The Bill
The Bill | |
---|---|
Genre |
|
Created by | Geoff McQueen |
Starring | Main cast |
Theme music composer | "Overkill" by Andy Pask and Charlie Morgan |
Composer | Simba Studios |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 26 |
No. of episodes | 2,425[1] (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers |
|
Production locations | South London (Colliers Wood/Mitcham), England |
Running time | 22–46 minutes |
Production companies | Thames Television (1984–2002) Talkback Thames (2002–2010) |
Original release | |
Network | ITV |
Release | 16 October 1984 31 August 2010 | –
Related | |
The Bill is a British
The programme focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers of all ranks, and the storylines dealt with situations faced by uniformed officers working on the beat, as well as plainclothes detectives. The Bill was the longest-running police procedural television series in the United Kingdom, and among the longest running of any British television series at the time of its cancellation. The title originates from "Old Bill", a slang term for the police. Throughout its 26-year run, the programme was always broadcast on the main ITV network. In later years, episodes of the show were repeated on ITV3 on their week of broadcast. The series has also been repeated on other digital stations, including Gold, Alibi, W, Dave, and Drama.
The series attracted controversy on several occasions. An episode broadcast in 2008 was criticised for featuring fictional treatment for
In March 2010, following a spell of declining audiences and negative public and media reception, executives at ITV announced that the network did not intend to recommission The Bill and that filming would cease on 14 June 2010. The final episode aired on 31 August 2010.
History
The Bill was originally conceived by
Although originally only intended as a one-off, Woodentop so impressed ITV that a full series was commissioned, first broadcast on 16 October 1984 with one
The series then changed to two 30-minute episodes per week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays in 1988 (from July 1988 onwards, and began being broadcast all year round without a summer break), increasing to three a week beginning in 1993, with the third episode being broadcast on Fridays. In 1998, The Bill returned to hour-long episodes, which later became twice-weekly,
In 2005, Johnathan Young took over as executive producer.[2] The serial format was dropped and The Bill returned to stand-alone episodes with more focus on crime and policing than on the officers' personal lives. The year 2007 saw the reintroduction of episode titles, which had been dropped in 2002.[4] In 2009, The Bill moved back to the 9 pm slot it previously held, and the theme tune, "Overkill", was replaced as part of a major overhaul of the series.[4][5]
Cancellation
On 26 March 2010,
At the time the series ended in August 2010, The Bill was the United Kingdom's longest-running police drama and was among the longest-running of any British television series.
Possible revival
On 17 April 2021, various media outlets began reporting that the series may be set for a reboot. Writer Simon Sansome was understood to have bought the rights to the original series, and was planning a revival, dubbed Sun Hill (as licensing meant the series could not be named The Bill once more), alongside
Broadcasting and production
Filming locations
Throughout the series, there have been three filming locations for Sun Hill police station. From the first series, the police station consisted of a set of buildings in Artichoke Hill,
The second location was an old record distribution depot in Barlby Road,
Filming for the series took place all over London, mainly in South London and particularly the London Borough of Merton, where the Sun Hill set was located.[2] Locations used when the show was filmed on a housing estate included:
- Cambridge Estate, in Kingston, south-west London[22]
- High Path Estate, in South Wimbledon, south-west London (approx. 10-minute walk from the Sun Hill set)
- Alton Estate, in Roehampton, south-west London
- Phipps Bridge, Mitcham[23]
- Roundshaw Estate in Wallington, London[24]
- Sutton Estate, which includes Durand Close in Carshalton, where a housing block regularly used by The Bill for filming was demolished in November 2009.[25]
Scenes were often filmed in east London, most notably the London Docklands,[26] with other scenes filmed in Tooting,[27] Greenwich[28] and Croydon[29] among other locations around London.
The Bill's set of "Sun Hill" police station remained until mid 2013 when it was finally dismantled.
