Thursday, 31 December 2009
Wednesday, 30 December 2009
The Bill Back On The Beat In Scotland?
STV has admitted it was wrong to axe popular dramas such as The Bill and will bring them back to Scottish screens in the New Year...
Read more here:
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/top-dramas-on-the-way-back-as-stv-ratings-hit-all-time-low-1.994720
Read more here:
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/top-dramas-on-the-way-back-as-stv-ratings-hit-all-time-low-1.994720
The Bill Billboard Campaign
In the month that ITV 3 have ensured that The Bill remains in the public conciousness in Scotland with a billboard campaign to highlight the show's ITV 3 catch up screenings, so STV have admitted their policy of dropping network series has backfired.
Read more here:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/2784657/ITVs-Bill-board-ads.html
Monday, 28 December 2009
On The Streets
The rest of us might have had a Happy Christmas (Season's Greetings to one and all) but part two of The Bill's festive offering just gets darker and darker - and I love it. In Scotland? Don't miss the repeat on Monday at 11pm on ITV3.
THE BILL
On The Streets - Episode 022
Tuesday 29 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
*Guest starring Ralph Ineson as Greg Simm*
Having spent the night on the streets, D.C Mickey Webb (Chris Simmons) is kicked awake by an aggressive street cleaner. Just as the cleaner is about to deliver a good kicking, Nicola McKenzie (Michelle Asante), a homeless girl Mickey has befriended, comes to his rescue.
Promising to see her later, Mickey meets D.C. Jacob Banks (Patrick Robinson) who tells him Reggie Sharp (Jay Simpson) won’t reveal who the mysterious ‘Greg’ is and why the homeless community are terrified of him. Back at the station, D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox) and Banksy head up a briefing after discovering that solicitor Jake had been volunteering in local soup kitchens in the months leading up to his death.
They also finally learn that ‘Greg’ is Greg Simm (Ralph Ineson), a local property developer with form for fraud and deception. D.C. Jo Masters (Sally Rogers) explains that Greg wanted to develop a site near the crime scene but had problems with homeless squatters.
Banksy and Jo visit Greg at work, who seems genuinely surprised by the news of Jakes death. He admits Jake wanted to meet him to talk about using some empty properties as temporary accommodation, but Greg refused. The investigation takes yet another sinister turn when elderly homeless man Lenny Wiseman (Barry McCarthy) is found dead in an alleyway by a stunned Mickey and Nicola. Is this the work of Greg...?
Later that day when Mickey and Nicola finally stumble across Reggie, the pair tell him about Lenny and Mickey persuades Reggie and Nicola to open up. They explain that Greg was responsible for Lenny losing his home and when he kicked up a fuss, Greg sent Ryan Nelson (Simon Darwen) after him.
Jake became involved when Lenny sought legal advice from him. Mickey calls Banksy to say that Ryan is linked to Jakes murder, but when the police turn up to arrest Ryan in a busy market, Nicola spots the thug and filled with rage, goes to punch him. As a brawl ensues, Mickey pulls Nicola away and the pair run off, leaving Banksy concerned by how involved Mickey is in the case.
Banksy later realises that the evidence against Nicola is mounting when he discovers she and Jake were far closer than originally thought and were due to meet the day he was murdered.
Mickey calls Banksy to see what’s happening with the investigation and is horrified to hear that Nicola is now the prime suspect and he has to bring her in. Defensive and certain she had nothing to do with Jakes murder he hangs up, much to Max’s fury. Has Mickey put his job on the line to protect a murderer...?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Patrick Homes, directed by Rob Knights and produced by Ciara McIlvenny.
Thursday, 24 December 2009
Invisible Man
A Christmas themed two-parter from The Bill this year. This first episode had the working title On The Streets Part One.
Notice the ITV1 transmission has been changed to a Tuesday.
THE BILL
Invisible Man - Episode 021
Tuesday 22 December 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
On a cold winter’s morning, D.C.’s Mickey Webb (Chris Simmons) and Jacob Banks (Patrick Robinson) stand at a Thames dockside, waiting for marine officers to offload a corpse found in the river.
They examine the body which has been in the water all night and are confused when they discover the young man is wearing designer clothes, as well as a dirty old looking coat, which is later recognised as belonging to local homeless man Reggie Sharp (Jay Simpson).
After further investigation, the body is identified as Jake Evans and D.C. Grace Dasari (Amita Dhiri) has to break the news to his devastated fiancée Susie Hughes (Amy Cudden). Susie admits that she and Jake had a huge argument a few nights before he died and when Jake broke up with her she moved in with a friend Paul Harding (Gyuri Sarossy).
Grace is convinced Susie is hiding something, but after accompanying her to the morgue to identify Jake, finally believes that she had nothing to do with his death. Grace is also interested to learn that Jake had recently started to volunteer with a local homeless shelter - but how did he end up dead, in Reggie’s coat..?
Mickey and Banksy make enquiries and soon discover that Paul, clearly in love with Susie, went to Jake’s flat the night he died. He admits they fought, but swears Jake was alive when he left.
The officers hit the streets to talk to the homeless community and although no one has seen Reggie recently, the officers discover that he’s friends with a young homeless girl, Nicola (Michelle Asante).
Mickey, having more luck than Banksy, decides to stay out on the streets to see if he can get more information. He soon befriends Nicola, who believes he’s homeless and the pair go to a church which provides food for the homeless.
As they leave the shelter, Nicola sees a thug beating up her elderly friend, Lenny (Barry McCarthy). Mickey rushes to help and after seeing off the man, gains the trust of Nicola who leads him to Reggie. As the group share some drinks, Lenny tells Reggie and Nicola that he’s heard Jake has been murdered and Reggie wonders aloud if someone called Greg is involved.
While Mickey stays out on the streets that night, he contacts Banksy to tell him where they can pick Reggie up. Reggie is taken in for questioning and assists the police by trying to recount his whereabouts on the night Jake died. When they question him about Jakes death, Reggie remains tight lipped but suggests the homeless community are of terrified someone. But who..?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Andrew Alty, directed by Rob Knights and produced by Ciara McIlvenny.
The Bill Volume Four On DVD
More nostalgia is on the way from Network DVD in 2010.
A two-disc title The Bill: Volume 4 featuring old favourites such as Eric Richard, Roger Leach and Barbara Thorn will be released on 15 March, 2010.
RRP is £19.99 but you can currently pre-order at Play.com for £12.99 and get free delivery
This Region 2 release features 30-minute format episodes from 1988 and 1989 and runs for four hours and 30 minutes (approx).
Tuesday, 22 December 2009
New Year Promo
Dial 999 and check out the future at Sun Hill. 2010 preview. Brilliant.
http://thebill.com/videos/videodetail/item_200069.htm
http://thebill.com/videos/videodetail/item_200069.htm
Monday, 21 December 2009
Unforgiven
THE BILL
Episode 012 - Unforgiven
Thursday 17 December 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1. Repeated ITV3 on Monday 21 December at 23:00
*Guest starring Pippa Haywood as Trudy Vincent. Ali Bastian’s (PC Sally Armstrong) last episode*
D.C.s Jacob Banks (Patrick Robinson) and Mickey Webb (Chris Simmons) work together to investigate the disappearance of 15 year old Saskia Fuller (Jessica Woods).
They discover that Saskia has recently been in touch with her father, Eamonn (Tony Maudsley), who was imprisoned 13 years ago for murder, but is due for release. Eamonn was an alcoholic who, after a heavy drinking session, beat Paul Vincent to death for no reason and couldn’t recall the attack the following morning.
Following all lines of enquiry, Banksy questions Paul’s widow, Trudy (Pippa Haywood) who is still bitter about her husband’s death and refuses to help the police in any way. Frustrated, Banksy visits Eamonn in prison to tell him his daughter is missing.
Eamonn is horrified and tells the D.C. that Saskia has recently been visiting him and confessed that she had a new boyfriend, Rick. Eamonn hands over Saskia’s letters to Banksy in the hope they hold clues and begs him to find his daughter.
As the investigation continues, Mickey and Banksy discover Saskia’s boyfriend ‘Rick’ to be Richard Vincent (Cary Crankson) – Trudy’s son. Has he kidnapped the teenager in order to avenge his father’s murder…?
Banksy updates Trudy who is stunned that Richard is now the main suspect and is terrified she will lose a son as well as a husband. She agrees to help by going to the station and calling Richard, begging him to turn himself in, but Richard simply hangs up.
The officers grow more concerned that he is planning to hurt Saskia and decide that Trudy is still the best person to convince Richard otherwise. Banksy is tasked with asking Trudy to visit Eamonn - if she can somehow come to terms with what happened to Paul, perhaps she can convince Richard to do the same.
Trudy reluctantly goes to the prison with Banksy but is repulsed by the thought of seeing Eamonn again. When the pair finally meet, the atmosphere is thick with tension and as Eamonn begins to offer some kind of an apology Trudy snaps and launches herself at him. Banksy jumps in to pull her away, but is more concerned than ever that they may never find Saskia...
Meanwhile, uniform, questioning the wisdom of introducing Trudie to her husband’s killer, scour the streets for the missing girl. As tensions build between uniform and CID they spot Richard and a frantic foot chase ensues. To their frustration, Richard escapes, and they re-double their efforts.
Later that day, Richard is finally arrested. In the interview room, Banksy uses all of his skills to try and persuade Richard, who is still grief-stricken and angry, to reveal Saskia’s whereabouts. Will he confess, or is it too late for him and for Saskia?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Roger Gartland, directed by Nigel Douglas and produced by Ciara McIlvenny.
Wednesday, 16 December 2009
Twist Of Fate
The Bill
Epsiode 023 - Twist of Fate
Thursday 10 December 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1. Repeated ITV3 on Monday 14 December at 23:00
*Guest starring Ian Kelsey as Brendan Newlyn*
In a Soho brothel, D.C. Grace Dasari (Amita Dhiri) faces Kathy Merrill (Jessica Harris) who has Martin Taft (Tim Plester) tied to a chair, with a knife held to his throat. Kathy screams that she reported her sister Lisa missing six months ago and that Grace did nothing to find her.
Kathy went undercover after finding out Lisa had become a prostitute and discovered that Martin was an obsessed client of hers. Kathy is certain he knows what happened to Lisa but is finally convinced by Grace to put the knife down and let the police officer do her job.
Back at the station, Grace tries to convince her colleagues that she did everything she could with the evidence available at the time. She explains that after Kathy and Lisa’s mother died, Lisa’s life spiralled out of control, resulting in an abortion at 16 and a heroin addiction.
Grace had discovered Lisa had been clean for a while and assumed she’d left London to start a new life. However, when a body is found in a woodland area Lisa liked to visit, Grace and D.C. Jo Masters (Sally Rogers) are forced to visit Kathy and her father Steve (Michael Bertenshaw).
