View Full Version : The Bill: ITV drops police drama after 27 years
The Bill, one of the UK's longest-running TV dramas, is to be dropped by ITV in the autumn after 27 years, MediaGuardian.co.uk can reveal.
ITV has taken the decision to axe the police drama after last year's revamp and switch to a new 9pm slot failed to halt a long-term ratings decline.
The Bill last year was moved from being aired twice a week at 8pm on ITV1 to a single slot on Thursdays at 9pm. The show also switched from a 30-minute to an hour format and storylines were tweaked to take account of the new post-watershed slot.
However, ratings for the show have failed to pick up. In 2002 the show averaged more that 7 million viewers, while more recently audiences been about 3.5 million.
The broadcaster said that the decision to drop the series was made as part of a creative rethink of its drama schedule, which has seen the development of popular short run shows such as Collision and Above Suspicion, and not on cost-cutting grounds.
ITV intends to use the multimillion-pound saving from axing The Bill to create shorter run drama series for the 9pm slot with projects in the works including a new medical series with writer Peter Bowker and a new series from Collision and Foyle's War writer Anthony Horowitz.
"The Bill has been a fixture on our screens for more than 25 years and has been the home of some of the UK's best serial drama storylines, and a great showcase for terrific scriptwriting and fine acting talent," said Peter Fincham, the ITV director of television, channels and online.
"But times change, and so do the tastes of our audience. Whilst The Bill will come to an end in 2010, we will continue to invest more in drama programming than any other commercial broadcaster in the UK and viewers can look forward to a wide range of high quality drama on ITV1."
The show, which is made by independent production company TalkbackThames, is likely to prove to spark significant interest from rival broadcasters.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/mar/26/the-bill-itv
parkerman
26-03-2010, 11:06
Perhaps they should ask themselves why ratings have dropped. :angry:
The Bill will end this autumn following ITV's decision to drop the long-running police drama after 27 years.
"Times change, and so do the tastes of our audience," said Peter Fincham, the channel's director of television.
The move follows a major revamp that saw the drama relaunched as a weekly programme in a post-watershed slot.
ITV said it would invest the money it spent on the programme - first seen on the channel in 1983 - on new peak-time drama commissions
Times change but the audience did not. What happened was that they handed over the scripts to some luvvies who hadnt a clue about the fanbase of The Bill and more importantly they knew nothing about police work. Assholes thought they had the ability to make a gritty drama like The Wire, The Shield or Dark Blue when in reality they hadnt a clue what they were doing. The Bill was a hugely successful show with a loyal fanbase before the idiots tried to make it into something which was neither needed or wanted. The rot started when Paul Marquess took over and introduced the appalling David Kent aka The Chimp and was further compounded with the ridiculous Beth Green. Marquess' fondness for explosions and rapes also didnt help matters. Sun Hill was becoming more dangerous than Bagdhad.
This muppet is now in charge of Hollyoaks so we can expect it to become ridiculous before eventually disappearing.
tammyy2j
26-03-2010, 12:15
Where will all the ex soap actors go now
Its a shame as it used to be really good, i loved the bill in the past, my favourite time that i remeber was Sheelagh and Des, and als Des and Regs relationship they were so funny tgether.
Bad Wolf
26-03-2010, 15:36
they killed it when they moved it, they alienated the audience and basically runied it,
all the people who got the axe from hollyoaks but be really upset............future work just dried up! eek
Chris_2k11
26-03-2010, 16:55
Where will all the ex soap actors go nowHolby City :lol:
The Bill will end this autumn following ITV's decision to drop the long-running police drama after 27 years.
"Times change, and so do the tastes of our audience," said Peter Fincham, the channel's director of television.
The move follows a major revamp that saw the drama relaunched as a weekly programme in a post-watershed slot.
ITV said it would invest the money it spent on the programme - first seen on the channel in 1983 - on new peak-time drama commissions
Times change but the audience did not. What happened was that they handed over the scripts to some luvvies who hadnt a clue about the fanbase of The Bill and more importantly they knew nothing about police work. Assholes thought they had the ability to make a gritty drama like The Wire, The Shield or Dark Blue when in reality they hadnt a clue what they were doing. The Bill was a hugely successful show with a loyal fanbase before the idiots tried to make it into something which was neither needed or wanted. The rot started when Paul Marquess took over and introduced the appalling David Kent aka The Chimp and was further compounded with the ridiculous Beth Green. Marquess' fondness for explosions and rapes also didnt help matters. Sun Hill was becoming more dangerous than Bagdhad.
This muppet is now in charge of Hollyoaks so we can expect it to become ridiculous before eventually disappearing.
No point in beating around the bush: TT let idiots loose with the scripts and this is the end result. We all knew it was just a matter of time and I'm surprised The Bill is lasting until the end of the year. Somebody made a huge mistake with the "re-vamp," it's a shame TB is finally coming to an end.
they killed it when they moved it, they alienated the audience and basically runied it,
all the people who got the axe from hollyoaks but be really upset............future work just dried up! eek
Hollyoakes cast have good cause to be worried. Paul Marquess who ruined Brookside and the Bill has now taken over at Hollyoaks. Time to look for a career change
Trudie Goodwin, who played June Ackland, on how this final plot twist will lead to tears
Friday, 26 March 2010
I was saddened, but not surprised, to hear that The Bill is to be axed. Having played June Ackland for 24 years, Sun Hill was an important part of my life.
In its heyday – when it was watched by 16 million viewers weekly – The Bill attracted some great writers and directors who understood the tight format, and how to shoot quickly and efficiently without compromising character or storyline.
One great episode took place inside a police van as we waited to be deployed to quell a riot. It was composed of just two handheld shots – one before the ads and one after – and the sense of boredom and frustration inside the van was brilliantly captured.
The key to the show then was that the plot was seen entirely from the point of view of the police. The audience only knew what we knew: there was no dramatic irony. We also never forgot that the police are human: part of the internal life of Sun Hill was the way that characters bickered and joked with each other so that, whatever the rigours of the job, viewers could see the funny side of the characters. That was also true of us as actors and crew: I have extremely fond memories of the seriously rude and seriously funny people I spent my working hours with. It was laughter that saw us through long gruelling hours of shooting, shivering on Thames' Bank at three in the morning, or huddled in freezing concrete estate stairwells with only a sense of humour to keep us going.
We never won awards but we plodded on knowing well-acted, tight scripts and our pioneering use of handheld cameras would always be appreciated by loyal fans. I left two years ago, finally finding the 14-hour-days too much. I'm sad to see it ending; sad for the people who worked tirelessly for the programme over all those happy years; people without whose close friendship and many talents we would never have lasted so long. I think I can say, for all of us, tears will be shed.
The Bill cast and crew were left in "stunned disbelief" yesterday after being told to go home as the show was 'all over'.
ITV bosses confirmed that the £30m-a-year soap would be axed this autumn due to a massive slump in viewers.
Early morning calls were made to the cast and crew to break the news, with those due on set told to take the day off.
A senior member of The Bill "family" told The Sun that he was already at the studio when he heard the news. "We were setting up for filming when a guy from the props department came down and told us simply, 'It's over - we're all out of work'."