Locations from individual episodes
- Brockwell Lido, SE24 0PA: "Sun Hill Boulevard" series 15, 31 August 1999
- Former Salvation Army Men's Hostel (now demolished), SE16 3FE: "Lock In" series 15, 9 December 1999
- Crossness Pumping Station, SE2 9AQ: "Haunted" series 15, 23 December 1999
- Centre Court Shopping Centre, SW19 8YA: "All Fall Down, Part 1" series 16, 27 October 2000
- The Gorbals, Glasgow (now demolished): "Demolition Girl", series 24, 21 August 2008 [30]
"Sun Hill"
The Bill is set in and around Sun Hill police station, in the fictional "Canley
The fictional Sun Hill suburb is located in the fictional
Production details
When filming The Bill, some outdoor scenes were re-enacted indoors with microphones surrounding the actors and the extra sounds being "dubbed" on later. Some of the more aggressive scenes were also filmed indoors either for dubbing or safety reasons.[33] The sirens used in the series were added later in the dubbing suite as The Bill did not have permission to use them while on location. However,[34] the police uniforms used in the series were genuine, again making The Bill unique amongst police dramas.[2][35][36] When the series ended, London's Metropolitan Police Service, after talks with the production company, bought 400 kilograms of police-related paraphernalia, including uniforms and body armour, to prevent them falling into the hands of criminals after the programme's production ceased.[37]
The Bill is unique amongst police dramas in that it takes a serial format, focusing on the work and lives of a single shift of police officers, rather than on one particular area of police work. Also unique is that The Bill adapted to this format after several series, whereas comparable series started with the serial format.[38]
Broadcast in the United Kingdom
During its initial broadcast, The Bill was always shown on
Aside from repeats of episodes on
Broadcast outside the UK
The Bill has been broadcast in over 55 countries.[2][42]
- In Australia, The Bill was shown on the ABC. The final episode was shown on 16 October 2010, with Farewell The Bill shown the following week on 23 October.[43]On Wednesday 3 February 2016, ABC commenced repeated the series from the pilot episode until midway through series 7 in an afternoon weekday timeslot, with early-morning repeats. The ABC does not have the rights to show series 8 to the last episode of series 26.
- On pay television services in Australia and New Zealand, older episodes were previously broadcast on UKTV. The Bill was re-aired on ABC TV from series 1 from July 2017 in the 5.00 am time slot.
- In Denmark, the series was retitled "Lov og Uorden" (Law and Disorder). Two episodes of the series were broadcast every afternoon on TV2 Charlie.[44]
- In Ireland, the series was broadcast on RTÉ Two, and in the early 2000s RTÉ began broadcasting it on RTÉ One at 5:30 pm each weekday, splitting hour long episodes into two-part half-hour episodes. RTÉ discontinued this in 2009, moving the show to Monday Nights on RTÉ Two. RTÉ showed episodes from 2005. In 2010, RTÉ moved the show from its prime time slot on RTÉ Two to a midnight slot on RTÉ One on Thursday nights, but the show remained on the RTÉ Player.[46]
- In Sweden, the series was retitled "Sunhills polisstation" (Sun Hill Police Station) by broadcaster
Themes and title sequences
- The series' pilot episode, Woodentop, featured a short theme composed by Mike Westergaard that was used specifically for the episode and never used at any other time during the main series. The episode's title sequence consisted of the word Woodentop being spelt out letter-by-letter, as if it were being typed out on a typewriter.
- The first-ever opening sequence of The Bill was first seen in the episode "Funny Ol' Business – Cops & Robbers".[48] The sequence consisted of two police officers, one male and one female, walking down a street while images of Sun Hill were interspersed between them. This sequence was used for the first series only. It featured the first version of the iconic theme tune, "Overkill", composed by Charlie Morgan and Andy Pask.[49] The theme is notable for its use of septuple meter. The end titles of the series simply showed the feet of the two police constables pounding the beat.[50]
- In the show's second series, the opening sequence consisted of a police car, a Rover SD1, racing down a street with its siren wailing and its blue light flashing. The car would screech to a stop, and the camera zoomed in on the blue light. Various clips were then shown from the series of the characters in action, often chasing suspects. This sequence kept the first version of "Overkill", and also used the same ending credits from series one. This sequence was also used in the third series.