The pair are devastated when they identify Lisa’s belongings and Grace swears she won’t rest until she discovers what happened to Lisa...
As the investigation continues, the evidence against Martin begins to mount, leaving Grace in no doubt that he was the last person to see Lisa alive. Grace visits Kathy at home to tell her Martin is being charged with her sister’s murder and apologises for not investigating more thoroughly in the first place.
As they talk, Kathy shows Grace some pictures of Lisa that were found in her bag and the detective realises that two photos are missing from the developed roll.
Back at the station, Grace gets them developed and discovers the missing pictures are of Lisa and her school teacher, Brendan Newlyn (Ian Kelsey), who helped them previously with their enquiries.
Grace and Jo dig deeper and discover that Brendan was having an affair with Lisa and he was the father of the baby she aborted. Brendan is brought in for questioning where he admits to the affair and the fact that he left her in the woods the night she died, after a huge argument.
Grace becomes so furious that D.I. Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel) is just about to pull her out of the interview room when Brendan finally cracks and reveals what really happened the night Lisa died...
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Steve Bailie, directed by Tim Leandro and produced by Ciara McIlvenny.
Tackling Bad Guys - That’s Life For Amita
Well, with Collision and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here finally over, a sense of normality returns to the weekly schedules with the reappearance of The Bill.
Last week I caught up with actress Amita Dhiri aka DC Grace Dasari, the other day to chat about Twist Of Fate. You can find the interview, which was originally published in the Edinburgh Evening News below.
Also, the following titles have been confirmed for the first two episodes of The Bill in 2010: 07.01.10 (ITV3 11.01.09) Be A Man and 14.01.09 (ITV3 18.01.09) Held Responsible
TACKLING BAD GUYS - THAT’S LIFE FOR AMITA
BALLET, not ‘the beat’ was Amita Dhiri’s first love. The 41-year-old who made her name in the BBC drama This Life and is today best known as DC Grace Dasari in The Bill, laughs as she recalls, “I always wanted to be a dancer, but my one defining moment came while walking behind one of my classmates on the way to ballet class, at eight o’clock in the morning.
“She was eating two Big Macs for breakfast and was as thin as a twig. I had a Ryvita in my hand and I just thought, ‘You know what? This is a battle I can never win. I’m never going to be thin enough or long-legged enough to win this one’. That was where my dreams died.”
Instead, Dhiri set her sights on being an actor and in 2007 joined the long-running police drama as the ever calm DC Dasari. However, in tonight’s episode, she finds herself dancing to a very different tune.
Twist Of Fate sees Dasari called to a Soho brothel, where she discovers a woman holding a knife to the throat of a man tied to a chair. The woman tells Dasari that after she reported her sister missing, Sun Hill CID did nothing. By going undercover herself, the woman has discovered that her sister had become a prostitute... the bound man is an obsessed client who she believes knows what happened to her sister.
“Grace is normally very cool, calm and collected, but in this one she kind of losses it a bit,” reveals Dhiri. “Normally she is the one who double checks everything. She doesn’t make mistakes. In this episode she realises that she may have made a mistake and that it is going to cost her dearly.
“Grace had dealt with the missing person case six months earlier and treated it as just another adult who had decided to just move on. She had done her work thoroughly, but not thoroughly enough for the woman holding the hostage. As the story develops, Grace realises that there is more she could have done.”
The episode, marks the return of The Bill to its new Scottish post-watershed slot on ITV3, after a break of four weeks. Dhiri is a fan of the new scheduling.
“We have always dealt with hard hitting issues but now I think we can afford to be a little sparer... we don’t need to be as gentle with our audiences. At eight o’clock you maybe had to explain it more frequently and underline things a little more often.
After the watershed you have an audience who have already put the kids to bed, put the dishes in the dishwasher and are ready to sit down with a cup of tea and concentrate. They are with you in quite a thorough way, so instead of having to keep reiterating things, you have to keep up with them and make sure you that you are not too slow for them.”
The new approach also allows writers to develop the regulars as more fully formed characters.
“You definitely see a different side to Grace in this episode,” agrees Dhiri. “You see that she doesn’t cope very well with having holes picked in her procedure and how she does thing. Although she doesn’t run away from the problem, there are a couple of moments when you do see that she is not as in control as you expect her to be.”
So, with two and a half years of pounding the Sun Hill beat now on her service record and an insight into the life of a CID officer, could Dhiri do the job for real?
“Oh God. I don’t know if I could,” she admits candidly. “I have absolute admiration for the police, but I think they deal with such difficult subjects that I don’t know if I could. The more I learn about what they have to do the more I am in awe of what them.”
The Bill: Twist of Fate, ITV3, tonight, 11pm.
Last week I caught up with actress Amita Dhiri aka DC Grace Dasari, the other day to chat about Twist Of Fate. You can find the interview, which was originally published in the Edinburgh Evening News below.
Also, the following titles have been confirmed for the first two episodes of The Bill in 2010: 07.01.10 (ITV3 11.01.09) Be A Man and 14.01.09 (ITV3 18.01.09) Held Responsible
TACKLING BAD GUYS - THAT’S LIFE FOR AMITA
BALLET, not ‘the beat’ was Amita Dhiri’s first love. The 41-year-old who made her name in the BBC drama This Life and is today best known as DC Grace Dasari in The Bill, laughs as she recalls, “I always wanted to be a dancer, but my one defining moment came while walking behind one of my classmates on the way to ballet class, at eight o’clock in the morning.
“She was eating two Big Macs for breakfast and was as thin as a twig. I had a Ryvita in my hand and I just thought, ‘You know what? This is a battle I can never win. I’m never going to be thin enough or long-legged enough to win this one’. That was where my dreams died.”
Instead, Dhiri set her sights on being an actor and in 2007 joined the long-running police drama as the ever calm DC Dasari. However, in tonight’s episode, she finds herself dancing to a very different tune.
Twist Of Fate sees Dasari called to a Soho brothel, where she discovers a woman holding a knife to the throat of a man tied to a chair. The woman tells Dasari that after she reported her sister missing, Sun Hill CID did nothing. By going undercover herself, the woman has discovered that her sister had become a prostitute... the bound man is an obsessed client who she believes knows what happened to her sister.
“Grace is normally very cool, calm and collected, but in this one she kind of losses it a bit,” reveals Dhiri. “Normally she is the one who double checks everything. She doesn’t make mistakes. In this episode she realises that she may have made a mistake and that it is going to cost her dearly.
“Grace had dealt with the missing person case six months earlier and treated it as just another adult who had decided to just move on. She had done her work thoroughly, but not thoroughly enough for the woman holding the hostage. As the story develops, Grace realises that there is more she could have done.”
The episode, marks the return of The Bill to its new Scottish post-watershed slot on ITV3, after a break of four weeks. Dhiri is a fan of the new scheduling.
“We have always dealt with hard hitting issues but now I think we can afford to be a little sparer... we don’t need to be as gentle with our audiences. At eight o’clock you maybe had to explain it more frequently and underline things a little more often.
After the watershed you have an audience who have already put the kids to bed, put the dishes in the dishwasher and are ready to sit down with a cup of tea and concentrate. They are with you in quite a thorough way, so instead of having to keep reiterating things, you have to keep up with them and make sure you that you are not too slow for them.”
The new approach also allows writers to develop the regulars as more fully formed characters.
“You definitely see a different side to Grace in this episode,” agrees Dhiri. “You see that she doesn’t cope very well with having holes picked in her procedure and how she does thing. Although she doesn’t run away from the problem, there are a couple of moments when you do see that she is not as in control as you expect her to be.”
So, with two and a half years of pounding the Sun Hill beat now on her service record and an insight into the life of a CID officer, could Dhiri do the job for real?
“Oh God. I don’t know if I could,” she admits candidly. “I have absolute admiration for the police, but I think they deal with such difficult subjects that I don’t know if I could. The more I learn about what they have to do the more I am in awe of what them.”
The Bill: Twist of Fate, ITV3, tonight, 11pm.
Monday, 2 November 2009
Show Of Force
THE BILL
Show of Force: Episode 016
Thursday 29 October 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 30 October at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 2 November at 23:00
After repeated calls from concerned shop owner Angie Burgess (Charlotte Palmer), Inspector Smith (Alex Walkinshaw) leads his troops in a raid on the Manley Road estate which has become a hotbed of criminal activity.
The key objective is to bring down the central drug dealer, Dave Clayton (Jimmy Akingbola), who is destroying the local community.
While some officers raid flats to retrieve stolen goods and small time drug dealers, others force their way into brothels. However, Smithy and his team need to get Clayton if they’re to clean up the estate for good.
Following surveillance, the officers know that Dave has taken delivery of a large quantity of drugs but when Smithy goes to arrest him at his flat, the drugs have vanished. Has the raid all been for nothing?
In an attempt to gain the help and trust of the local community, Smithy holds a meeting with the hostile residents. The only person to make a stand is shopkeeper Angie who tells the residents they need to stand up to Dave and help the police.
Dave and his younger brother Benny (Eric Abrefa) enter the meeting and silence fills the room. Angie says she’s not afraid of him and will do what she can to get him off the estate as her mortified teenage daughter Steph (Lia Saville) runs out of the meeting.
The investigation takes an unexpected turn when CCTV footage reveals that it was Angie who stole the drugs from Dave’s flat. Smithy confronts Angie and she admits she took matters into her own hands and got rid of the drugs to stop Dave dealing.
As Angie explains her actions, Smithy gets word that her daughter has been found stabbed in an alleyway. Evidence strongly suggests that the suspect is Benny, but when Smithy arrests him, the Inspector is convinced he’s covering for someone else.
Can Smithy and his officers uncover the suspect and regain control of Manley Road in the process?
After an exhausting day, Smithy is stunned when P.C. Tony Stamp (Graham Cole) tells him that he has accepted a new job offer as Advanced Driving Police Instructor at Hendon and is set to leave Sun Hill…
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Julian Perkins, directed by Paul Wroblewski and produced by James Hall.
Show of Force: Episode 016
Thursday 29 October 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 30 October at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 2 November at 23:00
After repeated calls from concerned shop owner Angie Burgess (Charlotte Palmer), Inspector Smith (Alex Walkinshaw) leads his troops in a raid on the Manley Road estate which has become a hotbed of criminal activity.
The key objective is to bring down the central drug dealer, Dave Clayton (Jimmy Akingbola), who is destroying the local community.
While some officers raid flats to retrieve stolen goods and small time drug dealers, others force their way into brothels. However, Smithy and his team need to get Clayton if they’re to clean up the estate for good.
Following surveillance, the officers know that Dave has taken delivery of a large quantity of drugs but when Smithy goes to arrest him at his flat, the drugs have vanished. Has the raid all been for nothing?