Show producer Talkback has entered into a 30-day consultation with staff.
Trudie Goodwin, who played Sun Hill's June Ackland for the show's entire run, said she was "saddened, but not surprised" by the announcement. "I'm sad to see it ending; sad for the people who worked tirelessly for the programme over all those happy years; people without whose close friendship and many talents we would never have lasted so long. I think I can say, for all of us, tears will be shed," she said.
A tribute was also made by the former commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Ian Blair, who said its transformation into a soap opera in recent years was "inevitably doomed". "The Bill fell between the pull for audiences of its origins and the desire of its scriptwriters to match the soaps, with the inevitable consequence of falling viewing. I am sorry at its passing. 'Good night, all'," he said.
Chloe O'brien
27-03-2010, 23:23
I'm sad to see The Bill end as it once was a quality drama back in the days of Burnside, Lines and Jim Carver and June Ackland were still wet behiind the ears police constables. But it has lost it's way with bringing in eye candy and soapstars over quality actors.
Chris_2k11
28-03-2010, 18:13
Surely they can turn it around somehow? the axe seems a bit harsh..
The only hope would be that a company who actually cared about the viewers took it on. They would really need to bring it back to what it once was. Get rid of the talentless bimbos who were just there for ey candy. Bring back strong characters like Tony Stamp and Burnside. People who the viewers cared about. Return to the 8pm slot for an hour a week and have more light-hearted storylines amongst all the constant kidnappings, murders, rapes and explosions. Oh yes and get rid of that God Awful theme music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCcTo6xhmkE
parkerman
29-03-2010, 11:30
And also return to well written, well acted gripping stories like this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6hUmQH8n68"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6hUmQH8n68
Or my all time favourite
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDFzRKkH9KM
Of course that was pre Gabriel K*nt
Actor Mark Wingett has claimed that The Bill's move into a post-watershed slot last year was an "unwise decision".
The star, who played PC Jim Carver in the police procedural drama, also said that the lack of promotion during the revamp may have hurt the ITV1 show.
"I think moving the slot was an unwise decision. It kind of got lost. Also it wasn't promoted in a very good way - the big soaps get loads and loads of promotion. And I think the audience has changed," he told the BBC.
Wingett, who was the main focus of the programme's pilot Woodentop in 1983 and starred in the series for a further 21 years, branded the show's recent axe "dreadful".
He added: "When we did The Bill back in the '80s we had no meddling by ITV, it was completely isolated making a programme with 12 actors in a small studio - an ex-tobacco warehouse in the East End of London.
"Certainly when I left five years ago it had a huge hangar-sized warehouse down in Merton, employed about 500 people and 32 main cast in it plus a dozen guest actors in each episode. It was an extraordinary operation, the largest set I've ever been on. I can see that its expensive to run. Maybe that's the problem - that it became a factory drama."
DS
Jeff Stewart who played Reg Hollis -:
When I left in January 2008, I was the last remaining actor from the original cast, which started in March 1984.
The fun that was had everyday on set - and when I say laughter I mean uncontrollable laughter - because of people being funny. You all get to know one another's sense of humour and sensitivities.
People were very kind to each other and that went from the cleaners to the guys who drove the trucks. The making of The Bill ran so smoothly it was like a Swiss watch.
When I first heard the news, I almost became emotional but I held back. I know myself and I know at some point today I'm going to hear a piece of music, or have a thought and it's going to set me off. It's upsetting because it's a beautiful, well-run show. It's done brilliantly to have survived up until today quite honestly, because there is competition out there.
Mark Wingetts interview on the BBC
It's dreadful - I was the leading character in the pilot episode called Woodentop. I was in the show for 21 years.
I think moving the slot was an unwise decision. It kind of got lost. Also it wasn't promoted in a very good way - the big soaps get loads and loads of promotion. And I think the audience has changed.
The beauty of The Bill is that it has always changed with the times. In my time it changed half a dozen times, it changed format, it changed focus - it went into the personal lives and became a soap opera, now it's stepped outside that.
I don't think there was enough sex and violence in it. Times have changed so much now... I think their hands were cuffed behind their back to what content they were allowed to show.
When we did The Bill back in the '80s we had no meddling by ITV, it was completely isolated making a programme with 12 actors in a small studio - an ex-tobacco warehouse in the East End of London. Certainly when I left five years ago it had a huge hangar-sized warehouse down in Merton, employed about 500 people and 32 main cast in it plus a dozen guest actors in each episode. It was an extraordinary operation, the largest set I've ever been on. I can see that its expensive to run. Maybe that's the problem - that it became a factory drama.
Thousands of fans of ITV police drama The Bill have called for ITV to reconsider its decision to axe the programme.
The broadcaster announced last week that the crime show is to be dropped after 27 years on the air. Falling ratings have been blamed for its fate.
However, a Facebook campaign group titled "Save The Bill!" has attracted more than 10,000 members in just a few days. Its page says: "The Bill is a British institution. Let's not let it die after 27 years!"
Meanwhile, various online petitions which have been set up to save the show have received thousands of signatures.
Efforts to keep The Bill on the air are also being backed by the actors union Equity. In a statement, its general secretary Christine Payne commented: "This is a disaster. Almost every television actor in the country has at some stage worked on The Bill over the last 26 years and it is an enormously important source of work for Equity members.
"It also has a one of the most loyal audiences of any ongoing drama currently on television. We call on ITV to reconsider their decision to cancel this important programme."
A spokesman for ITV insisted that the network plans to fill the gap left behind by The Bill by continuing to invest in new drama.
He added: "This ongoing commitment not only represents an opportunity for those currently working in the production industry but also for those who are keen to embark on a career in television."
DS
ITV should stand by their decision and drop TB unless the following are fulfilled (in no particular order of importance):
1. Return to the 8pm slot.
2. Get rid of the "sexed up" idea and music.
3. Stop trying to copy US drama - it just doesn't work.
4. Bring back Stamp, Hollis et al. I'm sure Alan or Parkerman can provide a list of Dead Wood to chop, as I don't watch any more.
5. Bring in scipt writers and producers that know what they're doing. TalkbackThames might not be able to afford the Spooks or Waking the Dead caliber writers but TT can do a lot better than they are now.
6. Return to traditional policing, with long running undercover stories. Zain's storyline with the drugs cartel is the only one that sticks in my mind for acting and keeping me hooked. It was brilliant scripting.
7. Redress the Uniform/CID balance to 50/50 instead of 1/99.
Where will all the ex soap actors go now
back to the soaps i guess
A number of television executives have today expressed concern and disappointment over ITV's axing of The Bill, claiming that the industry will suffer following the loss of the show.
Last month, it was announced that the police drama is to be dropped after 27 years on the air. Declining ratings were blamed for the decision.
Speaking to The Guardian, controller of BBC drama production John Yorke questioned how new writing talent can be developed without ongoing serials like The Bill.
Yorke commented: "Five years ago it was possible for talent to cut their teeth on Brookside, Dream Team, Family Affairs, Grange Hill. The last ten years you've seen us move from continuing drama reigning supreme to a time where it's had to accept reality and The X Factor - and realise that means we all have to work much harder.