- From the fourth series onwards, the opening sequence was kept generally the same, but the clips used were regularly updated to remove departed charactersVauxhall Vectra in 1997. In the 1997 sequence, the Vectra was seen overtaking a Leyland Titan bus, before screeching to a halt, and the main sequence starting. The end credits remained the same, but a new version of "Overkill" was used, also composed by Andy Pask and Charlie Morgan.[51]
- On 6 January 1998, starting with "Hard Cash", the third episode of the show's 14th series, the title sequence and theme used for nearly 10 years were scrapped. This time, the title sequence consisted of various police procedural images, including a suspect being shown into a police cell, another suspect being interviewed, and a third posing for mug-shot photographs. Clips of any actors featured were removed, as was the initial sequence involving the police car racing down the street. Mark Russell revamped "Overkill", giving it a jazz feel, with the majority of the theme played by a saxophone.[52] The end credits of the series were also completely revamped. This time, the credits featured various images of the Metropolitan Police uniform, combined with images of feet tapping on a kerb. A longer version of "Overkill," composed by Mark Russell, was also used in the final credits.[53][54] These opening and closing sequences were used for nearly three years, although both saw minor updates on 11 February 1999. The text sequence at the very start of the opening sequence was changed into a different font, and the images of the police uniform and feet tapping on a curb were removed from the closing sequence to make way for a preview of the next episode. The closing sequence remained this way until 16 February 2001, but the opening titles were once again updated on 5 September 2000 to remove certain images from the sequence to make it shorter. It is also noted that during this period, a 'previously on The Bill' segment was aired before the title sequence, to inform viewers what had occurred in the last episode.
- On 20 February 2001, starting with "Going Under", the 14th episode of the show's 17th series, the opening and closing sequences were again scrapped to make way for a completely new sequence and theme. This time, the opening sequence consisted of a montage image of the entire cast, backed by a darker, slower version of "Overkill". The closing credits featured a montage of various police-related images, also backed by the new version of "Overkill".[55] The opening sequence was designed by the visuals company "Blue", and the new arrangement of "Overkill" was produced by Miles Bould and Mike Westergaard.[56][57][58] These titles remained essentially the same for two years, with two small updates. The font used on the closing credits was changed towards the end of 2001, and the characters featured in the opening sequence were updated on 9 May 2002, to remove characters who had departed, and include new characters. These titles were broadcast from Episode No. 017, and are notable as several of the characters in these titles had not yet appeared in the show. DS Samantha Nixon appeared in the titles from Episode No. 017, but did not first appear until Episode No. 038, some four months later.
- On 26 February 2003, starting with Episode No. 091, the opening and closing sequences were once again updated. This time, the opening sequence consisted of several generic police images, such as a police car and uniform. A new arrangement of "Overkill", composed by Lawrence Oakley, was also used for both the opening and closing sequences. The background of the closing sequence, designed by company "Roisin at Blue", was simply a police shade of blue, with all generic images being removed.[59] Throughout its four-year use, these titles were never updated or changed, with the exception of the police shade of blue, which was changed to a dark shade of black in 2006.