In an attempt to gain the help and trust of the local community, Smithy holds a meeting with the hostile residents. The only person to make a stand is shopkeeper Angie who tells the residents they need to stand up to Dave and help the police.
Dave and his younger brother Benny (Eric Abrefa) enter the meeting and silence fills the room. Angie says she’s not afraid of him and will do what she can to get him off the estate as her mortified teenage daughter Steph (Lia Saville) runs out of the meeting.
The investigation takes an unexpected turn when CCTV footage reveals that it was Angie who stole the drugs from Dave’s flat. Smithy confronts Angie and she admits she took matters into her own hands and got rid of the drugs to stop Dave dealing.
As Angie explains her actions, Smithy gets word that her daughter has been found stabbed in an alleyway. Evidence strongly suggests that the suspect is Benny, but when Smithy arrests him, the Inspector is convinced he’s covering for someone else.
Can Smithy and his officers uncover the suspect and regain control of Manley Road in the process?
After an exhausting day, Smithy is stunned when P.C. Tony Stamp (Graham Cole) tells him that he has accepted a new job offer as Advanced Driving Police Instructor at Hendon and is set to leave Sun Hill…
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Julian Perkins, directed by Paul Wroblewski and produced by James Hall.
U-Turn?
The following was reported in the Scottish Sun (19.10.09)
STV Chief executive Rob Woodward, defending his decision to drop ratings winners such as The Bill: “Our documentaries on Susan Boyle, John Hartson, the Made in Scotland and Scotland Revealed series all out-performed the network.”
Programmes chief Bobby Hain, in the same article: “Would we consider The Bill in the future? Yes, we’re open-minded.”
Confused? or should be watching for a u-turn?
STV Chief executive Rob Woodward, defending his decision to drop ratings winners such as The Bill: “Our documentaries on Susan Boyle, John Hartson, the Made in Scotland and Scotland Revealed series all out-performed the network.”
Programmes chief Bobby Hain, in the same article: “Would we consider The Bill in the future? Yes, we’re open-minded.”
Confused? or should be watching for a u-turn?
Monday, 26 October 2009
Dominic Power on being PC Leon Taylor
MORE POWER TO DOMINIC ON SUN HILL BEAT
By Liam Rudden
Edinburgh Evening News
Published Saturday 24 October
HE’S Sun Hill’s most enigmatic copper but the layers are about to be peeled away from The Bill’s PC Leon Taylor and actor Dominic Power can’t wait.
“When I joined the show they had given him a back-story: His girlfriend had died in a road traffic accident and the driver responsible had never been caught. So there’s a lot unresolved with Leon. He has a lot of contradictions, for example, he’s a team player but he also loves his own company.
“He came to Sun Hill because he wanted a busier station to take his mind off the grief, but he’s still not over it. Now the new later slot we’re are able to start exploring those issues.”
The clues that life is about to change for Taylor were planted in last week’s episode when he found himself on the brink of becoming romantically involved with Prison Officer and in Monday’s episode he finds himself becoming emotionally involved in a case of suspected child abuse.
A father of two himself, Power says, “I’m pretty good with kids on set and most of the story-lines they have given me have involved a child. As I’ve got children it’s not hard to get empathy but the way I associate that to Leon is with the thought that if his girlfriend hadn’t died, he probably would have had kids by now or be thinking about having a family.”
PC Leon Taylor made his debut in the long running series 18 months ago but Power himself is a veteran of the show having appeared in many guises over the last 12 years, including as another copper, PC Pete Warner.
“I’d actually done six or seven guest roles but never had the inkling that I would ever become permanent,” he confesses. “When I played PC Warner it was Scott Neil’s first episode as PC Luke Ashton. I already knew Scott and I remember being very jealous of him being a regular.”
With all that previous experience under his belt you’d be forgiven for believing that the 36-year-old would have been a natural shoe-in when producers decided to freshen the show up with new characters. Not so. He had to audition like everyone else.
He recalls, “The producers decided to do a series of casting sessions in a way that they hadn’t done before... using improvisation. They didn’t know what sort of police officer they wanted so they brought in a group of 20 actors. We were all different sexes, sizes, shapes and colours. When we went in they said, ‘We don’t have an idea of what we want... you bring something to the table’.
“Now I trained in improvisation for six years, so being asked to audition for something through the medium of improvisation was good and I obviously excelled to the point that, three sessions later I got the job.”
As those sessions progressed Power found himself getting into the mind-set of a police constable.
“You draw on what you know from your subconscious,” he explains. “Everyone has met a policeman before, what always fascinated me was the way they behave towards the general public and then how they suddenly take away that mask in each others company. That’s the mystery of the uniform. That status. You can ask a stereotypical policeman directions and they can spend 30 seconds giving you those directions without actually making eye contact.
“Anyway, by the point I put on the uniform for the second time, which was at the third audition, I was thinking, ‘My God, if I don’t get this job I’m going to be really peeved’. By then I was striding down the corridor and felt that I had already taken possession of the environment. When Angela Grosnover, the casting director, passed me and said, ‘You look very natural in that uniform. It really suits you,’ I kind of knew what she meant. I felt it suited me.”
One of the ‘Old Bill’ to make the biggest impact on Power when he joined the series was Graham Cole alias PC Tony Stamp, who bows out of the show after almost 25 years next month.
“Graham was on holidays when I started so it was a while before I met him, but he already had this big presence without even being in the building. By the day he turned up I’d heard so many nice things about him that suddenly it did feel like a bit of an honour being in the same scene as him. Especially as I was going, ‘Wow! I watched you as a youngster and now I’m stood next to you chasing the bad guys.”
PC Stamp’s final episode will be screened on ITV3 on 9 November and Power reveals filming it was emotional for everyone.
“Myself, Ben Richards who plays PC Nate Roberts, and a few of the cast and crew had finished earlier on his last day, but we hung around and watched him shoot his last scene which was right at the end of the day,” he says, adding, “He didn’t know, but we were watching each take on the monitor in the back room as it was filmed. It was really lovely because you did feel you were watching a bit of TV history in the making.”
However, as one well loved character bows out, viewers can look forward to discovering that bit more about another, although Power hopes that the producers don’t let PC Leon Taylor settle down too quickly.
“Having that enigmatic side to him he’s a lot of fun to play. It’d be nice to keep that because there is something potentially quite self destructive about Leon and unless something positive happens to him I think that self destruction could happen. Those parts are always the best to play.
The Bill: That’s Love For You, Monday, 11pm, ITV3
By Liam Rudden
Edinburgh Evening News
Published Saturday 24 October
HE’S Sun Hill’s most enigmatic copper but the layers are about to be peeled away from The Bill’s PC Leon Taylor and actor Dominic Power can’t wait.
“When I joined the show they had given him a back-story: His girlfriend had died in a road traffic accident and the driver responsible had never been caught. So there’s a lot unresolved with Leon. He has a lot of contradictions, for example, he’s a team player but he also loves his own company.
“He came to Sun Hill because he wanted a busier station to take his mind off the grief, but he’s still not over it. Now the new later slot we’re are able to start exploring those issues.”
The clues that life is about to change for Taylor were planted in last week’s episode when he found himself on the brink of becoming romantically involved with Prison Officer and in Monday’s episode he finds himself becoming emotionally involved in a case of suspected child abuse.
A father of two himself, Power says, “I’m pretty good with kids on set and most of the story-lines they have given me have involved a child. As I’ve got children it’s not hard to get empathy but the way I associate that to Leon is with the thought that if his girlfriend hadn’t died, he probably would have had kids by now or be thinking about having a family.”
PC Leon Taylor made his debut in the long running series 18 months ago but Power himself is a veteran of the show having appeared in many guises over the last 12 years, including as another copper, PC Pete Warner.
“I’d actually done six or seven guest roles but never had the inkling that I would ever become permanent,” he confesses. “When I played PC Warner it was Scott Neil’s first episode as PC Luke Ashton. I already knew Scott and I remember being very jealous of him being a regular.”
With all that previous experience under his belt you’d be forgiven for believing that the 36-year-old would have been a natural shoe-in when producers decided to freshen the show up with new characters. Not so. He had to audition like everyone else.
He recalls, “The producers decided to do a series of casting sessions in a way that they hadn’t done before... using improvisation. They didn’t know what sort of police officer they wanted so they brought in a group of 20 actors. We were all different sexes, sizes, shapes and colours. When we went in they said, ‘We don’t have an idea of what we want... you bring something to the table’.
“Now I trained in improvisation for six years, so being asked to audition for something through the medium of improvisation was good and I obviously excelled to the point that, three sessions later I got the job.”
As those sessions progressed Power found himself getting into the mind-set of a police constable.
“You draw on what you know from your subconscious,” he explains. “Everyone has met a policeman before, what always fascinated me was the way they behave towards the general public and then how they suddenly take away that mask in each others company. That’s the mystery of the uniform. That status. You can ask a stereotypical policeman directions and they can spend 30 seconds giving you those directions without actually making eye contact.
“Anyway, by the point I put on the uniform for the second time, which was at the third audition, I was thinking, ‘My God, if I don’t get this job I’m going to be really peeved’. By then I was striding down the corridor and felt that I had already taken possession of the environment. When Angela Grosnover, the casting director, passed me and said, ‘You look very natural in that uniform. It really suits you,’ I kind of knew what she meant. I felt it suited me.”
One of the ‘Old Bill’ to make the biggest impact on Power when he joined the series was Graham Cole alias PC Tony Stamp, who bows out of the show after almost 25 years next month.
“Graham was on holidays when I started so it was a while before I met him, but he already had this big presence without even being in the building. By the day he turned up I’d heard so many nice things about him that suddenly it did feel like a bit of an honour being in the same scene as him. Especially as I was going, ‘Wow! I watched you as a youngster and now I’m stood next to you chasing the bad guys.”
PC Stamp’s final episode will be screened on ITV3 on 9 November and Power reveals filming it was emotional for everyone.
“Myself, Ben Richards who plays PC Nate Roberts, and a few of the cast and crew had finished earlier on his last day, but we hung around and watched him shoot his last scene which was right at the end of the day,” he says, adding, “He didn’t know, but we were watching each take on the monitor in the back room as it was filmed. It was really lovely because you did feel you were watching a bit of TV history in the making.”
However, as one well loved character bows out, viewers can look forward to discovering that bit more about another, although Power hopes that the producers don’t let PC Leon Taylor settle down too quickly.
“Having that enigmatic side to him he’s a lot of fun to play. It’d be nice to keep that because there is something potentially quite self destructive about Leon and unless something positive happens to him I think that self destruction could happen. Those parts are always the best to play.