"The loss of The Bill will have a dreadful effect on the ecosystem of drama. It leaves almost all of the training of new talent in the hands of the BBC through EastEnders, Holby and Casualty."
Channel 4's head of drama Camilla Campbell argued: "We have a new talent scheme but you can't only have raw teenagers writing for Skins. You need expert script editors, producers, writers - and they have always come from continuing drama. If you didn't have any of those shows, I don't know how you'd get a job in television."
Left Bank Pictures executive Francis Hopkinson, who worked on The Bill in the '90s, also lamented the programme's fate, claiming that "there's nowhere better to try stuff out".
Meanwhile, The Bill's series producer Tim Key claimed that serials deserve more recognition because they "have to tell stories rooted in reality to a mainstream audience". He added: "That seems to be fading away."
ITV have shifted its now-axed police drama The Bill to Tuesday evenings until its final episode transmits in August, Digital Spy can confirm.
In July, the commercial broadcaster ditched the programme's two 8pm episode for a single, post-watershed screening at 9pmon Thursdays in a bid to increase ailing ratings. The new format also allowed for "darker, grittier and more hard-hitting" storylines.
Last month, however, the decision was made to axe the show entirely after 27 years on air following a rethink of the network's drama lineup.
The Bill's latest move takes effect from this evening at 9pm with the latest instalment titled 'Bad Blood'.
An ITV spokesperson this morning told DS: "The Bill will be moving to Tuesdays due to the election programming, which includes the first ever live election debate this Thursday. Thereafter, The Bill will remain in its Tuesday slot until the end of its run."
They added: "New factual programming will be broadcast on Thursdays in its place."
A new run of Griff Rhys Jones's Greatest Cities Of The World is slated to begin on Thursday, April 22 at 9pm.
DS
A demonstration to save The Bill has been cancelled after just three people promised to attend.
Paul Curry planned the protest at ITV's studios today following the decision to axe the drama after 26 years.
Only two others confirmed.
Paul, of Newcastle, who will now save his £23 coach fare, said: "I can't understand it."
The Bill star Andrew Lancel has claimed that the ITV police drama is currently airing its best episodes to date.
Speaking to Inside Soap, the actor explained that he is particularly impressed by an emotional new storyline for his character Neil Manson, which sees the detective inspector's son Jake diagnosed with leukaemia next week.
ITV announced last month that it was axing The Bill after 27 years. Poor ratings were blamed for the decision.
Reflecting on his time with the programme, Lancel commented: "I've been blessed to receive amazing storylines year after year. I've already watched [next week's] episode and I'm thrilled with it - the show's at its best. That's quite ironic given the decision to wind everything up now."
On what the future holds for his alter ego, he continued: "[Viewers will] see a side to Neil never visible before. His little boy is very sick and he's forced to face up to the reality of that. As a parent, it's hard not to be affected by the storyline. It's been very emotional."
Sorry but I think Shearer is talking bollocks
The Bill legend Trudie Goodwin has claimed that ITV bosses "messed about" with the show unnecessarily.
The police drama was axed by the broadcaster last month after 27 years on the air. Poor ratings were blamed for the decision.
Goodwin, who played Sergeant June Ackland between 1984 and 2007, has now said that the programme's 2009 revamp sealed its fate.
Speaking on Sky1's Angela and Friends, the actress explained: "They messed about with it too much. They moved it around the schedule. It didn't end up being The Bill."
She added: "It's not the show's fault, it's the people who made it over the years."
Well said Trudie. You will forever remain St. June in my eyes.
A CAR blast and a high-tension police chase will send The Bill out with a bang as it shuts up cop shop after 26 years.
The News of the World was given exclusive access to the set as the tearful actors filmed the 2,400th - and last - episode in Sun Hill.
MORE PHOTOS: The last episode of The Bill
Cast and crew were left reeling in March by ITV bosses' decision to axe the show, after ratings slumped to 3.5 million viewers from a '90s high of 15 million.
An insider said: "It's emotional - everyone is furious with the decision. But we've decided to put two fingers up to ITV and press on with a belting finale."
Filming of the final episode will continue until mid-June, but it will not hit screens until August.
Chloe O'brien
30-05-2010, 00:59
The cast and crew can stick as many fingers up to ITV as they like but the truth is it's the writers fault that the bill has been scrapped. If they hadn't changed the format to the Max Carter and his CID buddies show, then viewers wouldn't have deserted the show. The bill worked when there was a balance of uniform and CID storylines as well as cast members who could act. Unlike it is now were there are only a few who can act and they have to carry the rest of the wooden tops.
You already have a thread about this. http://www.soapboards.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?107741-The-Bill-ITV-drops-police-drama-after-27-years&highlight=Bill Hardly any need for another new one describing the End of the max Carter show Who actually cares any more.
Does anyone actually watch the Max Carter show now
Chloe O'brien
30-05-2010, 01:08
Not mmmme but that's mainly because STV axed it and I can never remember the cable channel and what night it is on.
Not mmmme but that's mainly because STV axed it and I can never remember the cable channel and what night it is on.
Do you even care
Chloe O'brien
30-05-2010, 01:25
I supposed I'm drawn 50-50 I grew up with the bill in the days of Galloway, Roach, Carver and the rest. Then the likes of Burnside, Tosh Lines and Stamp joined but it still produced high quality drama. Now the only ones i like are Meadows, Jo Marsden, Terry and Smithy.
Cast and crew were left reeling in March by ITV bosses' decision to axe the show, after ratings slumped to 3.5 million viewers from a '90s high of 15 million.
An insider said: "It's emotional - everyone is furious with the decision. But we've decided to put two fingers up to ITV and press on with a belting finale."
Filming of the final episode will continue until mid-June, but it will not hit screens until August.
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/showbiz/830634/The-Bill-shuts-up-cop-shop-after-26-years.html
Does anyone actually watch the Max Carter show now
I stopped watching about a year ago, shortly after the 9pm episodes started showing.
Do you even care
In some respects yes, it used to be a brilliant show and I always tuned in pre-"make over". However the drivel being churned out and poor quality acting leads me to answer on the whole, no I don't care. I don't read the spoilers any more.
I thought the program was going to be on until November, not August.
I stopped watching about a year ago, shortly after the 9pm episodes started showing.
In some respects yes, it used to be a brilliant show and I always tuned in pre-"make over". However the drivel being churned out and poor quality acting leads me to answer on the whole, no I don't care. I don't read the spoilers any more.
I thought the program was going to be on until November, not August.
I watched a couple of episodes of the new 'improved' Bill and was totally UNDERWHELMED. It was absolute nonsense from start to finish. As someone who watched the Bill since Day one I was disgusted with the way it was ruined and will be glad to see it go.
THE sun set on Sun Hill yesterday as the last ever scenes of The Bill were filmed after 27 years on air.
Tearful stars hugged as the cop drama wrapped up its last episode, which will air later this summer.
Executive producer Johnathan Young said: "It's been a highly emotional day for all cast and crew."