- On 3 January 2007, starting with Episode No. 471, the opening and closing sequences were once again changed. This time, the opening sequence, for the first time, features an image of the Sun Hill sign, and returns to featuring images of officers in action. This sequence also featured a further new arrangement of "Overkill", once again arranged by Lawrence Oakley.[60] This time, the closing sequence follows a police car on patrol, watching it as it drives through the streets of Sun Hill. These titles were used for nearly two and a half years.[61]
- On 23 July 2009, after the programme underwent a major overhaul, the opening sequence and theme were heavily changed.[5] This time, the classic "Overkill" theme was completely removed, and a new theme created by Simba Studios was used.[62] However, producer Jonathan Young stated that echoes of "Overkill" can still be heard in the theme.[63][64] The opening sequence featured a patrol car driving through the streets of Sun Hill.[65][66] The closing sequence follows the same patrol car, however, this time, from an overhead view. These titles remained the same until the show's final episode, where the theme tune was replaced by a final version of "Overkill", in homage to the show.
Episodes
When The Bill was first commissioned as a series by ITV, it started with 12 episodes per year, each an hour long with a separate storyline.
Special episodes
The Bill broadcast two live episodes. The first was in 2003 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the pilot, Woodentop.[69] The second was in 2005 to celebrate the 50th birthday of ITV.[70]
The live episode in 2003 was episode No. 162, originally broadcast on 30 October 2003 at 8 pm, and produced with a crew of 200 staff including seven camera crews.
The live episode in 2005 was episode No. 349, broadcast on 22 September 2005 at 8 pm. In this episode, it was revealed that PC
A series of special episodes titled The Bill Uncovered were produced to reflect the stories of select characters and events. The first was The Bill Uncovered : Des and Reg (2004) – The story of the unusual friendship between PC
In 2008 a special programme called "The Bill Made Me Famous" in light of the show's 25th anniversary was broadcast, which saw former actors and special guest stars telling their accounts of working on the show and how it changed their lives. It included old favourites such as
A two-part crossover episode with the German series Leipzig Homicide, entitled "Proof of Life", was broadcast in November 2008.[76] This included scenes filmed in Germany; other countries in which episodes were filmed included France (Foreign Body, 1999) and Australia (Beech on the Run, 2001).
Following The Bill's final episode, on 31 August 2010, a one-hour special titled Farewell The Bill was broadcast.[77] The special explored the history of the series and gave viewers a behind the scenes look at the filming of the last episode.[77] This special was later released on DVD in Australia on 5 October 2011, along with the last two-part episode "Respect".[78]
Cast
The Bill had a large regular cast to support the number of episodes that were produced each year. Working on The Bill had become something of a comical joke in British acting, with 174 actors having formed part of the series' main cast since the series began.[79]
Notable cast members
The following list contains characters whose roles transformed the series, and in some cases led to spin-offs, as well as characters who hold individual accolades for their time on the series. An expanded version is available at List of characters of The Bill.
- scandal, with the defining moment being his killing of fellow DS John Boulton. Beech later featured in a 90-minute special Beech on the Run, filmed in Australia, and led to the six-part Beech is Back spin-off, both of which aired in 2001. His final stint on the series came in 2004 when he made six appearances as a prisoner turned informant as part of an elaborate scheme that saw him escape from prison
- M.I.T.: Murder Investigation Team.
- Eva Sharpewas the only character to appear as a regular on both The Bill (2002-2004) and the MIT spin-off (2005). A handful of the cast from spring 2003, when the MIT pilot aired, appeared in the spin-off - but only for that one episode.
- Frank Burnside from 1984 to 2000. Burnside was a recurring character as a DS in the early years before becoming Sun Hill's DI in 1988, a role he held for five years. After a five-year absence, Burnside returned as a DCI with the National Crime Squad before being written out in 2000 to star in his own spin-off, Burnside, however it lasted for just one series before being axed. Burnside made many enemies both at Sun Hill and with the villains, indeed Chief Superintendent Pearson tried to frame Burnside in a corruption inquiry.[80]
- Jim Carverfrom 1984 to 2005. Jim was the central protagonist in the pilot Woodentop, the episode centred around his first day at Sun Hill as a probationary PC. A promotion to DC in 1988 saw him in CID until 1999, when he was transferred back to uniform so the series could highlight the real-life Metropolitan Police's controversial tenure system that saw officers moved back to uniform if they hadn't been considered for promotion after ten years in the same role. Addiction to alcohol and a marriage that saw him domestically abused came before his return to DC in 2004, with a gambling addiction and marriage to long-term friend June Ackland coming before his exit in 2005. He came back as a DS in 2007 for June's final three episodes, revealing he moved to Manchester after leaving Sun Hill.