The Bill: That’s Love For You, Monday, 11pm, ITV3
Friday, 23 October 2009
Book Beat
A MONTH ago a friend asked if I’d ghost-write her autobiography. A challenge then. Could I possibly write someone else’s story and convince the reader I was them? In the interest of research I picked up a copy On The Beat: My Story by Graham Cole.
Cole has spent the best past of a quarter of century playing PC Stamp in The Bill – his last episode goes out later this month, and it’s safe to say that he wasn’t too happy about the decision. Cole’s story is a personal romp. From a his days working the holiday camps, through his time as various Doctor Who monsters to pounding the beat with the real police, his book in a real page turner. In fact, I read it from cover to cover one lazy Sunday.
What struck me about the book was the that Cole himself was obviously recalling his past adventures. His way of expressing himself quite unique. His eye-witness accounts of darker moments such as the attempted suicide of one of his Bill co-stars and the loss of his father were touching. His ire are being let go was still raw.
His desire to contribute to society almost overpowering. Could anyone else have captured his directness?
An acquaintance has in the past ghosted two such showbiz books, he told me of hours spent interviewing the subjects and then hours more spent transcribing their memories into memorable adventures that the would have the reader hooked. I read one of them, the spark of authenticity evident in Cole’s book was replaced by the gloss of the wordsmith, the celeb’s character diluted. That, I guess, is the pit fall a ghost-writer must avoid.
On The Beat: My Story by Graham Cole, Splendid Books, Hardback £17.99
Cole has spent the best past of a quarter of century playing PC Stamp in The Bill – his last episode goes out later this month, and it’s safe to say that he wasn’t too happy about the decision. Cole’s story is a personal romp. From a his days working the holiday camps, through his time as various Doctor Who monsters to pounding the beat with the real police, his book in a real page turner. In fact, I read it from cover to cover one lazy Sunday.
What struck me about the book was the that Cole himself was obviously recalling his past adventures. His way of expressing himself quite unique. His eye-witness accounts of darker moments such as the attempted suicide of one of his Bill co-stars and the loss of his father were touching. His ire are being let go was still raw.
His desire to contribute to society almost overpowering. Could anyone else have captured his directness?
An acquaintance has in the past ghosted two such showbiz books, he told me of hours spent interviewing the subjects and then hours more spent transcribing their memories into memorable adventures that the would have the reader hooked. I read one of them, the spark of authenticity evident in Cole’s book was replaced by the gloss of the wordsmith, the celeb’s character diluted. That, I guess, is the pit fall a ghost-writer must avoid.
On The Beat: My Story by Graham Cole, Splendid Books, Hardback £17.99
Mike Burnside - D.A.C. Hicks
I HAD the opportunity to chat with Mike Burnside the other day. Best known to viewers of The Bill as D.A.C. Hicks, a role he played for nine years on and off.
Those listed on IMDB include: Something to Remember (27 September 1990), Grief (1 January 1991), Start to Finish (5 February 1991), The Public Interest (7 March 1991), Saints and Martyrs (14 May 1991), Initiative (20 June 1991), Targets (4 July 1991), Done Is Done (27 January 1995), Deeds of Mercy (28 April 1995), Merrily on High (24 December 1996), Twanky (22 December 1997), Up for Trouble (23 June 1998), King of the Road (4 August 1998) and Good Relations (13 July 1999).
Here’s what he had to say about his time on the show.
“It’s amazing to think that I was in The Bill for nine years, but of course I wasn’t in it all the time. I just used to pop in and out of it, which was really a very nice job. I loved it actually.
“In the very first one I did, Andrew Paul, who played PC Quinan, was to be given an award for bravery and they had to have a senior officer to do that. So it was all set in another place... it was supposed to be the Headquarters of the MET.
“The then Executive Producer, who was really the boss, was a man called Michael Chapman, and he quite liked what I was doing in that episode and he called me in and said, ‘Look, I think we can use you quite a lot. Are you interested?’ I said I was.
“So they built two or three stories around the character, which was lovely. I don’t know how many I did, but there were a lot of them over a long period of time.
“I think what Michael wanted to do in those days was to make Sun Hill part of a bigger scene. That was often talked about and at that time Sun Hill had the feel of the Metropolitan police being all around it. In a sense it has drifted away from that over the years and become inward-looking. The stories are now critically about the force working at Sun Hill.”
Mike Burnside is currently playing the roles of Mr Porter and Mr Gryce in the national tour of Kes catch it at the following venues: 27-31 October, Edinburgh King’s Theatre/2-7 November, Oxford Playhouse/10-14 November, Bradford Alhambra Theatre/17-21 November, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre/24-28 November, Cardiff New Theatre.
Those listed on IMDB include: Something to Remember (27 September 1990), Grief (1 January 1991), Start to Finish (5 February 1991), The Public Interest (7 March 1991), Saints and Martyrs (14 May 1991), Initiative (20 June 1991), Targets (4 July 1991), Done Is Done (27 January 1995), Deeds of Mercy (28 April 1995), Merrily on High (24 December 1996), Twanky (22 December 1997), Up for Trouble (23 June 1998), King of the Road (4 August 1998) and Good Relations (13 July 1999).
Here’s what he had to say about his time on the show.
“It’s amazing to think that I was in The Bill for nine years, but of course I wasn’t in it all the time. I just used to pop in and out of it, which was really a very nice job. I loved it actually.
“In the very first one I did, Andrew Paul, who played PC Quinan, was to be given an award for bravery and they had to have a senior officer to do that. So it was all set in another place... it was supposed to be the Headquarters of the MET.
“The then Executive Producer, who was really the boss, was a man called Michael Chapman, and he quite liked what I was doing in that episode and he called me in and said, ‘Look, I think we can use you quite a lot. Are you interested?’ I said I was.
“So they built two or three stories around the character, which was lovely. I don’t know how many I did, but there were a lot of them over a long period of time.
“I think what Michael wanted to do in those days was to make Sun Hill part of a bigger scene. That was often talked about and at that time Sun Hill had the feel of the Metropolitan police being all around it. In a sense it has drifted away from that over the years and become inward-looking. The stories are now critically about the force working at Sun Hill.”
Mike Burnside is currently playing the roles of Mr Porter and Mr Gryce in the national tour of Kes catch it at the following venues: 27-31 October, Edinburgh King’s Theatre/2-7 November, Oxford Playhouse/10-14 November, Bradford Alhambra Theatre/17-21 November, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre/24-28 November, Cardiff New Theatre.
That’s Love For You
THE BILL
That’s Love For You: Episode 014
Thursday 22 October 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 23 October at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 26 October at 23:00
P.C.s Leon Taylor (Dominic Power) and Nate Roberts (Ben Richards) are driving through an estate when a car speeds past them, leaving Lily Wright (Lauren Taylor) on the ground, screaming that her baby Chelsea has been taken.
Lily tells the officers that she had secured Chelsea in the back of the car and when she turned her back for a second, someone jumped in and drove off. When the car is later found with Chelsea and the suspect missing, Inspector Smith (Alex Walkinshaw) arrives at Lily’s flat to break the news to her and Chelsea’s father, Gavin Downey (Roland Manookian), who storms out.
The suspect is soon uncovered as drug addict Danny Grant (Jude Owusu Achiaw), who is eventually found badly beaten in a squat, with no sign of Chelsea. While Danny is taken to hospital, Leon and Nate drive around the local area, desperately searching for the baby and are surprised when they spot Gavin who says he’s had an anonymous tip off that Chelsea is in a nearby alleyway.
Leon is suspicious, but heads to the alley with Gavin and Nate where they find a screaming, distressed Chelsea, still strapped into her car seat, covered in bruises. Back at the station, Danny admits to stealing the car with the aim of selling it, but swears he didn’t know Chelsea was in the back until after he’d driven away.
However, he’s genuinely stunned when the officers ask him about the multiple bruising found on Chelsea and swears that she had the bruises when he took the car...
Leon and Nate head to Gavin and Lily’s house to talk to them about Chelsea’s bruising but Gavin, furious at their apparent accusations, says that he’s taking Chelsea to the park while a nervous Lily attempts to convince to him to stay.
Once Gavin has left the flat, Leon gently asks Lily about her daughters’ injuries, but she clams up and asks them to go, leaving the officers in no doubt that Gavin is abusing Chelsea. As the case develops, evidence proves that it was Gavin who beat up Danny after working out he had stolen the car.
As Leon grows more frustrated by the lack of solid evidence concerning Gavin’s abuse against Chelsea, he decides to take matters into his own hands and arrests Gavin for the assault against Danny. However, when he finds Gavin drunk in a pub, he is horrified to find the baby on the floor of a back room, playing in broken glass. Back at the station, Smithy berates Leon for handling the situation badly, but is as determined as his officer to see justice for Chelsea...
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Clive Dawson, directed by Reza Moradi and produced by James Hall.
That’s Love For You: Episode 014
Thursday 22 October 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 23 October at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 26 October at 23:00
P.C.s Leon Taylor (Dominic Power) and Nate Roberts (Ben Richards) are driving through an estate when a car speeds past them, leaving Lily Wright (Lauren Taylor) on the ground, screaming that her baby Chelsea has been taken.
Lily tells the officers that she had secured Chelsea in the back of the car and when she turned her back for a second, someone jumped in and drove off. When the car is later found with Chelsea and the suspect missing, Inspector Smith (Alex Walkinshaw) arrives at Lily’s flat to break the news to her and Chelsea’s father, Gavin Downey (Roland Manookian), who storms out.
The suspect is soon uncovered as drug addict Danny Grant (Jude Owusu Achiaw), who is eventually found badly beaten in a squat, with no sign of Chelsea. While Danny is taken to hospital, Leon and Nate drive around the local area, desperately searching for the baby and are surprised when they spot Gavin who says he’s had an anonymous tip off that Chelsea is in a nearby alleyway.
Leon is suspicious, but heads to the alley with Gavin and Nate where they find a screaming, distressed Chelsea, still strapped into her car seat, covered in bruises. Back at the station, Danny admits to stealing the car with the aim of selling it, but swears he didn’t know Chelsea was in the back until after he’d driven away.
However, he’s genuinely stunned when the officers ask him about the multiple bruising found on Chelsea and swears that she had the bruises when he took the car...
Leon and Nate head to Gavin and Lily’s house to talk to them about Chelsea’s bruising but Gavin, furious at their apparent accusations, says that he’s taking Chelsea to the park while a nervous Lily attempts to convince to him to stay.
Once Gavin has left the flat, Leon gently asks Lily about her daughters’ injuries, but she clams up and asks them to go, leaving the officers in no doubt that Gavin is abusing Chelsea. As the case develops, evidence proves that it was Gavin who beat up Danny after working out he had stolen the car.
