New Tricks’ ninth season marked the first season without James Bolam, after he quit during the shooting of season eight allegedly due to the format and the producers.
New Tricks was the successful BBC One crime drama series which first premiered in 2003 and was an immediate success with fans.
However, in 2011, following the conclusion of the eighth season, it was confirmed that James Bolam would not return to reprise his role as Jack Halford after the series had been renewed for a ninth season.
What was New Tricks?
New Tricks was created by Nigel McCrery and Roy Mitchell, first premiering on BBC One in 2003 and running for a total of 12 seasons before concluding in 2015.
The premise of the crime drama was of “Three retired police officers are drafted in to solve cold cases, with a touch of comedy and drama.”
Why did James Bolam leave New Tricks?
The news that James Bolam was leaving New Tricks was shared in September 2011, following the airing of season eight.
However, Bolam had taken the decision to leave the show during the shooting of his last season as Detective Chief Superintendent Jack Halford.
At the time and in the years that followed, Bolam has never shared the reasons for his departure. His silence left room for speculation on the reasons for his decision to leave the series.
Alleged reasons for James Bolam’s departure from New Tricks
Publications that ran with the alleged reasons for James Bolam’s departure from New Tricks state two reasons for his exit. The first is that Bolam reportedly believed that the format of the series had “gone stale.”
Moreover, he allegedly also believed that there was too much meddling by the producers of the show. However, neither have been confirmed.
The executive’s share word on James Bolam’s exit
Following James Bolam’s exit from New Tricks becoming public news, the producers of the show shared a statement which in part stated, “We are very sorry to see him go.”
Adding, “We are very excited about the return of the rest of the cast and are thrilled to have been commissioned for another two series by the BBC.”
Did James Bolam return to New Tricks after quitting?
Following his exit as a main cast member on New Tricks in 2011, James Bolam would reprise his role on the crime drama in 2012.
This time, he appeared as a ghost in the season which would mark the exit of fellow main cast member Amanda Redman from the series.
Final thoughts
New Tricks was BBC One’s hit crime drama which featured a stellar leading cast including James Bolam as Jack Halford when it first premiered in 2003.
However, after eight seasons, Bolam would leave the show only returning for cameo appearances as other cast members left the show.