- June Ackland from 1984 to 2007. She initially appeared as a WPC in the pilot who puppywalked Jim Carver on his first day on the job. She was promoted to Sergeant in 1996 and held that rank until her exit in 2007. Her time in the role broke a world record for the longest time an actor had portrayed a police officer.[81][82][83]
- Dale Smith. The character later made brief re-appearances in the series between 2002 and 2004, and Moya Bradywas cast to portray his niece Roberta from 2002 to 2003.
- Des Taviner. Reg was written out after resigning following the death of a colleague in a bomb blast, his scripted exit never airing after a devastated Stewart attempted suicide on set by slashing his wrists after learning of his dismissal after 24 years.[85]
- Tony Stamp from 1987 to 2009, and was also an uncredited extra from 1984 to 1987. The character was key to several major plots throughout the series including killing a pedestrian on duty and being accused of sexual assault on a minor. When the series revamped in 2009 he was written out after 1204 credited appearances, more than any other character in the series history. The character took up a driving instructor's post at Hendon after being the show's primary advanced driver since his debut.[86][87]
- Tom Chandler. He returned as a sergeant in 2003 before a promotion to inspector in 2009, making him the only character on the series to play a regular role in all three ranks below the top brass positions.
- Jack Meadows from 1990 to 2010. He joined as a recurring cast member in 1990 when he was a Detective Superintendent with AMIP (Area Major Investigation Pool), later renamed MIT (Murder Investigation Team). His demotion to DCI in 1992 saw him take over the post at Sun Hill, holding the rank until 2009 when he was promoted back to superintendent. He was the longest serving character by the series finale and appeared in 884 episodes, recording more appearances than any other top brass officer.[88] He also made an appearance on Leipzig Homicidein 2012, where it was revealed the character had retired since the series finale.
- Andrew Monroefrom 1990 to 2002 when he was axed as part of a series overhaul. Appearing in 704 episodes meant no other Inspector or DI made more appearances than him.
Notable guest stars
The constant need for minor characters, normally appearing in only a single episode, inevitably led to numerous guest roles in The Bill being played by actors and actresses who later achieved a high profile, some of whom appeared as child actors. The following actors appeared in the show at least once.
- Sean Bean (1984)
- Marc Warren (1987)
- Paul O'Grady (1988,1990)
- Mark Strong (1990)
- Andy Serkis (1990)
- Anthony Daniels (1992)
- Brendan Coyle (1992)
- Adrian Lester (1992)
- Pete Postlethwaite (1992)
- Paul Ritter (1992,1996)
- Steve Shill (1992)
- Hugo Speer (1992)
- Tim McInnerny (1992)
- Stephen K Amos(1993)
- Emma Bunton (1993)
- Elizabeth Estensen (1993)
- Nick Moran (1993,1995,1997)
- Russell Brand (1994)
- Idris Elba (1994,1995)
- Sarah Parish (1994)
- David Tennant (1995)
- Keira Knightley (1995)
- James McAvoy (1997)
- Martin Freeman (1997)
- Emmanuel Petit (1998)
- Nicholas Hoult (2000)
- David Walliams (2002)
- Jack O'Connell (2005)
- Lashana Lynch (2007
- Brett Goldstein (2009)
Some guest parts were also played by guest actors who were already well known when they appeared, including:
- Larry Martyn (1989 and 1993)
- Ray Winstone (1991 and 1995)
- Charlotte Coleman (1992)
- Leslie Phillips (1996)
- Rik Mayall (1997)
- Hugh Laurie (1998)
- Roger Daltrey (1999)
- Lynda Bellingham (2004)
- Andrew Sachs (2006)
Ratings
The Bill was a popular drama in the United Kingdom and in many other countries, most notably in Australia.[38]
The series attracted audiences of up to six million viewers in 2008 and 2009.