As Leon grows more frustrated by the lack of solid evidence concerning Gavin’s abuse against Chelsea, he decides to take matters into his own hands and arrests Gavin for the assault against Danny. However, when he finds Gavin drunk in a pub, he is horrified to find the baby on the floor of a back room, playing in broken glass. Back at the station, Smithy berates Leon for handling the situation badly, but is as determined as his officer to see justice for Chelsea...
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Clive Dawson, directed by Reza Moradi and produced by James Hall.
Monday, 12 October 2009
In The Know
THE BILL
In the Know: Episode 013
Thursday 15 October 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 16 October at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 19 October at 23:00
*Guest starring Gemma Atkinson as Ria Crossley*
D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox) is taking surveillance photos of Mark Wilson (Daniel Caren) who is seen arguing with Josie Hibbert (Kirsty Mitchell) when he witnesses an off duty P.C. Leon Taylor (Dominic Power) intervening.
Back at the station, Max discusses the case with D.C. Grace Dasari (Amita Dhiri) and D.I. Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel), who think they should investigate further before talking to Leon.
The team soon uncover that Josie is a prison officer at Longmarsh where Shaun Wilson (Alistair Barton), Marks brother, is serving time for drug related offences. As the investigation develops, the officers discover that Mark is forcing Shaun’s girlfriend, Ria Crossley (Gemma Atkinson), to smuggle a phone into Longmarsh.
Max follows Ria to Josie’s house where she forces the phone into the prison officer’s hand before leaving. The Sergeant is shocked when a few minutes later, Leon also leaves the house…
At the station, Max confronts Leon about his involvement with Josie but the P.C. insists they’re just friends and has no idea what the earlier altercations with Mark or Ria were about. Convinced that Josie is being forced to smuggle the phone into prison and aware that Shaun is planning a murder, Max tells Leon they need to bug the phone and persuade Josie to take it in. Leon is reluctant, but meets Josie who explains this is the first time Mark has asked her to smuggle something in for Shaun.
Although terrified of the Wilson brothers and what they could do to both her and her young son, she decides not to take the phone in.
Desperate, Leon is forced to tell the truth and begs her to take the phone… Max is furious that Leon has told Josie about the operation and convinced she will compromise the case, he visits her in prison. She admits to meeting up with Ria a couple of times outside of work after talking to her during one of Ria’s prison visits: Ria saw her as someone she could confide in about her volatile relationship with Shaun.
They are interrupted by an altercation in the prison visiting room where Shaun has attacked Ria. Outside the prison, Max catches up with her and Ria explains she has just broken up with Shaun, who clearly didn’t take it well.
Max takes her back to the station where she admits Shaun was violent, jealous and controlling. Grace, concerned for Ria offers her a contact card and support before she leaves the station.
As the case continues, Max and Grace listen in on Shaun’s phone calls to his brother and realise that he’s planning a hit and Ria is the target…
Realising that Ria has gone to Josie’s, armed officers flee to her house, with Leon following closely behind. As cars and police surround the house, Leon is horrified to hear two gun shots ring out. Mark eventually opens the front door and drops the gun before being quickly arrested, but are they too late…?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV.
This episode was written by Frank Rickarby, directed by Tim Leandro and produced by Ciara McIlvenny.
In the Know: Episode 013
Thursday 15 October 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 16 October at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 19 October at 23:00
*Guest starring Gemma Atkinson as Ria Crossley*
D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox) is taking surveillance photos of Mark Wilson (Daniel Caren) who is seen arguing with Josie Hibbert (Kirsty Mitchell) when he witnesses an off duty P.C. Leon Taylor (Dominic Power) intervening.
Back at the station, Max discusses the case with D.C. Grace Dasari (Amita Dhiri) and D.I. Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel), who think they should investigate further before talking to Leon.
The team soon uncover that Josie is a prison officer at Longmarsh where Shaun Wilson (Alistair Barton), Marks brother, is serving time for drug related offences. As the investigation develops, the officers discover that Mark is forcing Shaun’s girlfriend, Ria Crossley (Gemma Atkinson), to smuggle a phone into Longmarsh.
Max follows Ria to Josie’s house where she forces the phone into the prison officer’s hand before leaving. The Sergeant is shocked when a few minutes later, Leon also leaves the house…
At the station, Max confronts Leon about his involvement with Josie but the P.C. insists they’re just friends and has no idea what the earlier altercations with Mark or Ria were about. Convinced that Josie is being forced to smuggle the phone into prison and aware that Shaun is planning a murder, Max tells Leon they need to bug the phone and persuade Josie to take it in. Leon is reluctant, but meets Josie who explains this is the first time Mark has asked her to smuggle something in for Shaun.
Although terrified of the Wilson brothers and what they could do to both her and her young son, she decides not to take the phone in.
Desperate, Leon is forced to tell the truth and begs her to take the phone… Max is furious that Leon has told Josie about the operation and convinced she will compromise the case, he visits her in prison. She admits to meeting up with Ria a couple of times outside of work after talking to her during one of Ria’s prison visits: Ria saw her as someone she could confide in about her volatile relationship with Shaun.
They are interrupted by an altercation in the prison visiting room where Shaun has attacked Ria. Outside the prison, Max catches up with her and Ria explains she has just broken up with Shaun, who clearly didn’t take it well.
Max takes her back to the station where she admits Shaun was violent, jealous and controlling. Grace, concerned for Ria offers her a contact card and support before she leaves the station.
As the case continues, Max and Grace listen in on Shaun’s phone calls to his brother and realise that he’s planning a hit and Ria is the target…
Realising that Ria has gone to Josie’s, armed officers flee to her house, with Leon following closely behind. As cars and police surround the house, Leon is horrified to hear two gun shots ring out. Mark eventually opens the front door and drops the gun before being quickly arrested, but are they too late…?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV.
This episode was written by Frank Rickarby, directed by Tim Leandro and produced by Ciara McIlvenny.
Fall Out
THE BILL
Fall Out: Episode 006
Thursday 8 October 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 9 October at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 12 October at 23:00
*Guest starring Emma Cunniffe as Maggie Reaney*
Sun Hill officers arrive at a local primary school where eight year old Owen Reaney (Jake Hathaway) has been reported missing by his distraught mother Maggie (Emma Cunniffe).
D.S. Stevie Moss (Lucy Speed) and D.C. Terry Perkins (Bruce Byron) question Maggie who says she was only five minutes late. They ask her about Owen’s father, Phil (Alan Cox), but Maggie tells them they’re going through a difficult divorce and that Owen hasn’t seen Phil in months. Terry is appointed the Family Liaison Officer and escorts Maggie and her new partner Danny Maier (Alan McKenna) back to Maggie’s house.
Elsewhere, Phil is informed about his son’s disappearance and is furious that he’s being treated as a suspect. But with a bitter custody battle raging between Phil and his wife, suspicion falls heavily on him.
At Maggie’s house, Stevie and Terry try and manage the tense atmosphere between Maggie, Phil and Danny, all of whom are desperately waiting for news...As the investigation continues, Stevie and Terry discover through CCTV footage that Owen appeared to get into a car willingly with a man, later identified as Nick McCann (Adrian Schiller).
The officers realise that if they can find out who Owen was talking to on Nick’s phone before getting into his car, they may just get the breakthrough they need.
Back at Maggie’s house, Terry bonds with Phil, who reveals that he was refused access rights to his son after Owen had an accident at home and broke his arm. Phil swears he would never hurt Owen and Terry is convinced Phil hasn’t staged an abduction in order to see him again. Later, officers are stunned when they discover the person Owen spoke to on Nick’s mobile was Maggie’s partner Danny.
Danny is arrested and breaks down when questioned about his involvement in Owen’s disappearance. Danny, genuinely distraught about the situation, admits that he knows Nick but is clearly too terrified to reveal anymore. Can Stevie and Terry get Danny to open up before it’s too late for Owen..?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV.
This episode was written by Patrick Homes, directed by Jamie Annett and produced by James Hall.
Fall Out: Episode 006
Thursday 8 October 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 9 October at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 12 October at 23:00
*Guest starring Emma Cunniffe as Maggie Reaney*
Sun Hill officers arrive at a local primary school where eight year old Owen Reaney (Jake Hathaway) has been reported missing by his distraught mother Maggie (Emma Cunniffe).
D.S. Stevie Moss (Lucy Speed) and D.C. Terry Perkins (Bruce Byron) question Maggie who says she was only five minutes late. They ask her about Owen’s father, Phil (Alan Cox), but Maggie tells them they’re going through a difficult divorce and that Owen hasn’t seen Phil in months. Terry is appointed the Family Liaison Officer and escorts Maggie and her new partner Danny Maier (Alan McKenna) back to Maggie’s house.
Elsewhere, Phil is informed about his son’s disappearance and is furious that he’s being treated as a suspect. But with a bitter custody battle raging between Phil and his wife, suspicion falls heavily on him.
At Maggie’s house, Stevie and Terry try and manage the tense atmosphere between Maggie, Phil and Danny, all of whom are desperately waiting for news...As the investigation continues, Stevie and Terry discover through CCTV footage that Owen appeared to get into a car willingly with a man, later identified as Nick McCann (Adrian Schiller).
The officers realise that if they can find out who Owen was talking to on Nick’s phone before getting into his car, they may just get the breakthrough they need.
Back at Maggie’s house, Terry bonds with Phil, who reveals that he was refused access rights to his son after Owen had an accident at home and broke his arm. Phil swears he would never hurt Owen and Terry is convinced Phil hasn’t staged an abduction in order to see him again. Later, officers are stunned when they discover the person Owen spoke to on Nick’s mobile was Maggie’s partner Danny.
Danny is arrested and breaks down when questioned about his involvement in Owen’s disappearance. Danny, genuinely distraught about the situation, admits that he knows Nick but is clearly too terrified to reveal anymore. Can Stevie and Terry get Danny to open up before it’s too late for Owen..?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV.
This episode was written by Patrick Homes, directed by Jamie Annett and produced by James Hall.
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Trust Me (Part 2) / Long Gone
RECORDED in January of this year, the original TX date for this episode of The Bill was intended to be, if I recall correctly, 07/07/09. In other words, before the revamp of the series. It was interesting to note that the preview disc I received featured Claire Goose as Inspector Rachel Weston as well as boasting the old theme music and opening and closing credits.
These scenes have all be edited out of the version to be transmitted this week, and new scenes with Alex Walkinshaw as Inspector Smith filmed to replace them - an interesting insight into the making of an ongoing TV drama.
Oh, and talking of insights, the first two episode titles for October have been announced. Ep 009: Long Gone will screen on ITV1 on Thursday 1st October (see synopsis below), followed by Ep 006: Fall Out on Thursday 8th October.
Now for that synopsis, or should that be sneak preview...