ITV1 bosses announced the axing in March after a long ratings slide for the series, famous for its former closing sequence featuring officers' plodding feet. Audiences now average three million, compared to seven million in 2002.
All 17 main cast members - including the longest-serving star Simon Rouse, 58, who has played DI Jack Meadows since 1990 - were on set for the last day.
The series, which is filmed in Merton, South West London, started with a one-off special in 1983.
Johnathan said the final gritty two-part episode is about a young female gangster. He added: "It's called Respect and we hope it will respect the heritage of the show."
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/3014203/Last-day-of-filming-at-the-Bill-after-27-years.html#ixzz0qtUAkHCm
parkerman
15-06-2010, 08:02
He added: "It's called Respect and we hope it will respect the heritage of the show."
It's a shame they didn't think of doing that earlier.
It's a shame they didn't think of doing that earlier.
If they had shown the show and cast some RESPECT over the last few years they would still be doing well in the ratings and the show would not have been cancelled. Out of RESPECT for The Bill before it became the dark mess that it now is I will not be watching the final two gritty episodes about a young female GANGSTA.
I RESPECT June Ackland, Reggiebabe, Tony Stamp, Jack Burnside, Ted Roache, Jim Carver, Jack Meadows.
For me the Bill went into terminal decline with the introduction of Todd Crappy as PC GAbriel/David K*nt
Alex Walkinshaw has said that his final scenes on The Bill were emotional to shoot.
The 35-year-old actor, who plays Smithy in the serial, admitted that leaving behind some of his co-stars is "tough".
He told TV Times: "It was emotional shooting the final scenes, although there was a lot of good humour still going around.
"As each week passed, more and more people left and the building got quieter. It was tough, but the sense of humour on the set was still alive and kicking right through to the very last."
THE Bill star Jeff Stewart has spoken openly for the first time since his public breakdown – to reveal how he’s finally beaten his depression.
The actor, who played PC Reg Hollis, spoke exclusively to The People after we turned up at the axed ITV show’s farewell party on Friday.
And he described how he’s turned his life around since he slit his wrists on set in 2008. Jeff, 54, said he now “feels like he’s won the Lottery”.
After an emotional reunion with his old cast mates, he said: “It was a wonderful night. I genuinely feel so happy – it was a perfect time to see everybody.” Jeff had been in The Bill since the first episode in 1983 but was told in 2008 that his contract would not be renewed. He was rushed to hospital after cutting his wrists, then became a recluse. Talking after he partied with his former co-stars – including Graham Cole, who played PC Tony Stamp, and Stephen Beckett (Mike Jarvis) – Jeff said he now believed his exit from the drama was for the best.
He said: “I had always dreamed of being in films, and now I’ve done four and I’ve got another two offers.
“So although it was a difficult time, there was a silver lining. It pushed me to do these things.”
About 170 Bill actors partied until 3am at the £20,000 bash at the show’s Wimbledon studios. Sarah Manners and Louisa Lytton were the life and soul, in flashing police hats.
The highlights included a video mix of the 27 years of storylines, a free ice cream van, an acrobat, souvenir truncheons for the cast and a tribute to those they had lost – including Kevin Lloyd, who played DC Tosh Lines before he died at 49 in 1998. Teetotal Jeff said: “There were so many people I wanted to see again. It was important to me that they could see how happy I was.”
Several were lobbying for another network to buy the show. EastEnders’ Scott Maslen, who played DS Phil Hunter in 2007, said: “If someone doesn’t pick it up, they are stupid. It’s cheap, it’s popular.”
Billy Murray, who played DS Don Beech and now runs his own company Black And Blue Films, called The Bill “one of the best shows on TV”.
But the current cast promised the final episode, to be aired in August, would “blow the fans away”. Sam Callis (Sgt Callum Stone) said: “It has been shot brilliantly. And it’s a real Bill ending, just as it should be.”
Executive producer Jonathan Young has promised a "compelling" last episode of ITV1 drama The Bill.
The long-running police series will draw to a close later this month with one final instalment, which will centre on the life of a young female gang member.
"The series will conclude this summer with a compelling contemporary story that tests our cops on the streets of London both physically and emotionally for one final time," said Young. "It's called 'Respect' and we hope it will respect the heritage of the show."
The Bill, which started as a one-off drama called Woodentop in 1983, has struggled in recent years with falling ratings. A revamp in 2009 failed to win back viewers and earlier this year the broadcaster confirmed that the show was being axed.
The final episode is expected to air on August 31 on ITV1.
What is the point of having a ''compelling'' episode of THe Bill for the last ever episode. Its all a bit pointless now isnt it. They had what was once a very successful show watched by millions of devoted fans. They tinkered with it anas a result alienated the vast majority of viewers who then stopped watchingi it in their droves. They started to centre it round Max Carter and CID. I for one don't feel compelled to watch it for the last episode. I would rather watch paint dry. At least that would be believable.
"Compelling"? Hardly the right word to set viewers on fire and urge them to watch the final episode. What happened to 'explosive', 'gritty' and 'gripping' - the words usually thrown about like ten pence pieces whenever a producer talks about the show? It sounds as if the producers have given up.