In 2001, prior to Paul Marquess's appointment as executive producer, ratings had dropped to approximately six million viewers, and advertising revenues had fallen, in part due to the ageing demographic of its viewers, leading ITV to order a "rejuvenation", which saw the series adopt a serial format.[2]
In 2002,
In 2005, The Bill was averaging around 11 million viewers, in comparison to Coronation Street, which was attracting around 10 million viewers.[95]
In 2009,
Awards
The Bill has achieved a number of awards throughout its time on air, ranging from a
In 2010, The Bill was nominated for a Royal Television Society award for Best Soap/Continuing Drama, beating both Coronation Street and Emmerdale onto the nominations list. The only soap to be nominated was EastEnders and the results were announced on 16 March 2010.[102] In 2009 an episode of The Bill won the Knights of Illumination Award for Lighting Design- Drama.[103]
Impact and history
It has been compared to Hill Street Blues due to the similar, serial, format that both series take.[104] However, The Bill saw little direct competition on British television in the police procedural genre over its 25-year history, though the BBC launched several rival series, with varying degrees of success: The first was in 1990-91 when two series of Waterfront Beat were produced for the BBC by Phil Redmond. In 1995–96, two series of Out of the Blue were produced, but failed to gain significant ratings. In 1998 came City Central, which lasted for three series, until being cancelled in 2000. Next was Merseybeat, which ran from 2001, but was cancelled in 2004 due to poor ratings and problems with the cast.[2][105][106][107] HolbyBlue, launched in 2007, was a spin-off of successful medical drama Holby City (itself a spin-off of the long-running Casualty). It was scheduled to go "head to head" with The Bill, prompting a brief "ratings war" but, in 2008, HolbyBlue was also cancelled by the BBC, again, largely due to poor ratings.[108][109]
When The Bill started, the majority of the
Despite better relations with the police, The Bill was still not without controversy. It was sometimes criticised for the high levels of violence, especially prior to 2009, when it occupied a
The Bill spawned several spin-off productions, as well as related series in German and Dutch.
- Burnside: Spin-off from the main British series, following ex-DI Frank Burnside in his transfer and promotion to the National Crime Squad.[111] The programme lasted for just a single series of six episodes, debuting in the UK on 6 July 2000. The series was created and produced by Richard Handford. On 8 October 2008, the series was released on DVD in Australia in a three-disc-set.
- Eva Sharpe (Diane Parish).[113]
- Bureau Kruislaan: Dutch interpretation of the series. Produced by Joop van den Ende for VARA Television, the programme lasted for four series running from 1992 to 1995. In 1995, the show was nominated for the Gouden Televizier Ring, an award for the best television programme in the Netherlands. All four series of the show have been released on DVD there.
