Caroline Quentin to join The Bill?

[Perdita]

Caroline Quentin is in talks to join The Bill in a bid to save the struggling show.

Producers want to draft in the Blue Murder star as Sun Hill’s Borough Commander to boost falling ratings – as staff fear the ITV police drama faces the axe after a fresh wave of redundancies.

Caroline, 49, would appear for six weeks in episodes written especially for her although it is understood she is yet to commit.

A show source said: “Caroline Quentin has been asked to come in to try and boost the show’s popularity.

“Scriptwriters have been told to write especially for her as ITV is keen to improve the ratings.”

The station is to decide whether to recommission the 25-year-old show in the next few weeks but many believe it faces the chop.

At least two senior staff have lost their jobs amid growing concern the glory days are over.

The Bill, produced by Talkback Thames, was scaled back to an episode a week at 9pm as part of ITV’s cost-cutting in July – despite winning a Bafta for Best Continuing Drama this year. But ratings have plummeted from five million to 3.9m.

The insider said: “The rot has set in. When the show was relaunched the episodes were ready for transmission and featured CID but an ITV executive decided there had to be more ‘uniform’ in it as it is a police show.

“It was only then they realised that there was no ‘uniform’ left as they had sacked most of them.”

Talkback Thames said: “ITV have been very supportive.”

http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/2009/10/29/caroline-quentin-in-talks-to-join-the-bill-115875-21781041/

[Abigail]

I doubt one woman can pull TB out of the dire straits it's in. They did this to themselves

[Katy]

its appauling at the minute, and as much as caroline quentin is wonderful like you say abi its a tough job for one women.

I love the fact they put they realised there wasnt any uniform as they had sacked them all.

[Perdita]

Only comes to prove that you should not try to fix something that is not broken.

[alan45]

The Bill was doing very well in the ratings and had improved beyond belief since they got rid of Marquess. Whoever thought up the new format of the Max Carter Show needs taken out and punished severely. They have made a complete travesty of THe Bill. Im glad that some high powered and highly paid executive has suddenly realised that they made a huge mistake in binning some of the shows most popular and favourite characters. Surely its not too late to bring Graham Cole back.

I dont think Caroline Quentin is the right person to save the show. She is a fine Actor but people will identfy with her as DCI Janine Lewis in Blue Murder.

[Abigail]

I don't think The Bill will make it through 2010. There was absolutely no need to "revamp" the format, which has been proved by the huge drop in viewers. Whoever is responsible for the shambles this show has become should put their head on the block.

How is a borough commander going to fix the lack of uniform officers? One woman saving Sun Hill's footmen just doesn't wash.

[Chloe O'brien]

The loss of viewers north of the borders has not helped the show either. I prefer the bill when it was a one hour show when it had that format a few years ago, but since they revamped it the show has gone downhill. They need to go back to what the viewers want.

[jmillsshaw]

I don't think The Bill will make it through 2010. There was absolutely no need to "revamp" the format, which has been proved by the huge drop in viewers. Whoever is responsible for the shambles this show has become should put their head on the block.

How is a borough commander going to fix the lack of uniform officers? One woman saving Sun Hill's footmen just doesn't wash.

They need to bring in more uniform officers, they are still there, well some of them are Sargent Stone, to name one. They are others but they have not been in it for while and you tend to forget the names. Bring back some of the old boys and girls in blue and some new ones.

[Abigail]

I don't think The Bill will make it through 2010. There was absolutely no need to "revamp" the format, which has been proved by the huge drop in viewers. Whoever is responsible for the shambles this show has become should put their head on the block.

How is a borough commander going to fix the lack of uniform officers? One woman saving Sun Hill's footmen just doesn't wash.

They need to bring in more uniform officers, they are still there, well some of them are Sargent Stone, to name one. They are others but they have not been in it for while and you tend to forget the names. Bring back some of the old boys and girls in blue and some new ones.

See, that's the problem right there. Most of the uniform characters have been sacked or left. Considering this show won't see the fireworks of New Year's Eve 2010 at the rate it's going, there's little point bringing in new characters.

Smithy was promoted to Inspector then shoved in a cupboard only to be seen on the rare occasion when "backup" was needed by Super Cop.

I hope Talkback have realised what a mess they've made to one of ITV's flagship programs.

[jmillsshaw]

I don't think The Bill will make it through 2010. There was absolutely no need to "revamp" the format, which has been proved by the huge drop in viewers. Whoever is responsible for the shambles this show has become should put their head on the block.

How is a borough commander going to fix the lack of uniform officers? One woman saving Sun Hill's footmen just doesn't wash.

They need to bring in more uniform officers, they are still there, well some of them are Sargent Stone, to name one. They are others but they have not been in it for while and you tend to forget the names. Bring back some of the old boys and girls in blue and some new ones.

See, that's the problem right there. Most of the uniform characters have been sacked or left. Considering this show won't see the fireworks of New Year's Eve 2010 at the rate it's going, there's little point bringing in new characters.

Smithy was promoted to Inspector then shoved in a cupboard only to be seen on the rare occasion when "backup" was needed by Super Cop.

I hope Talkback have realised what a mess they've made to one of ITV's flagship programs.

I agree with you, But still think it can be saved with the right person in charge. I used to watch this programe regularly, but not as interested when it changed its format, all about c.i.d., you need a good mix of both uniform and c.i.d in the same episode.

[Abigail]

Things ITV and TalkbackThames need to do to save The Bill:
Sack the director, scriptwriter, series producers and people behind the "improvements"
Get rid of Super Cop
Give Graham Cole his job back
Revert back to the previous format that worked FINE and didn't need changing
Stop trying to "sex it up" with music, dark lighting and all the other additions that do nothing for the show
Get back to tradtional beat policing and split airtime equally between CID and uniform



Feel free to add you own :)

[Chloe O'brien]

Sort out the mess with STV so scottish viewers can have the bill back on itv1

[alan45]

Things ITV and TalkbackThames need to do to save The Bill:
Sack the director, scriptwriter, series producers and people behind the "improvements"
Get rid of Super Cop
Give Graham Cole his job back
Revert back to the previous format that worked FINE and didn't need changing
Stop trying to "sex it up" with music, dark lighting and all the other additions that do nothing for the show
Get back to tradtional beat policing and split airtime equally between CID and uniform



Feel free to add you own :)

Bring back Reggiebabe as well. Its a pity they killed off Des

[DaVeyWaVey]

I liked the format of episodes I seen on Watch where they had a CID investigation and a uniform investigation running parallel to each other or they often joined forces and worked together. I'd like to see this return in future episodes.

[alan45]

As far as I am concerned the Bill is finished. The twats at talkback Thames have totally ruined what was once Britain's favourie cop show. They are trying to turn it into a gritty American Style show like The Shield or The Wire and failing miserably. To compare Max Carter to the likes of Vic Mackey is just a joke and shows how pathetic the producers have become. I will watch it if there is nothing else on but long gone are the days when I will tape it. Its pure CRAP now

[Chloe O'brien]

I used to like CID episodes in the Bill but that was in the days of Tosh Lines and Burnside. Max Carter is not fit to be polish the shoes of Tosh Lines. The only decent CID is Terry Perkins.