THE BILL
Trust Me (Part 2): Episode 689
Thursday 24 September 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 26 Sept at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 29 Sept at 23:00
*Guest starring Kelly Harrison as Fran Morris*
A week after involving terrified Fran Morris (Kelly Harrison) in a sting to catch dangerous drugs’ boss Damian Tucker (Dorian Lough), D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox) and D.C. Jo Masters (Sally Rogers) are called to attend a scene at Fran’s house.
They are stunned to find her being wheeled into an ambulance with serious head injuries and quickly discover that her 12 year old son Noah (George Sear) is missing. Max is convinced that although Damian is behind bars, he has something to do with it.
Max questions Damian in prison, but he calmly insists he had nothing to do with Fran’s injuries or Noah’s disappearance. As the investigation continues, Max and Jo discover that one of Damian’s associates, Tyson Archer (Duane Henry), visited Fran’s flat before she was found unconscious.
Tyson is brought in for questioning where he eventually admits he tried to tempt ex-drug addict Fran with some heroin on Damian’s orders, but she refused. He left her with a sample but when he later found out it was uncut, he went back to the flat to warn her.
He swears that when he went back, she was already unconscious and he assumed that she had taken the drugs. However, Jo and Max are confused when forensics prove that Fran didn’t have any drugs in her system...
Later that day, Noah is finally found in a flat belonging to Fran’s friend, Lyn Emery (Lu Corfield). Lyn explains that Noah must have seen Fran being attacked and terrified, ran to her house to hide.
While Fran remains unconscious in hospital, Max is forced to bond with Noah in order to find out what happened, but Noah remains tight-lipped and nervous. Max re-visits Damian and says he knows that Damian tried to kill Fran with the uncut heroin. Max warns him that if he ever threatens Fran or Noah again, he’ll make it known to Damian’s cellmates that he’s a grass and leave him to deal with the backlash.
Back at the station and in a desperate attempt to get Noah to open up, Max suggests they head back to the flat and walk through the morning’s events. Noah agrees, but when they reach the flat, he shuts down again.
Frustrated, Max talks to the forensic department to see if they can shed any light on the situation and the Sergeant is stunned when he finally uncovers the truth...
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Jeff Dodds, directed by Paul Wroblewski and produced by Matt Strevens.
THE BILL
Long Gone: Episode 009
Thursday 1 October 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 2 October at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 5 October at 23:00
P.C. Mel Ryder (Rhea Bailey) attends a scene where she finds a frightened seventeen year old man covered in bruises. As she tries to talk to him, he walks away and drops a piece of paper. Mel examines the leaflet which is a Missing Person’s appeal from five years ago concerning 12 year old David Jarvis (Alex Matten).
Mel gently approaches the young man again and he tearfully admits that he’s David.
At the station D.S. Stevie Moss (Lucy Speed) talks to David who is clearly traumatised. Through careful questioning David eventually admits that he was imprisoned and abused by a man called Gareth. He also tearfully recalls a crucifix above Gareth’s bed. D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox) examines the previous evidence from when David first went missing, but can’t find a connection to the name ‘Gareth’.
Meanwhile, David’s sister Michelle (Joanna Horton) is brought into the station. Overcome with emotion, she is asked to identify David on a television screen, but she is unable to confirm whether it’s her missing brother…
As the investigation continues, local man and known sex offender, Gareth Hartill (David Phelan) is arrested. Gareth appears genuinely stunned by the allegations that have been made against him and finally confesses to meeting David the night before and paying him for sex.
However, when the pair got back to Gareth’s house, David became hysterical and ran out. As gaping holes start to appear in David’s version of events, Max realises that David isn’t telling them the whole truth about his captivity.
After further investigation, the team are stunned to learn that David is actually missing person Simon Eastfield and Stevie breaks the devastating news to Michelle.
Despite lying about his identity, Max and Stevie are convinced Simon did suffer horrendous abuse at some stage in his life and work together to establish what really happened.
The Sergeants quickly discover that the prime suspect in the David Jarvis case, Terence Scanlon, could be linked to Simon and visit his house, which has been empty since his death a few years previously.
They are horrified when they think the Scanlon’s bedroom was the one Simon was abused in and their fears are confirmed when they find an imprint of a crucifix on the bedroom wall.
Back at Sun Hill, Simon reveals what really happened to him: it also becomes apparent Simon and David did know each other as 12 year olds. Simon clearly knows what happened to David when he went missing, but will he reveal the truth to Stevie…?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV.
This episode was written by Chris Ould, directed by Reza Moradi and produced by James Hall.
These scenes have all be edited out of the version to be transmitted this week, and new scenes with Alex Walkinshaw as Inspector Smith filmed to replace them - an interesting insight into the making of an ongoing TV drama.
Oh, and talking of insights, the first two episode titles for October have been announced. Ep 009: Long Gone will screen on ITV1 on Thursday 1st October (see synopsis below), followed by Ep 006: Fall Out on Thursday 8th October.
Now for that synopsis, or should that be sneak preview...
THE BILL
Trust Me (Part 2): Episode 689
Thursday 24 September 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 26 Sept at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 29 Sept at 23:00
*Guest starring Kelly Harrison as Fran Morris*
A week after involving terrified Fran Morris (Kelly Harrison) in a sting to catch dangerous drugs’ boss Damian Tucker (Dorian Lough), D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox) and D.C. Jo Masters (Sally Rogers) are called to attend a scene at Fran’s house.
They are stunned to find her being wheeled into an ambulance with serious head injuries and quickly discover that her 12 year old son Noah (George Sear) is missing. Max is convinced that although Damian is behind bars, he has something to do with it.
Max questions Damian in prison, but he calmly insists he had nothing to do with Fran’s injuries or Noah’s disappearance. As the investigation continues, Max and Jo discover that one of Damian’s associates, Tyson Archer (Duane Henry), visited Fran’s flat before she was found unconscious.
Tyson is brought in for questioning where he eventually admits he tried to tempt ex-drug addict Fran with some heroin on Damian’s orders, but she refused. He left her with a sample but when he later found out it was uncut, he went back to the flat to warn her.
He swears that when he went back, she was already unconscious and he assumed that she had taken the drugs. However, Jo and Max are confused when forensics prove that Fran didn’t have any drugs in her system...
Later that day, Noah is finally found in a flat belonging to Fran’s friend, Lyn Emery (Lu Corfield). Lyn explains that Noah must have seen Fran being attacked and terrified, ran to her house to hide.
While Fran remains unconscious in hospital, Max is forced to bond with Noah in order to find out what happened, but Noah remains tight-lipped and nervous. Max re-visits Damian and says he knows that Damian tried to kill Fran with the uncut heroin. Max warns him that if he ever threatens Fran or Noah again, he’ll make it known to Damian’s cellmates that he’s a grass and leave him to deal with the backlash.
Back at the station and in a desperate attempt to get Noah to open up, Max suggests they head back to the flat and walk through the morning’s events. Noah agrees, but when they reach the flat, he shuts down again.
Frustrated, Max talks to the forensic department to see if they can shed any light on the situation and the Sergeant is stunned when he finally uncovers the truth...
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Jeff Dodds, directed by Paul Wroblewski and produced by Matt Strevens.
THE BILL
Long Gone: Episode 009
Thursday 1 October 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 2 October at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 5 October at 23:00
P.C. Mel Ryder (Rhea Bailey) attends a scene where she finds a frightened seventeen year old man covered in bruises. As she tries to talk to him, he walks away and drops a piece of paper. Mel examines the leaflet which is a Missing Person’s appeal from five years ago concerning 12 year old David Jarvis (Alex Matten).
Mel gently approaches the young man again and he tearfully admits that he’s David.
At the station D.S. Stevie Moss (Lucy Speed) talks to David who is clearly traumatised. Through careful questioning David eventually admits that he was imprisoned and abused by a man called Gareth. He also tearfully recalls a crucifix above Gareth’s bed. D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox) examines the previous evidence from when David first went missing, but can’t find a connection to the name ‘Gareth’.
Meanwhile, David’s sister Michelle (Joanna Horton) is brought into the station. Overcome with emotion, she is asked to identify David on a television screen, but she is unable to confirm whether it’s her missing brother…
As the investigation continues, local man and known sex offender, Gareth Hartill (David Phelan) is arrested. Gareth appears genuinely stunned by the allegations that have been made against him and finally confesses to meeting David the night before and paying him for sex.
However, when the pair got back to Gareth’s house, David became hysterical and ran out. As gaping holes start to appear in David’s version of events, Max realises that David isn’t telling them the whole truth about his captivity.
After further investigation, the team are stunned to learn that David is actually missing person Simon Eastfield and Stevie breaks the devastating news to Michelle.
Despite lying about his identity, Max and Stevie are convinced Simon did suffer horrendous abuse at some stage in his life and work together to establish what really happened.
The Sergeants quickly discover that the prime suspect in the David Jarvis case, Terence Scanlon, could be linked to Simon and visit his house, which has been empty since his death a few years previously.
They are horrified when they think the Scanlon’s bedroom was the one Simon was abused in and their fears are confirmed when they find an imprint of a crucifix on the bedroom wall.
Back at Sun Hill, Simon reveals what really happened to him: it also becomes apparent Simon and David did know each other as 12 year olds. Simon clearly knows what happened to David when he went missing, but will he reveal the truth to Stevie…?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV.
This episode was written by Chris Ould, directed by Reza Moradi and produced by James Hall.
Trust Me (Part 1)
BRILLIANT performance from Kelly Harrison as reformed drug addict Fran Morris in this episode.
THE BILLTrust Me (Part 1): Episode 688
Thursday 17 September 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 18 Sept at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 21 Sept at 23:00
*Guest starring Kelly Harrison as Fran Morris*
Following days of surveillance, D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox) and D.C. Jo Masters (Sally Rogers) raid the house of Jimmy Mack (Leo Conville), aware that he has just received £40,000 worth of heroin. However, the officers are frustrated when they fail to uncover the bulk of the drugs or Jimmy’s missing girlfriend, Rochelle Chapman (Susannah Fielding).
Elsewhere, P.C.’s Sally Armstrong (Ali Bastian) and Roger Valentine (John Bowler) are called to the home of former prostitute and drug addict Fran Morris (Kelly Harrison), where her young son Noah (George Sear) has collapsed after having taken some unknown tablets found next to him.
Roger quickly realises that Noah has taken Diazepam – the same ones that were found at Jimmy’s house. How is Fran connected to Jimmy..?
Back at Sun Hill, Max and Jo interview Jimmy with his solicitor, Damian Tucker (Dorian Lough) by his side. Jimmy claims not to know where the drugs or Rochelle are and when pushed to reveal the name of his boss, he clams up.
As the investigation continues, Fran reveals that she is a good friend of Rochelle’s and admits she turned up at her house that morning with Jimmy’s heroin. Fran swears she hasn’t touched drugs in a year and flushed the package down the toilet.
