Bergerac: A Perfect Recapture (BBC-1 27 Feb 1983, with Ronald Hines)

In A Perfect Recapture, Keith Prescott, who has been on the run for 10 years, is rumoured to be on the island. His ex-wife Catherine and adult daughter Emma have also arrived on Jersey. They manage to make a fool of Jim, who is tailing them, by switching clothes in a boutique, with Catherine then disappearing but when questioned later claim they are just here to enjoy a holiday.

Meanwhile Inspector West from Scotland Yard is also on Prescott’s trail. In a chance bit of luck a traffic cop picks up a man, Antoine Duferre, who West is sure is Prescott after plastic surgery. West also thinks that Prescott is on the island to visit the plastic surgeon, Patrick Lister, who worked on him ten years before. The fabulous Ronald Hines plays Inspector West of the Yard.

In a couple of nice twists Duferre is actually on the island to deposit stolen French money into a Jersey bank account and is wanted by the French police and it is Catherine Prescott who is on the island for plastic surgery treatment.

West is played by the fabulous Ronald Hines and Prescott’s wife is genre favourite Barbara Shelley. A Perfect Recapture is one of those episodes where the Bureau don’t actually get their man and one of those episodes where Charlie Hungerford’s appearance is somewhat tacked on to fulfill the token Charlie appearance. Charlie is very impressed with Catherine when he meets her at a charity cricket match (where she has gone to meet plastic surgeon Lister) and takes her out to lunch.

Charlie does his best to charm Catherine Prescott, not knowing who she is.

classic quote
“If God had wanted us to enjoy the dawn he’d have made it later in the day.”

production details
UK / BBC One / 1×55 minute episode / Broadcast Sunday 27 February 1983 at 9.10pm

Writer: Paul Wheeler / Production Design: John Hurst / Director: Paul Ciappessoni

Series: Bergerac Season 2 Episode 8

Jim and Marianne look through her father’s old files for clues on plastic surgeon Patrick Lister. 

cast
John Nettles as Jim Bergerac
Terence Alexander as Charles Hungerford
Sean Arnold as Crozier
Annette Badland as Charlotte
Mela White as Diamante Lil
Celia Imrie as Marianne
Ronald Hines as Inspector West
Barbara Shelley as Catherine Prescott
Yves-Marie as Duferre
Aniouta Florent as Chantal
Mark Burns as Patrick Lister
Richard Beale as Bank manager
Tracey Childs as Emma Prescott
Sylvester Morand as Pilot
Geoffrey Leesley as Detective Constable Wilson
Liz Lauste as Janet
Kieran Conway as Policeman
Simon Barry as Clerk
Kenneth Morgan as Head Waiter
Sam Holland as Danny