave Jersey something truly special”, adding that “his music for the original Bergerac became inseparable from the series itself, but it also became part of the identity of Jersey.”
Constantine described the theme as “an earworm for generations and, in many ways, a musical postcard for the Island.” He noted that the score went on to win a BAFTA, but suggested that “its greatest achievement was perhaps something less tangible: George created a piece of music that people heard and immediately thought of Jersey.”
For those involved in bringing Bergerac back to the Island, Constantine said Fenton’s contribution is “something we feel very deeply,” adding that “the music helped give the original series its character, its sense of place and its enduring connection with Jersey.” He concluded that Fenton would be remembered “with enormous affection and admiration” and that “his music will always be part of Bergerac, and in turn, part of Jersey.”
A Life Well Lived
George Fenton is survived by his wife Amanda, his ex-wife Jane, his children Gemma, Grace and Bridget, and his grandchildren Lola, Audrey, Alfred, George, Frank and Beatrice. He was 76.
The original Bergerac theme remains available to watch on YouTube, and for Jersey residents of a certain vintage, a single listen will transport them straight back to the cobbled lanes and granite farmhouses that Fenton’s music so perfectly evoked.
Source: Jersey Evening Post
