UKTV has snapped up the UK premiere rights to the first two series of ‘Maigret‘, bringing the new contemporary take on Georges Simenon’s legendary French detective to U and U&DRAMA.
Series 1 will arrive in the UK this December, with Series 2 already secured to follow in 2027. The acquisition comes as part of a much larger 114-hour content deal between UKTV and Banijay Rights, which also includes the second series of ‘A Remarkable Place to Die’ and a stack of factual and library programming.
Rather than putting another actor into the familiar period setting, ‘Maigret’ shifts Chief Inspector Jules Maigret into the modern day. Benjamin Wainwright (‘Belgravia: The Next Chapter’, ‘The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim’) takes on the title role, alongside Stefanie Martini (‘The Gold’, ‘The Last Kingdom’) as Madame Louise Maigret and Blake Harrison (‘The Inbetweeners’) as Joseph Torrence.
That makes this a rather different beast from some of the detective’s previous television outings. Maigret has been adapted for the screen numerous times over the decades, including versions starring Rupert Davies, Michael Gambon and, more recently, Rowan Atkinson. This latest incarnation keeps the Paris setting and the core of Simenon’s character, but gives the whole thing a contemporary overhaul.
In Series 1, Maigret leads a group of maverick but loyal detectives known as Les Maigrets as they tackle a series of complex crimes across Paris. His methods do not always sit comfortably with his superiors or the judicial system around him, which, as anyone who has watched more than three detective dramas will know, is usually a pretty reliable sign that somebody is about to be told to hand over their badge.
The series is produced by Playground as a co-production for MASTERPIECE, in association with Banijay Rights and Windhover Films. Patrick Harbinson created the television adaptation and writes the series, as well as serving as an executive producer and director.
Karin Marelle, Global Head of Acquisitions at UKTV and BBC Studios, said: “Maigret is one of the most recognisable detective brands in the world, so we are delighted to be bringing this brand-new adaptation to viewers on U and U&DRAMA. Alongside the return of A Remarkable Place to Die and a range of high-quality factual titles, this deal reflects our continued commitment to acquiring distinctive and compelling content for our audiences”.
The wider deal also brings ‘A Remarkable Place to Die’ Series 2 to U, with the New Zealand crime drama set to return in November. The package additionally includes ‘Agatha & The Midnight Murders’, ‘Ambulance’ Series 12 and 13, ‘Lost and Found in the Lakes’, ‘Saving Lives at Sea’ Series 9 and 10, and ‘Tribe with Bruce Parry’.
For UK viewers, though, the headline addition is undoubtedly ‘Maigret’. The detective is one of those characters television keeps returning to for a reason, and this version has taken the unusual step of dragging him firmly into the present rather than polishing another vintage Citroën and sending everyone back to mid-century Paris.
UKTV has also done the useful thing of picking up both series at once, so viewers won’t be left wondering whether Series 2 has wandered off somewhere in the Channel Tunnel after the first run finishes.
‘Maigret‘ Series 1 premieres in December 2026 on U and U&DRAMA. Series 2 follows in 2027.
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