BONASERA
18-08-2010, 13:08
Now the end is almost nigh for the Bill two episodes left then no more I feel the need to voice my thoughts on the decision to cancel the Bill, vent if you like. As a true child of the eighties I was fortunate enough to grow up watching the likes of Ted Roach, Tosh Lines, Jim Carver, the incomparable Frank Burnside (the benchmark I hold all TV coppers too to this day) June Ackland and of course those two stalwarts of uniform Reg Hollis and Tony Stamp then later on there was Don Beech, Cathy Bradford, Gina Gold, Sam Nixon, Phil Hunter to name but a few. I still have extremely vivid not to mention fond memories of them all and it’s because of this I feel compelled to say that I feel ITV are making a colossal mistake by cancelling the show, one I firmly believe they will live to regret sooner rather than later and judging by the response all over the internet and media in general I’m not the only one. ITV is rapidly becoming a station dedicated solely to endless episodes of X-factor (a show I’m proud to say I’ve never watched and never will) repeats of midsomer murders and cookery shows in short it’s slowly killing itself by trying to save money which is therefore a false economy because people nowadays can find plenty of other things to do with their precious time surfing the internet for a start than watch substandard TV. TPTB have already publicly admitted its way behind BBC recently a gap that will only continue to grow larger whilst it continues its policy of cancelling shows such as the Bill in favour of such limited output. Yes I know the Bill is no CSI or Law and Order but the again they are no Bill either are they? Whilst we are on the subject why does the Bill particularly need to compete with either programme anyway? Until it was moved to Tuesday nights in April due to the Election it didn’t even air on the same night as any of the CSI/ Law & Order franchise and as far as I know did not compare unfavourably with them ratings wise. Maybe I’m missing something but again why does the Bill need to compete at all? To my mind it’s like trying to compare a Lion with a Panther yes they are of the same family but they are two different animals altogether and trying to say one is superior to the other is in my humble opinion bloody unfair. The Bill might not be the sleek, gritty, all guns blazing American type cop drama but there is absolutely nothing wrong with the gentler more sedate British way, our way of doing things. The Bill is no better or worse than the American shows just different is all an ideal ITV seems to have forgotten when it should be embracing it. I’ve watched both Law and Order and CSI/CSI New York and enjoyed them thoroughly but have also watched the Bill and enjoyed it just as much so it staggers me as to why there is isn’t room in the increasingly barren TV schedules for both. To finish off on this topic I wonder if TPTB at ITV are aware that the latest series of all three CSI shows fared badly in the ratings in America both New York and Miami have been shifted to what amounts to kiss of death slots whilst Law and Order has been cancelled seven series shy of the Bill which makes me wonder if TPTB actually have an idea what they are talking about at all. I’ve never watched Miami but did watch New York last season and it has all but been universally slated on its own fan sites as being dire not to mention boring and making precious little sense for large amounts of the time sentiments I share wholeheartedly; something you can’t say about the Bill over the same time period of time. If you ask me our American friends could learn a lot from the Bill on how to sustain a series for long periods of time. The Bill is one of those rare things a show that might not be the most realistic police drama you’ll ever see but it’s always fun to watch for an hour a week, how many programmes of any sort can you say that is true of nowadays. Come on fess up who doesn’t feel like punching the air when our Smithy gets his man or cheers when the good of CID triumphs over evil or as a ah that’s so sweet moment when the Grace/Neil romantic stuff appears (absolutely beautifully done by the way there folks keeping my fingers crossed here for a happy ending) its pure escapism, a way to let off steam something we all need from time to time and sadly something that is being lost every time a series such as the Bill is cancelled. I did watch an episode of Identity the other day just out of curiosity and though it was ok but it’s no successor to the Bill to be honest I’d be surprised if it managed twenty seven episodes let alone years. If the Bill is being sacrificed for things like Identity then again TPTB are out of their tiny minds but we knew that already didn’t we. If it was down to me I’d have given the Bill one last chance, moved it back to 8 O’clock were it rightfully belongs and got rid of that terrible theme tune (does anyone at all actually like it) alas it isn’t so. I for one will be watching the last two episodes and I’d just like to say thank you to all the cast and crew from the Burnside/Carver/Ackland age to the present Stone/Manson/Dasari era you were magnificent. Throughout the years we have loved, laughed and cried with you, you will never be forgotten and you will be very much missed you can hold your heads up proudly against any show anyone would care to name. UP THE BILL!
As ITV1’s The Bill draws to a close this summer after 27 years on air, Farewell The Bill looks back over the lifetime of the show and goes behind the scenes of TV’s longest running police drama as it follows the final weeks of filming.
With exclusive access to the series’ final shoot this May and June, this touching one-off documentary captures the emotion, tears and laughter as both cast and crew say farewell to the show and film the final ever two-parter of The Bill which transmits on ITV1 this month. Cast including Alex Walkinshaw (Smithy), Simon Rouse (Spt Jack Meadows) and Chris Simmons (DC Mickey Webb) and crew talk exclusively about their experiences of working on the series and what it was like to be filming it’s last ever scenes.
Series Producer, Tim Key speaks about the final storyline called ‘Respect’ which follows the harrowing storyline of a young female gang member torn between her loyalty to the gang and her broken trust of the police, ‘we wanted to do something that celebrated what The Bill has always been about, ordinary people wearing a uniform and taking responsibility for society, this is what The Bill has always done.’
From the making of the last ever episode to the first, the documentary shows footage of the debut episode which broadcast in 1983, of Jim Carver’s first day as a rookie at fictional police headquarters Sun Hill. The programme looks back at highlights over the years, of the numerous chase scenes synonymous to The Bill to the many stunts, explosions and arrests.
Two of the show’s longest running ex-cast members, Graham Cole (PC Tony Stamp) and Trudie Goodwin (Sgt June Ackland) pay one final visit to the set and take a nostalgic look around as they reminisce about some of their characters’ most memorable storylines - how Stamp once ran over Ackland, their one on-screen kiss and how Ackland ended up in a disastrous marriage to Carver.
Farewell The Bill features archive footage of some of the famous faces who’ve appeared over the years as guest artistes, including Roger Daltrey, Ray Winstone, Hugh Laurie, Alex Kingston, David Walliams and John Hannah. As well as actors such as Keira Knightley and James McAvoy who cut their teeth on the series before going on to become big screen leading talent.
Tim Key (Series Producer, 'The Bill')
After 27 years on the air and over 2,000 episodes, The Bill bows out this month following ITV's decision to axe the show. When the news was announced back in March, the commercial broadcaster cited falling ratings and changing tastes for the programme's fate. However, the subsequent outcry from fans has proved that there are many people who will be sad to see the UK's longest-running police drama disappear from the schedules. The show's two-part finale, titled 'Respect', reintroduces the character of Jasmine Harris and explores her involvement with a violent gang. DS recently chatted to The Bill's series producer Tim Key to find out more.
When were you told that The Bill would be coming to an end?
"We were told pretty much as soon as it was announced - the confirmation of it was very last-minute. We'd obviously been talking to the channel in the weeks and months before, so we knew that there were different options on the table. But it wasn't until the night before we announced it to everyone at the site that we knew for definite what the decision was. It played out how it appeared to play out, really - we'd hoped until the very end that there was a way of keeping it going, whether that was as it was or moving it into a slightly different slot or format. But in the end, ITV decided that it was time to say goodbye to it."
What was your reaction to the decision?
"I was devastated by it, really. We all were. But at the same time, you kind of accept that we're working in an industry where big decisions like this have to be made. Nobody takes their job for granted. It's a show that's been running for a very long time and that makes it vulnerable. The biggest problem really is that it isn't new - and advertisers and TV channels are obsessed with the new. For The Bill, I think no matter what anyone does to it, it's never going to be a new show. It's a time where people are having to rein the money in and be quite ruthless about things - people have got decisions to make and you can understand why people make some of them, even if you don't agree. But we were all absolutely gutted by it - we hoped it would never come to that, and it did."
Did you feel like you had plenty of time to come up with a suitable ending?
"We didn't have a lot of time. We knew that a certain episode was the end of the current contract with ITV, so we'd always known that we'd have to be flexible about the end of that episode. For example, it might have been that we'd have to take an on-screen break and come back again, so we'd worked in a bit of flexibility. But until we knew for definite what the deal was, we couldn't commit to anything. In the end, we completely tore up what we had planned for the final episodes and started again with something that we felt honoured the legacy of the show and delivered for our characters and for our audience."
And what kind of effect did the decision have on storylines in general?
"It affected everything and we had big decisions to make almost immediately. We had to rewrite a number of stories. For example, the episode that just went out with Stone and his father's funeral - originally that had been conceived as an episode that would send Stone in a very dark and dangerous direction for at least the next six months, if not 12 months. So we had to rework that episode so that instead of it being the start of something, it brought some of Stone's story to an end, saying to the audience, 'This is why he is the way he is'. At the end of it, he was faced with a choice between doing the right thing or the wrong thing, and he chose to do the right thing. So we had to do quite a bit of work like that."
What were your main aims when you started planning the final two-part episode?