The case takes a sinister turn when Rochelle is later found at Fran’s flat, tied to a chair, having been beaten by someone clearly wanting the drugs back, but Rochelle is too terrified to name anyone. Max is convinced that Fran knows more than she’s letting on and tells Roger and Sally to search her flat where they find the heroin in the estate’s bins.
Fran is forced to admit that when she discovered who the drugs belonged to, she was determined to give them back, knowing the violent and dangerous drugs boss would kill Rochelle. Max and Jo are frustrated that none of their witnesses will name names, but are stunned when Fran sees Jimmy’s solicitor, Damian in the station and reveals that he’s the man they’re after…
Max tells Fran that they desperately need her to take part in a sting in order to arrest Damian and put him behind bars, but Fran refuses point blank. Much to Jo’s disapproval, Max finally coerces her into helping them by promising her cash and protection. But frightened for her life and that of her son’s, will Fran be able to pull it off..?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Greg Evans, directed by Paul Wroblewski and produced by Matt Strevens.
THE BILLTrust Me (Part 1): Episode 688
Thursday 17 September 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 18 Sept at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 21 Sept at 23:00
*Guest starring Kelly Harrison as Fran Morris*
Following days of surveillance, D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox) and D.C. Jo Masters (Sally Rogers) raid the house of Jimmy Mack (Leo Conville), aware that he has just received £40,000 worth of heroin. However, the officers are frustrated when they fail to uncover the bulk of the drugs or Jimmy’s missing girlfriend, Rochelle Chapman (Susannah Fielding).
Elsewhere, P.C.’s Sally Armstrong (Ali Bastian) and Roger Valentine (John Bowler) are called to the home of former prostitute and drug addict Fran Morris (Kelly Harrison), where her young son Noah (George Sear) has collapsed after having taken some unknown tablets found next to him.
Roger quickly realises that Noah has taken Diazepam – the same ones that were found at Jimmy’s house. How is Fran connected to Jimmy..?
Back at Sun Hill, Max and Jo interview Jimmy with his solicitor, Damian Tucker (Dorian Lough) by his side. Jimmy claims not to know where the drugs or Rochelle are and when pushed to reveal the name of his boss, he clams up.
As the investigation continues, Fran reveals that she is a good friend of Rochelle’s and admits she turned up at her house that morning with Jimmy’s heroin. Fran swears she hasn’t touched drugs in a year and flushed the package down the toilet.
The case takes a sinister turn when Rochelle is later found at Fran’s flat, tied to a chair, having been beaten by someone clearly wanting the drugs back, but Rochelle is too terrified to name anyone. Max is convinced that Fran knows more than she’s letting on and tells Roger and Sally to search her flat where they find the heroin in the estate’s bins.
Fran is forced to admit that when she discovered who the drugs belonged to, she was determined to give them back, knowing the violent and dangerous drugs boss would kill Rochelle. Max and Jo are frustrated that none of their witnesses will name names, but are stunned when Fran sees Jimmy’s solicitor, Damian in the station and reveals that he’s the man they’re after…
Max tells Fran that they desperately need her to take part in a sting in order to arrest Damian and put him behind bars, but Fran refuses point blank. Much to Jo’s disapproval, Max finally coerces her into helping them by promising her cash and protection. But frightened for her life and that of her son’s, will Fran be able to pull it off..?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Greg Evans, directed by Paul Wroblewski and produced by Matt Strevens.
Innocence Betrayed
MASTERCLASS: If you’re old enough to remember Jeff Rawle as Billy Liar in the 60 sitcom of the same name or as Plantagenet in Doctor Who: Frontios, or more recently as George Dent in the satirical news comedy Drop The Dead Donkey, you will know that as an actor he is quite riveting – as he is in this episode of The Bill, bringing unexpected depths to a thoroughly nasty character.
THE BILL
Innocence Betrayed: Episode 010
Thursday 10 September 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 11 September at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 14 September at 23:00
*Guest starring Jeff Rawle as George Fielding*
After a raid, Paul Brewer (Michael Colgan) is arrested for having indecent images of a young girl on his lap top. At the station, D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox) and D.C. Jo Masters (Sally Rogers) interview Paul, who insists that the images would have been on the laptop when he bought it from a car boot sale.
However, when Max and Jo reveal the images were downloaded after he bought it, Paul finally admits he lent the laptop to a friend, George Fielding (Jeff Rawle), who he met in prison 10 years ago when he was serving time for burglary.
D.C. Jacob Banks (Patrick Robinson) is tasked with visiting George, who is a convicted paedophile. After Banksy explains why he’s there, George has no hesitation in telling the D.C. that he downloaded the images onto Paul’s computer and that Paul knew nothing about it.
Banksy is surprised by George’s admission, as he had been doing so well, even asking to be re-housed when teenage girls moved into his street. Back at the station, Jo and Banksy discover that the images weren’t downloaded but taken with a camera.
The pair put this to George who insists that he got the images from the internet and denies knowing who the girl in the photos is. Could she be in further danger..?
The girl is soon identified as four-year-old Lucy Gearie (Millie Missen) and Max is faced with the difficulty of explaining the situation to her parents, Kevin (George Calil) and Monica (Rebekah Manning).
They are both horrified by the news but manage to establish that on the day the pictures were taken, Monica’s brother-in-law babysat had been babysitting Lucy. Max is stunned to learn that Lucy’s uncle is Paul and heads straight back to the station to re-question him.
Paul finally tells Max that the day he was looking after Lucy, he had invited George over but accidentally fell asleep. When he woke up, he discovered George taking pictures of Lucy and horrified, threw him out of the house. He explains that despite what George had done, he didn’t want to get him into trouble, as George looked out for Paul when they were in prison together.
Banksy questions George, who corroborates Paul’s story, but the officer remains unconvinced. Is Banksy naive in thinking that a convicted paedophile is innocent and covering for someone else, or can he prove his theory right..?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Chris Ould, directed by Jamie Annett and produced by James Hall.
THE BILL
Innocence Betrayed: Episode 010
Thursday 10 September 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 11 September at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 14 September at 23:00
*Guest starring Jeff Rawle as George Fielding*
After a raid, Paul Brewer (Michael Colgan) is arrested for having indecent images of a young girl on his lap top. At the station, D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox) and D.C. Jo Masters (Sally Rogers) interview Paul, who insists that the images would have been on the laptop when he bought it from a car boot sale.
However, when Max and Jo reveal the images were downloaded after he bought it, Paul finally admits he lent the laptop to a friend, George Fielding (Jeff Rawle), who he met in prison 10 years ago when he was serving time for burglary.
D.C. Jacob Banks (Patrick Robinson) is tasked with visiting George, who is a convicted paedophile. After Banksy explains why he’s there, George has no hesitation in telling the D.C. that he downloaded the images onto Paul’s computer and that Paul knew nothing about it.
Banksy is surprised by George’s admission, as he had been doing so well, even asking to be re-housed when teenage girls moved into his street. Back at the station, Jo and Banksy discover that the images weren’t downloaded but taken with a camera.
The pair put this to George who insists that he got the images from the internet and denies knowing who the girl in the photos is. Could she be in further danger..?
The girl is soon identified as four-year-old Lucy Gearie (Millie Missen) and Max is faced with the difficulty of explaining the situation to her parents, Kevin (George Calil) and Monica (Rebekah Manning).
They are both horrified by the news but manage to establish that on the day the pictures were taken, Monica’s brother-in-law babysat had been babysitting Lucy. Max is stunned to learn that Lucy’s uncle is Paul and heads straight back to the station to re-question him.
Paul finally tells Max that the day he was looking after Lucy, he had invited George over but accidentally fell asleep. When he woke up, he discovered George taking pictures of Lucy and horrified, threw him out of the house. He explains that despite what George had done, he didn’t want to get him into trouble, as George looked out for Paul when they were in prison together.
Banksy questions George, who corroborates Paul’s story, but the officer remains unconvinced. Is Banksy naive in thinking that a convicted paedophile is innocent and covering for someone else, or can he prove his theory right..?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Chris Ould, directed by Jamie Annett and produced by James Hall.
Powerless
MAGGOTS! This episode has to boast one of the most gruesome opening scenes ever...
THE BILL
Powerless: Episode 015
Thursday 3 September 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 4 September at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 7 September at 23:00
D.I. Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel) and D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox) work together when the gruesome discovery of seventeen year old Ashley Simmon’s (Sophie Benjamin) body is made.
The pair head to the children’s home where she had been reported missing by her foster mother, Francis Baines (Claire Hackett), who is distraught by the news that Ashley was killed by a gun shot to the heart. Francis tells the officers that Ashley left the home several months before to live alone, but kept in regular contact. She explains that Ashley was never in trouble and wouldn’t have been involved in anything dangerous.
The news is broken to the rest of the teenagers in the home, including Ashley’s close friends Kai Miller (Ralph Laurila), Paige Farrelly (Georgia Groome) and Ashley’s younger brother, Tyler (Reece Noi). All three are questioned by the officers and support Francis’ claim that Ashley was a good person who never got into trouble, but Neil is concerned that Tyler seems to know a lot more then he’s letting on...
Back at the station, D.C. Grace Dasari (Amita Dhiri) informs Neil that a car belonging to Elliot Johns (Nick Nevern) was seen circling the warehouse where Ashley’s body was dumped. Elliot is brought in for questioning and smugly tells Neil that he was at home with his girlfriend, Maxine Clements (Clare Calbraith) on the night in question.
Maxine, clearly high on drugs is brought in to make a statement and frustratingly confirms Elliot’s alibi. However, later that day Max and Neil are shocked when they realise Maxine is also Tyler and Ashley’s mother and that the last phone call Ashley made was in Maxine’s flat.
Neil and Grace go to Maxine’s to arrest her for perverting the course of justice and discover her high on drugs and screaming, as she has just been told about Ashley’s murder. Inside, forensics reveal bloody handprints and blood spray on the wall which prove Ashley was murdered there - but why and by whom?
In C.I.D., as Neil and Max prepare to interview Maxine and Tyler, Max makes derogatory comments about the children from the home and reveals his narrow minded opinions. A seething Neil sends the other officers out of the room and tells Max in no uncertain terms that if he makes any similar comments, he’ll be off the case.
During Neil’s interview with Tyler, the teenager breaks down and eventually reveals that it was him who shot Ashley by accident, after they fought over a gun they found at Maxine’s.
Max believes the case is closed, but Neil is convinced Tyler is covering for someone else. Can Neil and Max continue to work together to crack the case..?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Steve Bailie, directed by Richard Signy and produced by James Hall.
THE BILL
Powerless: Episode 015
Thursday 3 September 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 4 September at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 7 September at 23:00
D.I. Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel) and D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox) work together when the gruesome discovery of seventeen year old Ashley Simmon’s (Sophie Benjamin) body is made.
