ITV1 Network Wednesday 27 September 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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In a two-part special of The Bill, DS Phil Hunter (Scott Maslen) and DS Sam Nixon (Lisa Maxwell) head to Romania on a dangerous mission to find a missing woman and unravel a sex trafficking racket.
Sergeant June Ackland (TRUDIE GOODWIN) and PC Diane Noble (KAYE WRAGG) are shocked when a badly beaten up woman runs out in front of their patrol car. Troubled by her severe injuries, they seek to find out the identity of the victim. They soon discover that the woman, Maya Hadzic (SHEYLA SHEOVICH), is a Croat and a witness saw her escaping from a transit van. DS Stuart Turner (DOUG RAO) heads up the investigation and it becomes evident that they are investigating more than a straight-forward assault case - the transit van is traced to an address where they discover a group of trafficked women imprisoned in squalor. During a search of the house, a number of passports, including Maya’s, are found indicating that there are many more women involved.
Meanwhile, Andrei Balev (SERGE SORIC) tells Phil and Sam that he’s having second thoughts about giving evidence against people trafficker, Desislav Grubo. When Phil reminds Andrei that his chances of asylum may be affected if he’s no longer in witness protection, Andrei admits that he’s concerned for his wife, Petia. He tells them that she should have been smuggled into the country but has gone missing - he fears that she’s been snatched by Grubo and his gang. Sam gives a distraught Andrei her word that she will help him find his wife.
Phil traces the owner of the house and discovers that the landlord is a man called Radu Gilca (CONSTANTIN BARBULESCU). When questioned, Radu claims that he knows nothing about the women as his property is managed by a lettings agency. However, he becomes prime suspect when Diane comes across a video tape at the house. The tape shows a line-up of women and when Andrei translates the footage, he confirms that the women are being sold. To his horror, Andrei sees Petia on the film being assaulted by Radu. But, when Sam and Phil go to arrest Radu, they discover that he’s already fled to Bucharest. Much to their surprise, Superintendent Heaton (DANIEL FLYNN) has booked them both on the next flight to Romania. The race is on to find the missing Petia and the man who holds the key to her whereabouts…
At Sun Hill, Stuart, with the help of SOCA agent Benjamin Leesing (DANIEL PAPE), heads up the UK operation while Sam and Phil meet with Detective Inspector Bogdan (ZOLTAN BUTUC) in Romania. Bogdan fills them in on Radu’s cousin, Cezar Nastase (IOAN IONESCU), a known trafficker who his team have been investigating for months. He also introduces them to Irina Dobrescu (MIHAELA BETIU) who runs a women’s refuge and will assist with the investigation. While Sam heads off to the refuge with Irina, Phil checks out one of Nastase’s clubs. He thinks he’s spotted Radu so he enters the club posing as a sex tourist. But, when Nastase approaches, Phil can’t resist the opportunity to pose as a buyer in the market for ‘fresh meat’. Initially suspicious, Nastase soon changes his mind and agrees to sell Phil some girls that night at the market. In the meantime, he allows Phil to ‘sample’ one of the girls before he buys. Phil chooses Hajna (MONICA ANASTASE) and, when they’re alone, he tells her he’s a police officer and needs her help tracing Petia. Phil gets a lead when Hajna reconises Petia from her picture – she used to work at the club but she was sold on for being too stubborn.
Later that evening, Phil heads to the market to meet Nataste under the watchful eye of Inspector Bogdan – he is angry with Phil for butting in on his investigation but he’s also concerned for his safety. However, the sting goes horribly wrong when Nataste receives a call on his mobile and Phil’s cover is blown – it’s clear someone is tipping off their suspect. The situation gets even more dangerous for Sam and Phil when they are shot at in their car and chased through the streets of Bucharest. Now prime-targets, Sam and Phil take refuge in a small B&B where they find comfort in each other’s arms…
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ITV1 Network Thursday 28 September 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM
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spoiler:
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Following their night of passion, Detective Sergeants Phil Hunter (SCOTT MASLEN) and Sam Nixon (LISA MAXWELL) are awkward with one another as they wake up in the shabby B&B. Still in fear of their safety, they decide to ditch the car and lose themselves in the crowded streets of Bucharest. Frustrated that they keep hitting brick walls in their investigation, Phil is convinced that Bogdan (ZOLTAN BUTUC) is corrupt and responsible for blowing his cover. Unable to get a mobile signal and make contact with their colleagues at Sun Hill, Phil and Sam have to watch their backs, no longer sure who they can trust.
Back at the station, Superintendent Heaton (DANIEL FLYNN) and the team continue the UK investigation into Petia’s disappearance. A key suspect they want to trace is Marius (Julian Rivett) who is an associate of Radu Gilca (CONSTANTIN BARBULESCU). DS Stuart Turner (DOUG RAO) decides to set up a door-to-door enquiry to try and uncover any leads on his whereabouts, meanwhile, Petia’s mobile phone has been traced to East London where it’s been it dumped in some rubbish. PC Diane Noble (KAYE WRAGG) discovers that the mobile was used a couple of hours previously to call Radu’s café and when CCTV shows Marius dumping the phone, it appears as though the team have got the lead they are desperate for – Petia could be working at his brothel, they just need to find out its location.
In Romania, Sam and Phil arrive back at the hotel only to learn that there’s been a murder and Phil has been linked to the body. At the murder scene, Phil sees that the victim is Hajna, the woman who identified Petia the previous day – she’d been shot and his business card was found in her underwear. Phil accuses Bogdan of prioritising Hajna’s murder over their search for Petia and Radu while Sam updates Stuart on Hajna’s murder. Erring on the side of caution, she tells him to pass on any intelligence only through Irina Dobrescu’s (MICHAELA BETIU) office. Still suspicious of the Romanian Inspector, Phil persuades Sam to go along with Bogdan to Hajna’s post-mortem - if she’s watching him he can’t contact Nastase. During the post-mortem, Bogdan tells Sam that Nastase uses bribery and blackmail to get what he wants – he’s protected by both the police and judges.
Back at St Hugh’s, there’s a break-through with the investigation. Maya Hadzic (SHEYLA SHEOVICH), who has already identified Radu as her captor, starts to remember more details of the brothel where she used to work. At last, Stuart and the team have a lead to work with. However, Maya freaks out when she is offered a place at a refuge - she reveals that she was sent to a refuge once before after a police raid where she was then sold on to a pimp by Irina. Clearly, the kind-hearted aid worker isn’t all she seems…
Meanwhile, in Romania, Irina tells Phil that one of the girls at her refuge recognises Radu and knows the hotel where he is staying. Admitting that she hasn’t told Bogdan of this new development, Irina says she will take Sam and Phil to where Radu is, but they have to hurry. Phil calls Stuart and leaves a message updating him on the new lead. Stuart listens to the message but smells a rat when Andrei (SERGE SORIC) tells him that the hotel is in a different district to what Irina has told them. Fearing Sam and Phil are in grave danger, Stuart tries to get word to Bogdan only to be told he’s out of the office and unable to be reached.
Irina tries to fob Sam and Phil off as she drives them further out into the countryside but they realise too late that she is the mole. An unrepentant Irina delivers Phil and Sam to Nastase’s armed men who are waiting for them in deserted car park. Sam and Phil are pushed to the floor and forced, on their knees, to face each other. With guns pointed at their heads, Phil tries to keep a distraught Sam calm but their fate seems sealed. A gunshot rings out - has time run out for two of Sun Hill’s finest?
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Originally Posted by Sam Nixon Fan
Unfortunately neither of the two of them are due to leave so the question appears to be answered. Of course in real life when policemen and women are put together romance never happens