"We talked about it a lot. Ending a 27-year show is a pretty impossible task, because whatever you do, people will have a view on it and say, 'I wish they'd done this', or 'I wish they'd done that'. We decided very quickly that we didn't want to do anything cheap or sensational - we didn't want to blow up the station. We talked about whether it would be the right thing to do to kill off a character, but we decided that would be cheating the audience. So we decided that what we wanted to do was celebrate what the show had always been about - the officers of the Metropolitan Police force, the job that they do every day and the effect that the job has on them."
How did the gang storyline for the final episode come about?
"We've done what we always like doing - we feel that the show has always, at its best, had something to say about the world that we live in. So we wanted to find an area of modern life and modern crime that people weren't familiar with, and we wanted to tell a story that was about something. In researching it, we discovered the appalling way that girls are treated in gangs - the way that they're raped to keep them quiet or punish them, or used as a status symbol for members of the gang. We decided that we had the right character in Jasmine, who we really liked when she was on screen the first time round, to tell the story through. So we wanted to do something that had real integrity and we wanted to reward our viewers, who've stuck with our show over the years."
And what can viewers take from the final two-parter?
"Well, the show is about real life, real people and what it's like to be a police officer, so we wanted our message at the end of it to be, 'This is the sort of everyday story that The Bill can tell'. Although it's certainly had its more sensational moments, whereas all the other cop shows are always slightly heightened or serial killer shows, ours is a show about real policing. We wanted to have that message at the end and give everybody a sort of 'greatest hits' package of what The Bill has always been about."
Is there a feeling of nostalgia in the final episode, or is it very much business as usual at Sun Hill?
"It's 50/50. The mood during the shoot was positive and there was a lot of laughter, but obviously a lot of sadness as well. In terms of what's on screen, we honour the traditions of the show and there are tributes in there to some of the show's trademarks. I think the fans will see that. There's a homage to the walking feet - they make a slight reappearance at the very beginning of the episode. I don't want to give too much away, but we looked at ways of respecting the show's heritage and addressing some of those questions that we've been asked about certain aspects of the show. It's an ensemble piece and all of the cast are in there - they've all got good stuff to do, and I think the last five minutes are incredibly powerful, poignant, respectful and appropriate. I'm very, very proud of that last episode in particular."
The Bill's two-part finale begins on Tuesday, August 24 at 9pm on ITV1. The concluding part airs on Tuesday, August 31 at the same time.
More from 'The Bill' producer Tim Key
In the first part of our interview with The Bill's series producer Tim Key, we asked what viewers can expect from the police drama's two-part finale and heard his take on the decision to bring the show to an end after 27 years.
Here, in the concluding part of the chat, Tim discusses the programme's ratings dip, the 2009 revamp and timeslot change, and whether the programme could ever make a comeback.
Was it quite daunting having to come up with an ending to such an iconic and well-loved show?
"Yeah, it was. We talked about it a lot and we all had ideas about what it should be and what it shouldn't be. In the end, the joy of it was that it was a total team effort - I had an idea, [executive producer] Johnathan Young had an idea - and the writer, director and Jane who produced the episode had some ideas too. The very last piece of the puzzle was the camera operator who said that he wanted to do it hand-held - we'd planned to steady-cam it, but he said, 'I really believe it's a hand-held show and I can do it'. In terms of ways to end a series, I think if people are watching the last five minutes hoping that someone's going to run in, machine gun a load of people and set a load of explosives off, they're going to be very disappointed. But if they want something that respects the show that they've loved for 27 years, then I think they'll be very happy."
The Bill has suffered a ratings dip over the past year or so - was that preventable?
"There's things that could have been done differently, things that could have been done better, and things that are unavoidable. Drama has had a tough time, especially all-year-round drama. I also think that moving a show that everyone knows at 8pm to a new 9pm slot is a very difficult ask. We delivered as best we could, but I think it's always been a show that people will know in one way, so to suddenly try and change that is always difficult. Also, when you're on all year round, it's a huge privilege but it also means you can get taken for granted a bit. I think that all shows have a shelf life - it's a brand that could come back, and who knows what would happen if it did? But for now, ITV took the decision that it was time to say goodbye. That's the way it goes, unfortunately."
The shift to 9pm did result in quite a few changes - for example, less action at the station in favour of more location filming, a smaller cast and the introduction of music. Do you regret any of those changes now?
"I stand by everything that we did because we thought all of it through and did it all for a very good reason. We had to make the cast smaller because we were going from two episodes a week to one episode a week. At one point, we had a cast of nearly 30 people because we were making around 96 episodes per year - if you halve the episodes, you've got to halve the cast. Whoever you lose from the cast, some people will object to it. We also wanted the show to be very clearly set in London, so we did more location filming - it's always been a London-based show, but sometimes you can forget that a bit when it's more studio-based. We were also going to HD anyway, and that changes the feel and look of the show. In terms of music, all 9pm dramas have music and to be the one that didn't could work against you. There are things that I wish had worked out slightly differently, but we didn't rush any of the decisions that we made - we thought them through very carefully."
What do you think the quality of the show has been like in recent months?
"We always said it would take a while to adapt to the new timeslot and the new format, and I think that the episodes from the start of the year have been increasingly strong and have really been delivering. And I think that the stuff that's been on screen over the past few weeks proves that, so I'm really proud of everything that we've done."
Some fans of The Bill have been campaigning for another channel to pick up the show - do you think that could still happen?
"I think that at the moment it's unlikely. It's something that I have no involvement in whatsoever, so I wouldn't know anyway, although I do know that some discussions took place. At the moment, all of the channels are strapped for cash and they're all investing in new stuff of their own. I think that taking on an ITV show that's been around for a long time is not something they're keen to do at the moment. But, that said, it's a brand that has worked fantastically and who knows what might happen in a few years' time? I think that people will miss The Bill enormously - I think that the industry will miss it as drama is incredibly important to everybody's schedules, and in terms of providing all-year-round drama, The Bill did an amazing job and continues to do so right up until the last episode. I think it's going to be missed more than people think it will."
Is there anything you'd like to say to the fans who've been passionately supporting the show over the past few months?
"I'd like to say thank you - the response from the fans, whether they've liked what they've seen or haven't, has always been passionate and we've never taken that lightly. To everybody who's stuck with it until the end, we're very grateful and we hope that they will find the final pair of episodes a fitting tribute to the show. I was a fan of the show before I worked on it, so for me it's been a dream job and I've always been aware of how much it's loved by the viewing public. I'm really grateful for all of the support we've received, particularly since the news broke - we've had some really nice messages through from people, saying how sorry they were and how much they're going to miss it. So it's just a massive thank you, basically!"
Looking back at your own stint as series producer, are there any moments or storylines that you're particularly proud of?
