'The Bill' cut to one episode a week

[Perdita]

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!

[Bryan]

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

[alan45]

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.

[Bryan]

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

[alan45]

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.

[Abigail]

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.

[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.

[pookie1968uk]

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!

[DaVeyWaVey]

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.

[no1abbafan]

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.