Based on his performance in this series, Ian Ogilvy was at one point a leading contender to replace another former Saint, Sir Roger Moore, as James Bond.
Every script carried an explanatory outline by The Saint's creator Leslie Charteris for the cast and crew: "I have been trying to make a picture of a man. Changing, yes. Developing, I hope. he is a roaring adventurer who loves a fight ..... a dashing dare-devil, imperturbable, debonair, preposterously handsome, a pirate or a philanthropist as the occasion demands. He lives for the pursuit of excitement .... for the one triumphant moment that is his alone. Fantastic? Improbable? ..... perhaps. It doesn't matter so long as you feel that you would recognize him if you met him tomorrow."
The few bars of music heard at the start of every episode when the halo appears above Simon's head is from the original The Saint theme used for the radio and film series in the 1940s, and also in ITC's 1960s television series. It is credited to The Saint's creator Leslie Charteris.
Despite its old fashioned style, the show sold well throughout the world and was a decent ratings hit in most countries. However. it was quite a costly show to produce by UK standards and Lew Grade's ITC company were struggling for cash due to the hugely expensive movie Hebt die Titanic (1980) that they were trying to raise finance for. Funding for the second season was suspended and the money diverted to the aforementioned movie (the plan being to finance the second season in 1980 or 1981 with the profits from that film). The film turned into a huge flop which lost ITC $28 million and scuppered any plans for a second season of this show.
Templar's wardrobe came courtesy of noted fashion designer Francesco Smalto, from London's celebrated Jermyn Street.