"There's loads that I'm proud of. It's a show that can do something different with every episode and it has something to say. So recently, I'm very proud of the episode we did with Claire Bloom, showing that sexual crime can happen against older people as well as younger people - I think that's a subject matter that other shows would struggle to tackle. Looking further back, the 'Gun Runner' stories that we did with Smithy undercover were great - I thought that Alex Walkinshaw was on great form and I loved the relationship between Smithy and Stevie. I loved the 'Conviction' stuff that we did just before we moved to 9pm. I thought that Sam Callis was great in Tuesday night's episode. I loved the Grace and Neil storyline - I thought that we could have taken that to some really nice places, it had a lot of integrity and was a really sweet story. And I'm very proud of our final two episodes!"
In the current climate, TV executives seem to be favouring one-off or short-run dramas, and we're losing a lot of our ongoing serials like The Bill and Heartbeat. Do you think that's a bad thing?
"I think that any drama being made is a very good thing. The success of Sherlock recently was brilliant, because it proves that the audience wants good-quality drama. In one sense, I don't care if they're one-offs, three-parters or 50-parters - as long as drama is being made and people are watching it. I think that we're in a climate where the industry and the viewers want events more - whether those events are X Factor-style events or drama events. Sadly, that is just what some shows can't be - if you're on all year round, you can't be an event because you're just there as part of the fabric of what's going on. I think that there's room for one-offs and for 50-parters, and losing the 50-parters is a shame. Shows like Holby, Casualty and The Bill can do different things and relate to the audience in the way that other shows can't - they can sometimes take a more serious look at issues than other shows can. But as long as drama is being made, I'm happy."
And finally, what kind of legacy do you think The Bill will have?
"I think that it has an enormous legacy - it's found new talent and trained new talent. I don't know what the percentage would be, but so many people in the industry now have come via that show. I also think that The Bill has shone a light on an area of society that a lot of people aren't familiar with, and that can only be a good thing. I think that it's provided consistently high production values, consistently high writing and consistently high performances, week in, week out. Serials are the toughest type of shows to make - to generate that much story all year round is so difficult. The fact that the show has been going for 27 years just shows what a great team it's always had behind it. I think that the legacy will be that people will suddenly see a lot less drama on TV, and I think they'll really miss it."
The Bill's two-part finale begins on Tuesday, August 24 at 9pm on ITV1. The concluding part airs on Tuesday, August 31 at the same time.
The Bill's series producer Tim Key has promised that fans can expect a "powerful" and "poignant" ending to the long-running police drama.
After 27 years on the air, the last ever episode of the show will be screened next week following ITV's decision to axe the programme due to falling ratings.
Speaking to DS about the series' conclusion, Key explained: "I don't want to give too much away, but we looked at ways of respecting the show's heritage and addressing some of those questions that we've been asked about certain aspects of the show.
"It's an ensemble piece and all of the cast are in there - they've all got good stuff to do, and I think the last five minutes are incredibly powerful, poignant, respectful and appropriate. I'm very, very proud of that last episode in particular."
Key admitted that the show's team quickly ruled out doing "anything cheap or sensational" as they considered how the drama should end.
He added: "I think if people are watching the last five minutes hoping that someone's going to run in, machine gun a load of people and set a load of explosives off, they're going to be very disappointed. But if they want something that respects the show that they've loved for 27 years, then I think they'll be very happy."
The Bill's two-part finale, which focuses on the issue of gangs, begins tonight at 9pm on ITV1. The concluding part airs next Tuesday at the same time.
THE Bill star Graham Cole has revealed that the show made him a sex symbol - for women aged over FORTY.
But Graham, 58 - who played PC Tony Stamp for 25 years - revealed that his long-awaited snog with actress Trudie Goodwin was "like kissing your sister".
He spoke as the ITV1 cop series airs its final episode tonight.
Graham, who was axed last year, told TV Biz: "The young have a huge reaction to me - but my real audience is 40-plus ladies!"
The married dad of two admitted he was nervous having to smooch Trudie, 58, who played Sergeant June Ackland.
He said: "The toughest thing about kissing someone who I had worked with for 16 years was that it was like kissing your sister.
"I saw her in the makeup room before and we both said, 'Oh God'.
"I gave her one of the sloppiest kisses she has had. We had to film it on a main road and people were tooting their horns. It was very romantic!"
The Bill will bid farewell from our screens tonight after 26 years on air. ITV bosses axed it following a slip in ratings.
But Graham - who was the show's longest-serving actor - said it should never have been dropped.
He said: "I couldn't believe it when I heard the news.
"Over the years The Bill always changed and we thought it would just change again.
"None of us thought it would be axed completely because there was nothing else like it out there."
And he said it could even have an effect on police recruitment.
He said: "I was in Suffolk recently and a guy came up to me and said my character was amazing and it was the reason why he joined the police."
Graham said he was still upset over the way Stamp was axed when the show changed to a new hour-long slot.
He said: "My character was the cement in the show and I thought I would still be part of it.
"But they didn't want any reference to the old days. It was a huge shock when they said they didn't need me any more.
"It was like losing an uncle. I thought Stamp was still a useful tool in the box. I didn't think he had gone stale.
"I was driving along with my daughter Laura soon after and she had tears rolling down her face. She said, 'I won't see Tony Stamp any more'. She used to practise the scenes with me."
Actor Jeff Stewart - who played PC Reg Hollis - slashed his wrists on the show's set after being axed.
But Graham said the actor had now recovered. He said: "I saw him at a party recently and he is really well now. It was fantastic to see him."
parkerman
01-09-2010, 11:02
Oh well, it's all over (although my son is convinced it's all a cynical ploy and that The Bill will be brought back next year and everyone will be so pleased to see it back the ratings will soar).
Actually I thought the last two-part story was quite a decent story with plenty of uniform and CID interaction and not too much DI Manson and DS Carter. It's just a shame they had to wait till it was all over to get a good story. If they'd done this before they might never had had to axe The Bill in the first place. :(
I didnt watch the last episode of the Bill. In fact I havent watched it for some time. I will mourn its passing. In my opinion it passed away many months ago. It was suffering from a terminal illness and only kept alive by life support systems.
I really enjoyed the documentary narrated by Martin Kemp at 11-00pm last night. It showed some of the old characters and featured Tony Stamp (Graham Cole) and the blessed St June of Sunhill (Trudie Godwin) visiting the set and reminiscing.
There were so many excellent characters on The Bill over the years and its a real shame that ITV mucked about so much with the format of what was really meant to be a Uniform based series and turned it into an almost exclusively CID based drama. I feel that they should leave the Detective stuff to the yanks who are so much better at it.
I suppose we can cling to the vain hope that some other company may in the future pick up the format for the BILL and resurrect it.
Until then I will remember with fondness the likes of Tosh Lines, Jim Carver, Ted Roach, Reggie and Des, Viv Martella, et al and still hold a special place for St June
parkerman
01-09-2010, 11:38
Yes, I really enjoyed the documentary as well. I was particularly pleased to see some scenes from what I still consider to be the best story of all time in The Bill and probably in any police series - the Don Beech, John Boulton, Claire Stanton classic.
I thought it was very telling that the narration actually made the point that The Bill was intended in the first place as an antidote to all the CID type dramas and was supposed to be centred around the ordinary unglamorous cop on the beat. Perhaps the producers could reflect on this when they consider why the ratings dropped to the point where the show had to be axed.
