'The Bill' cut to one episode a week

ITV police drama The Bill is to have its transmission output halved to just one episode a week.

Later this year, the long-running show - based in the fictional London suburbs of Sun Hill - will be relaunched in a the post-watershed timeslot of 9pm.

The move will allow the programme's content to become 'grittier and more action-packed', while at the same time maintaining its regular character narrative and storytelling about modern-day policing.

ITV’s director of television Peter Fincham said of the move: "I'm delighted to announce The Bill's transition to a weekly 9pm drama on ITV1. It's a fantastic opportunity to take the series to another level, marking a new era for one of the most established brands on British television."

CEO Lorraine Heggessey added: "This is a huge vote of confidence from ITV in the show and is a genuine first on UK television. We are incredibly proud of the show and we look forward to embracing the new opportunities this will bring."

It has not yet been announced which night the weekly episode will air in the schedules.

In 2007, a show spokesperson denied reports that that the commercial broadcaster had imminent plans to cut the number of episodes by 50%.

Last November, The Bill celebrated its 25th anniversary with a special two-part episode produced in conjunction with German cop show counterpart SOKO Leipzig.

SBBB - Next Clue - The Dinosaurs are extinct once more!

axe it, it's had it's day. i remember the days i used to watch it every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday without fail. but it gold stale fast, there's only so much you can do with a police drama before you repeat yourself or get too OTT

Sorry Bry I have to disagree with you. Over the last couple of years the Bill has moved from strength to strength. Of course there have been some ridiculous things in it such as Kiddiecop and Gabriel/David K*nt and the tedious Samantha Smug will she or wont she love affairs, imaginary and otherwise. Overall most of the stories especially those which spanned over several episodes have been well written and acted. They have covered a wide range of topical issues from terrorism to knife crime as well as some light hearted stories involving different members of the cast. I think that moving the show to 9-00 will do as the producers hope and allow them to introduce grittier storylines although some of the recent ones have been fairly gritty.

i might watch in at 9pm slot, change a tone could be what the show needs. at least at once a week it isn't too much of a comitment to be tied down to watch it. maybe if it's just one episode a week the quality will improve

Well we will have to agree to differ then. IMHO the quality is good and moving it to 9-00pm will only improve it. I dont think the Bill tries to cater for a huge fanbase like the soaps do but rather for a specialised but very loyal audience.

The Bill at the moment is the best it has been in years. I'm slightly disappointed that we'll only have one episode a week but if it means the storylines are more hard hitting are true to life then I'm all for it.

If the quality had dropped so far then ITV would have axed the show rather than move it to a post-watershed prime time slot. Besides the soaps, I can't think of many other dramas that have run for more than 25 years.

I can remember when The Bill was a 1 episode a week at the 9pm slot and some stories were more grittier than the 8pm slot, but why can't they take off some of the other rubbish we have to suffer on tv and give us 2 episodes a week at 9pm.

i absolutely love the bill, its still one of my favourite programmes. im a bit undecided whether the 9pm slot will be better or not, will have to wait and see!

The 25th anniversary episodes were standout for me. Loved it. On the Sky Channel, Alibi they are currently repeating episodes of the Bill from 1999/2000 - those were the days!

I hope this new 9pm slot means the producers will go back to the tone we seen in the 90s and create a more grittier police procedural. I am so glad ITV are doing this. I am confident one episode a week will improve the quality and the post watershed slot will allow them to push a lot more boundaries.

I have to confess I haven't tuned into it for a couple of months, and when I sat down to watch it, I got football instead. Maybe this move will bring back more viewers (like me) - sometimes its better to go for quality not quantity, I for one will be watching.

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Originally Posted by Chloe O'brien

I can remember when The Bill was a 1 episode a week at the 9pm slot and some stories were more grittier than the 8pm slot, but why can't they take off some of the other rubbish we have to suffer on tv and give us 2 episodes a week at 9pm.

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There would be no point in taking the rubbish off as its on BBC1 three days a week:lol: and repeated on Sundays.:lol:

I agree with alan. I think The Bill maintains a very high quality and they do seem to have realised their big mistake with Kiddiecop as she is rarely in it these days. I think the recent story showing the tough side of Superintendent Heaton was excellent. I have always thought that Jack is the best copper on TV (you can keep Morse and Barnaby etc.) but the way Heaton is going he might take over!:thumbsup: Perhaps a 9:00 slot will help him even more.

I feel Im better qualified than most on here to talk about the realism of The Bill and have not been behind the door in criticising it when I felt it appropriate. Of all the current UK police drama programs I find it to be the most realistic. Of course real police work involves hours of paperwork but showing this would not make great drama hence the reason to condense the action into a few episodes. With the imminent departure of the useless kiddiecop :moonie: hopefully the Bill will improve even more and lets hope the producers do not sign any more daft characters.

Its been getting a but boring lately. i loved Reg, now he has gone :(
but maybe this could boost numbers, and make it better

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Originally Posted by jennaloulynn

Its been getting a but boring lately.

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How has it been boring. I dont understand!!!! They have had a wide range of excellent storylines recently. How would you like to see it improve?????

I don't really no why i think its boring, but heres 2 reasons
1. i go to athletics on a wednesday and never get to see it
2. a few of my fav characters have left. Eg. Reg, emma
not all of them are boring. i love the one when stevie went undercover. but the one with mel i just couldn't watch. She's was a really bad actress in that episode.

I just don't think they are as interesting as they used to be

some of the stories have been fantastic lately, i was riveted to the story where the baby was found dead for example.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jennaloulynn

I don't really no why i think its boring, but heres 2 reasons
1. i go to athletics on a wednesday and never get to see it
2. a few of my fav characters have left. Eg. Reg, emma
not all of them are boring. i love the one when stevie went undercover. but the one with mel i just couldn't watch. She's was a really bad actress in that episode.

I just don't think they are as interesting as they used to be

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Your first reason isn't a reason to think the show is boring. That's a personal choice.

Are you talking about the characters or the storylines?

I can't think of many storylines recently that have been bad or below par.

The show has become more focused on crime in recent years, rather than the personal lives of the coppers. With the exit of Phil in late 2007, we have had few stories on the private lives. When a plot has focused on a character (like the Emma/Matt), it has been done in relation to real crime eg domestic violence, rather than a love triangle or will they/won't they.