- RTL Television, running for nearly 250 episodes from 1994 to 2006.[114]
Merchandise
VHS and DVD
Books
Book | Year published | Cover photo | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
The Bill: Annual[115] | 1 August 1989 | Collage of images of DI Frank Burnside, PC June Ackland, DC Jim Carver and DC Mike Dashwood against a blue subframe | Hardback |
The Bill: The Inside Story Of British Television's Most Successful Police Series[116] (Retitled The Bill: The Inside Story Of The Most Successful Police Series Ever Seen On ABC TV for Australian publication) |
31 October 1991 (Hardback) 25 June 1992 (Paperback) |
Full-size image of PCs June Ackland and Claire Brind, surrounded by a collage of images of Insp. Andrew Monroe, DI Frank Burnside, Sgt. Bob Cryer and DS Ted Roach, set against a black background | Hardback Paperback |
The Bill: The First Ten Years[21] | 31 October 1994 (Hardback) 31 July 1995 (Paperback) |
Collage of images of PCs Tony Stamp, Reg Hollis, Norika Datta, Steve Loxton and Dave Quinnan, DCs Jim Carver and Tosh Lines, and DIs Frank Burnside and Sally Johnson, set against a blue background (Paperback) A photo of the entire cast from the 1994–1995 series (Hardback) |
Hardback Paperback |
The Bill: The Inside Story[117] | 1 November 1999 | Cast photo featuring DCs Duncan Lennox and Kerry Holmes, and PCs Vicky Hagen, Sam Harker and Dave Quinnan, set against the backdrop of a police car | Paperback |
Burnside: The Secret Files[118] | 17 July 2000 | A mug shot of DI Frank Burnside set against a black background | Paperback |
The Bill: The Complete Low-Down On 20 Years At Sun Hill[119] (Retitled The Bill: The Official History of Sun Hill for copies published in 2004[120] |
1 September 2003 (Hardback) 1 September 2004 (Paperback) |
A montage of images from throughout the series' run, centred with an image of the Metropolitan Police crest | Hardback Paperback |
The Bill: The Sun Hill Police Experience: The Official Case Book[121] | 4 September 2006 | A montage of images of various cast members from throughout the series' run, set against the backdrop of images of the Sun Hill bomb blast | Hardback |
On The Beat: My Story[122] | 5 October 2009 (Hardback) 31 August 2010 (Updated) |
A mug shot of Graham Cole in uniform as PC Tony Stamp | Hardback Paperback |
Novels
Novel title | Year published | Episode | Cover photo |
---|---|---|---|
The Bill 1[123] | 1985 | Adapted select episodes of Series 1 (1985) | PC Jim Carver chasing a suspect through the streets |
The Bill 2[124] | 1987 | Adapted select episodes of Series 2 (1986) | Sergeant Bob Cryer talking on his radio whilst in civilian clothing |
The Bill 3[125] | 1989 | Adapted select episodes of Series 4 (1988) | Sergeant Bob Cryer and Inspector Christine Frazer talking in the station carpark |
The Bill 4[126] | 1990 | Adapted select episodes of Series 5 (1989) | DCs "Tosh" Lines and Mike Dashwood out on an obbo |
The Bill 5[127] | 1991 | Adapted select episodes of Series 5 (1989) | DS Ted Roach discovering an injured child under a crashed car |
The Bill 6[128] | 1992 | Adapted select episodes of Series 6 (1990) | Inspector Andrew Monroe and DI Frank Burnside watching as a suspect is arrested |
The Bill: Omnibus[129] | 1992 | Adapted select episodes of Series 1–4 (1984–1988) | Sergeant Bob Cryer and PC Dave Quinnan detaining a suspect with a gun |
The Bill: Tough Love[130] | 1997 | Adapted from the Series 12 (1996) episode | PC George Garfield talking to a suspect |
The Bill: Junior[131] | 1997 | Adapted from the Series 12 (1996) episode | PC Steve Loxton watching out for a suspect |
Music
Release title | Publisher and year | Format | Song included |
---|---|---|---|
The Bill Overkill by Morgan Pask[132] | Columbia Records (1985) |
"7" Vinyl |
Side A – Overkill and Side B -Rock Steady
|
Greatest TV Themes: The 90s[133] | CHV Music Factory (19 July 2010) |
Mp3 download |
Overkill
|
Merchandising
Item | Description |
---|---|
Clothes | Baseball Cap – black, embroidered with The Bill logo. |
Beanie Hat- black, embroidered with The Bill Logo. | |
Fleece – black, embroidered with the Bill Logo.[134] | |
Polo Shirt – black, embroidered with the Bill logo.[135] | |
T-shirt – black, embroidered with the Bill logo.[134] | |