I watched the final episode last night with my housemate. Its the first time I've watched since they changed the format.
I didn't feel it was of the standard the show used to be but I enjoyed the ending. We thought that a bomb would go off or there would be an explosion at the end but it ended with Jack driving away.
I thought it was very telling that the narration actually made the point that The Bill was intended in the first place as an antidote to all the CID type dramas and was supposed to be centred around the ordinary unglamorous cop on the beat. Perhaps the producers could reflect on this when they consider why the ratings dropped to the point where the show had to be axed.
This is in my opinion why the soap formerly known as The Bill failed in its reincarnation as the Max Carter Show
The last ever episode of The Bill was watched by more than 4.4m viewers on Tuesday night, according to the latest audience data.
The police drama, which was axed by ITV in March after 27 years on air, averaged 4.31m (18.8%) for ITV1 in the 9pm hour and 105k (0.5%) on ITV1 HD.
The programme beat a new episode of The Deep, which grabbed 3.72m (16.3%) on BBC One from 9pm, with a further 278k (1.2%) watching on BBC HD.
BONASERA
01-09-2010, 13:33
This is in my opinion why the soap formerly known as The Bill failed in its reincarnation as the Max Carter Show
I agree in that moving The Bill to the 9pm was a huge mistake because it made the show into something it wasn't and that in turn made all those people who had loyaly watched turn over (or off) but I don't think becoming more CID orientated was to blame. After all wern't Burnside, Tosh Lines, Don Beech, Viv Martella all CID officers or is my memory playing tricks on me? Which you have just said yourselves were absolutely superb charaters. Lets face it with the exception of Smithy and Stone none of uniform really stood out (I miss Tony Stamp and Reg Hollis nuff said.)I for one do hope it will be back some time down the line truthfully I have a feeling like someone's already said perhaps we haven't seen the last of it in some form or another particularly if ITV suddenly find themselves struggling for ratings it was interesting to read the results of the RT poll that only 2% of voters wanted X factor type shows yet 44% wanted dramas wasn't it? I suppose only time will tell.
I agree in that moving The Bill to the 9pm was a huge mistake because it made the show into something it wasn't and that in turn made all those people who had loyaly watched turn over (or off) but I don't think becoming more CID orientated was to blame. After all wern't Burnside, Tosh Lines, Don Beech, Viv Martella all CID officers or is my memory playing tricks on me? Which you have just said yourselves were absolutely superb charaters. Lets face it with the exception of Smithy and Stone none of uniform really stood out (I miss Tony Stamp and Reg Hollis nuff said.)I for one do hope it will be back some time down the line truthfully I have a feeling like someone's already said perhaps we haven't seen the last of it in some form or another particularly if ITV suddenly find themselves struggling for ratings it was interesting to read the results of the RT poll that only 2% of voters wanted X factor type shows yet 44% wanted dramas wasn't it? I suppose only time will tell.
Personally I dont think the move to 9-00pm was the cause of the downfall. I believe it was a combination of factors and not least the fact that practically every new episode was CID orientated with the ubiquitous Max Carter taking the lead. The storylines became darker and of course there was that godawful music as well. Its true that in the past there were CID based stories but at least there was an interaction with the Uniform coppers just as there would be in real life. The CID officers you mention were all great characters but they were never shown at the expense of the Uniform Branch.
Of course there were some crap storylines in the past (but we shall leave Gabriel/David K*nt out of it) and some poor actors but on the whole it worked very well. Paul 'Kiss of Death' Marquess started the rot when he made Sun Hill more like downtown Baghdad or Beirut that a borough of London. There was nearly as much action in 6 months in Sun Hill that there was in 30 yrs in N. Ireland.
We can mourn The Bill and remember with fondness the good old days
Uniforms used in ITV's long-running drama The Bill have been purchased by the Metropolitan Police to stop them being acquired by criminals.
A spokesman for the London force confirmed that 400kg of clothing had been bought due to fears that people could use the items to pose as police.
Shirts, trousers and pullovers were all purchased, along with 29 body armour covers, 28 high visibility jackets, four inspector Flat Caps and 22 constable bowler hats.
The spokesman would not disclose how much the acquisition had cost, but did say that any unused items would be re-issued to serving officers.
In August, The Bill came to an end on ITV after 2,400 episodes and 26 years on air, with the final episode being watched by 4.4 million viewers.
The show had been given permission by Scotland Yard to dress its actors in genuine uniforms and equipment featuring the London force's crest.
"When the announcement was made that The Bill was to cease production, the Metropolitan Police approached the production company with a view to acquiring all used and unused items of clothing and uniform," said the Met Police spokesman.
"The purpose of this approach was to ensure that Metropolitan Police uniforms did not enter the public domain and give rise to the potential use by unauthorised persons in the commission of criminal activities."
Kiddiecop Loses her Licence
Former Chief Constable of Sun Hill Louisa Lytton has been banned from driving for 14 months after she was found guilty of drink driving.
The 22-year-old, who played Beth Green in the ITV police drama, pledged to 'live and learn' from her mistake after she was fined £350 at the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court yesterday.
Lytton, who was charged under her real name Louise, was arrested in Belgravia in the early hours of January 30 for driving with excess alcohol.
During her court appearance, Lytton was also ordered to pay £85 costs, with an offer to reduce her 14 month ban if she completes the Secretary of State-approved course.
Her manager, Daren Dixon said afterwards: 'She is very remorseful about this, and will move on. She will live and learn from it.
'She will take the course and just get on with it, she wasn't hiding from it.
'She had only had one drink and was just over the limit, but she knows that the law is the law, she understands the severity of it, and that you can't drink and drive.'
'Ahead of her appearance, she wrote on her Twitter page yesterday morning: 'In life we make mistakes... and have to deal with the consequences.'
Lytton rose to fame in 2005 playing Ruby Allen, the spoilt teenage daughter of Walford gangster Johnny Allen (Billy Murray).
After leaving EastEnders, she was partnered with Vincent Simone in the 2006 series of Strictly Come Dancing and ended up in fourth place.
She then joined the cast of The Bill as Beth in May 2007, before leaving two years later.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1356073/Louisa-Lytton-banned-wheel-14-months-convicted-drink-driving.html#ixzz1DkoNzVw5
parkerman
12-02-2011, 14:41
Does that mean she can't drive her pedal car any more?
Does that mean she can't drive her pedal car any more?
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/02/11/article-1356073-0D228A8B000005DC-888_468x746.jpg
Looks like this will be her only form of transport for the forseeable future
Chloe O'brien
22-02-2011, 12:42
She could always invest in a bus pass and use good old fashioned public transport.
parkerman
22-02-2011, 12:45
She could always invest in a bus pass and use good old fashioned public transport.
Good thinking. She could get an Under 16 pass.
Chloe O'brien
22-02-2011, 12:54
Good thinking. She could get an Under 16 pass.
I pay £29 a month for a childs bus pass for Marley.
She could always invest in a bus pass and use good old fashioned public transport.
Good thinking. She could get an Under 16 pass.
I pay £29 a month for a childs bus pass for Marley.
If she travels with a responsible adult she could get Free transport in London
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