Waterproof Jacket Sydney Jacket – embroidered with the Bill logo. | |
Toys | Land Rover – The Bill Landrover 4x4, (scale 1:43).[134] |
Police Car – The Bill Omega Police Car, 11.5 cm (scale 1:43).[134] | |
Police Van – The Bill Van. | |
Police Helicopter – working with light and sound, also includes 30 cm action figure and accessories.[136] | |
Police Van and Traffic Officer – working with light and sound, also includes 30 cm action figure and accessories.[136] | |
Action Figures | Male PC "12" – with accessories, includes duty belt.[134] |
Female Sergeant – with radio and duty belt. – with accessories, includes duty belt.[134] | |
Public Order PC – with watch, truncheon, handcuffs, fire extinguisher and duty belt.[134] | |
Traffic Sergeant – with extendable truncheon, radio, flat hat, watch and duty belt.[134] | |
Miscellaneous | Silver-plated keyring – 20th Anniversary collector's edition.[137] |
Umbrella – with The Bill logo.[135] | |
Watch – with The Bill logo and Velcro Strap.[137] | |
Back pack – Embroidered with The Bill logo.[135] | |
Mug – white with The Bill logo.[134] | |
Thermal Mug – Black with The Bill logo.[137] |
See also
- Hill Street Blues
- Holby Blue
- NYPD Blue
- "Woodentop" (Storyboard)
References
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- ^ ISBN 978-1-84442-667-6.
- ^ a b c "The Bill prepares for live birthday". BBC News. 30 October 2003. Archived from the original on 18 August 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
- ^ a b c "The Bill: Changing Times". Associated Television. Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2009.
- ^ a b Allen, Nick (23 January 2009). "The Bill cut to one episode a week as ITV seeks to reduce costs". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 5 June 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
- ^ Sweney, Mark (26 March 2010). "The Bill: ITV drops police drama after 27 years". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
- ^ Lawson, Mark (26 March 2010). "The Bill killed off due to ratings slump". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
- ^ "ITV axes 'The Bill'". The Independent. London. 26 March 2010. Archived from the original on 29 March 2010. Retrieved 26 March 2010.
- ^ "Television series 'The Bill' to conclude this year". australia-times.com.au. 28 March 2010. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2010.
- ^ "The Bill". ITV plc. 29 August 2010. Archived from the original on 23 August 2010. Retrieved 29 August 2010.
- ^ "Nearly 5000 join Facebook Group to save The Bill". Associated Television. 29 March 2010. Archived from the original on 9 October 2011. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
- ^ Thompson, Ben (7 April 2010). "DJ Chris Moyles joins Facebook campaign to save The Bill". Your Local Guardian. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
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{{cite book}}
:|author=
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{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires|journal=
(help) - ^ Shepherd, Robert (6 August 2008). "Holby Blue cops it as The Bill wins battle". Broadcast Now. London. Archived from the original on 30 September 2012. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
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- ^ › Tony Lynch. The Bill Annual: Amazon.co.uk: Tony Lynch: Books. Amazon.co.uk. ASIN 0862276756.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ The Bill, The: Amazon.co.uk: Tony Lynch: Books. Amazon.co.uk. ASIN 185283157X.
- .
- .
- .
- .
- ^ The Bill: The Official Case Book: Amazon.co.uk: Geoff Tibballs: Books. Amazon.co.uk. ASIN 1844421732.
- .
- ISBN 978-0-7493-0277-1. Archived from the originalon 11 October 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
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- ^ John Burke (Author) (1992). The Bill: Amazon.co.uk: John Burke: Books. Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
{{cite book}}
:|author=
has generic name (help) - ^ Tough Love ("The Bill"): Amazon.co.uk: Dave Morris: Books. Amazon.co.uk. ASIN 0140385169.
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External links
- The Bill at IMDb
- The Bill at epguides.com
- The Bill at TheTVDB
- The Bill at the BFI's Screenonline