The pair head to the children’s home where she had been reported missing by her foster mother, Francis Baines (Claire Hackett), who is distraught by the news that Ashley was killed by a gun shot to the heart. Francis tells the officers that Ashley left the home several months before to live alone, but kept in regular contact. She explains that Ashley was never in trouble and wouldn’t have been involved in anything dangerous.
The news is broken to the rest of the teenagers in the home, including Ashley’s close friends Kai Miller (Ralph Laurila), Paige Farrelly (Georgia Groome) and Ashley’s younger brother, Tyler (Reece Noi). All three are questioned by the officers and support Francis’ claim that Ashley was a good person who never got into trouble, but Neil is concerned that Tyler seems to know a lot more then he’s letting on...
Back at the station, D.C. Grace Dasari (Amita Dhiri) informs Neil that a car belonging to Elliot Johns (Nick Nevern) was seen circling the warehouse where Ashley’s body was dumped. Elliot is brought in for questioning and smugly tells Neil that he was at home with his girlfriend, Maxine Clements (Clare Calbraith) on the night in question.
Maxine, clearly high on drugs is brought in to make a statement and frustratingly confirms Elliot’s alibi. However, later that day Max and Neil are shocked when they realise Maxine is also Tyler and Ashley’s mother and that the last phone call Ashley made was in Maxine’s flat.
Neil and Grace go to Maxine’s to arrest her for perverting the course of justice and discover her high on drugs and screaming, as she has just been told about Ashley’s murder. Inside, forensics reveal bloody handprints and blood spray on the wall which prove Ashley was murdered there - but why and by whom?
In C.I.D., as Neil and Max prepare to interview Maxine and Tyler, Max makes derogatory comments about the children from the home and reveals his narrow minded opinions. A seething Neil sends the other officers out of the room and tells Max in no uncertain terms that if he makes any similar comments, he’ll be off the case.
During Neil’s interview with Tyler, the teenager breaks down and eventually reveals that it was him who shot Ashley by accident, after they fought over a gun they found at Maxine’s.
Max believes the case is closed, but Neil is convinced Tyler is covering for someone else. Can Neil and Max continue to work together to crack the case..?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Steve Bailie, directed by Richard Signy and produced by James Hall.
Old King Cole
INSTALLMENT three of Graham Cole's memoirs in today's Mirror: Punch-ups, robbers and autograph hunters.. my undercover work with the real Bill .
Get the impression he's not too happy about the way he was treated, although I have to ask: Is 25 years in the one show too long for any actor?
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/09/22/punch-ups-robbers-and-autograph-hunters-my-undercover-work-with-the-real-bill-115875-21691524/
Get the impression he's not too happy about the way he was treated, although I have to ask: Is 25 years in the one show too long for any actor?
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/09/22/punch-ups-robbers-and-autograph-hunters-my-undercover-work-with-the-real-bill-115875-21691524/
Monday, 21 September 2009
Cole Man
STILL swithering about whether or not to buy On The Beat: My Story by Graham Cole, well maybe these insights into the publication from the Press Release issued by Splendid Books will help.
Britain’s longest serving television policeman reveals the inside story of his life in The Bill.
• Graham reveals the full story of his amazing 25 years as The Bill’s PC Tony Stamp and the ups, downs, triumphs and tragedies during that time.
• In this witty and candid memoir he tells how he went from playing monsters as an extra in Doctor Who to
becoming Britain’s most realistic screen copper.
• Packed full of secrets and fascinating behind-the-scenes details about one of British TV’s most popular series.
• Amazing, never before seen personal photographs.
• He also reveals his true feelings at his departure from The Bill after a quarter of a century and his hopes for the future.
As started in an earlier post On The Beat: My Story by Graham Cole will be published in Hardback on October 5th 2009 priced £17.99.
According to the Press Release, as well as being available direct with free delivery by phoning 0845 625 3045 and from all good bookshops, personally autographed copies will be available from www.splendidbooks.co.uk
Britain’s longest serving television policeman reveals the inside story of his life in The Bill.
• Graham reveals the full story of his amazing 25 years as The Bill’s PC Tony Stamp and the ups, downs, triumphs and tragedies during that time.
• In this witty and candid memoir he tells how he went from playing monsters as an extra in Doctor Who to
becoming Britain’s most realistic screen copper.
• Packed full of secrets and fascinating behind-the-scenes details about one of British TV’s most popular series.
• Amazing, never before seen personal photographs.
• He also reveals his true feelings at his departure from The Bill after a quarter of a century and his hopes for the future.
As started in an earlier post On The Beat: My Story by Graham Cole will be published in Hardback on October 5th 2009 priced £17.99.
According to the Press Release, as well as being available direct with free delivery by phoning 0845 625 3045 and from all good bookshops, personally autographed copies will be available from www.splendidbooks.co.uk
Jeff Stewart and Miike Snow
QUICK follow up on the adventures of Jeff Stewart. The following Press Release just arrived by e-mail:
Mysterious dark-pop enigmas Miike Snow will release a new single ‘Black & Blue’ through Columbia Records on October 19th.
Continuing where their massively acclaimed debut single ‘Animal’ left off, Miike Snow will continue to surprise people as they re-twist and re-interpret the formula for widescreen and emotive 21st century pop music as we know it.
Their long awaited eponymous debut album gets a full UK release on October 26th and is already being noted as one of this year’s must have discoveries.
Having been embraced early on and adopted across the blogosphere, Miike Snow were quickly been adopted by more traditional mainstream channels.
Championed by the likes of Radio1 with support from the likes of Zane Lowe, Annie Mac, Jo Whiley & Pete Tong, NME and across the dancefloor with a series of chart busting remixes.
This continues with Black & Blue with new re-workings courtesy of Tiga, Caspa & Netsky alongside the much sort after remix of Animal courtesy of Mark Ronson.
CHECK OUT NEW VIDEO featuring an iconic UK TV stalwart... Yes fact fans. It’s Reg Hollis from The Bill (Aka Jeff Stewart).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oKQSAt4c4c
Good to see Jeff back on the screen, even if he is a bit hairier than we're used to. It's not a bad tune too...
Mysterious dark-pop enigmas Miike Snow will release a new single ‘Black & Blue’ through Columbia Records on October 19th.
Continuing where their massively acclaimed debut single ‘Animal’ left off, Miike Snow will continue to surprise people as they re-twist and re-interpret the formula for widescreen and emotive 21st century pop music as we know it.
Their long awaited eponymous debut album gets a full UK release on October 26th and is already being noted as one of this year’s must have discoveries.
Having been embraced early on and adopted across the blogosphere, Miike Snow were quickly been adopted by more traditional mainstream channels.
Championed by the likes of Radio1 with support from the likes of Zane Lowe, Annie Mac, Jo Whiley & Pete Tong, NME and across the dancefloor with a series of chart busting remixes.
This continues with Black & Blue with new re-workings courtesy of Tiga, Caspa & Netsky alongside the much sort after remix of Animal courtesy of Mark Ronson.
CHECK OUT NEW VIDEO featuring an iconic UK TV stalwart... Yes fact fans. It’s Reg Hollis from The Bill (Aka Jeff Stewart).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oKQSAt4c4c
Good to see Jeff back on the screen, even if he is a bit hairier than we're used to. It's not a bad tune too...
Graham Cole - On The Beat
DISCOVER all the behind the scenes secrets of The Bill courtesy of Graham Cole aka PC Tony Stamp who has written an account of his time on the show which is currently being serialised in The Mirror.
On The Beat by Graham Cole is published by Splendid Books Ltd 2009. You can order your copy for £16 incl p& p (RRP £17.99) at www.splendidbooks.com/mirror. Or call 0845 625 3045. Or send a cheque for £16 (made payable to Splendid Books Ltd) to Splendid Books Ltd (Mirror), PO Box 813, Portsmouth, Hants, PO1 9EY.
In the meantime, you can preview the action on The Mirror website. On Saturday, it ran the piece: The Bill's PC Tony Stamp on his shock sacking after 25 years
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/09/19/if-i-don-t-act-we-don-t-eat-i-might-have-to-sign-on-the-dole-115875-21684897/
Followed today by: MY STORY BY THE BILL'S PC TONY STAMP - Reg ran up and down the studios dripping blood and shouting 'I am The Bill'
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/09/21/reg-ran-up-and-down-the-studios-dripping-blood-and-shouting-i-am-the-bill-115875-21689201/
Tomorrow's gripping instalment goes by the title: Punch-ups, prostitutes and the day I made a real arrest
On The Beat by Graham Cole is published by Splendid Books Ltd 2009. You can order your copy for £16 incl p& p (RRP £17.99) at www.splendidbooks.com/mirror. Or call 0845 625 3045. Or send a cheque for £16 (made payable to Splendid Books Ltd) to Splendid Books Ltd (Mirror), PO Box 813, Portsmouth, Hants, PO1 9EY.
In the meantime, you can preview the action on The Mirror website. On Saturday, it ran the piece: The Bill's PC Tony Stamp on his shock sacking after 25 years
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/09/19/if-i-don-t-act-we-don-t-eat-i-might-have-to-sign-on-the-dole-115875-21684897/
Followed today by: MY STORY BY THE BILL'S PC TONY STAMP - Reg ran up and down the studios dripping blood and shouting 'I am The Bill'
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/09/21/reg-ran-up-and-down-the-studios-dripping-blood-and-shouting-i-am-the-bill-115875-21689201/
Tomorrow's gripping instalment goes by the title: Punch-ups, prostitutes and the day I made a real arrest
Friday, 18 September 2009
Jeff Stewart
REMEMBER Jeff Stewart, of course you do, good old PC Reg Hollis.
Well, he makes a guest appearance in Swedish pop band Miike Snow’s video for their new release Black & Blue.
The 52-year-old actor is almost unrecognisable in the video sporting the mop-top and bushy beard he has grown since leaving Sun Hill last year.
Check him out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oKQSAt4c4c
Well, he makes a guest appearance in Swedish pop band Miike Snow’s video for their new release Black & Blue.
The 52-year-old actor is almost unrecognisable in the video sporting the mop-top and bushy beard he has grown since leaving Sun Hill last year.
Check him out at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oKQSAt4c4c
Thursday, 27 August 2009
Lost Soul
Bringing us bang up to date...
THE BILL
Lost Soul: Episode 011
Thursday 27 August 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 28 August at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 31 August at 23:00
As dawn breaks over London, a desperate emergency call is made to the police, informing them that someone has been badly hurt at a newsagent. Sergeant Stone (Sam Callis) and P.C. Ben Gayle (Micah Balfour) are the first to arrive at the scene and make a grisly discovery: the newsagent owner, Mr O’Halloran has been beaten to death.
At the station, D.C.’s Jacob Banks (Patrick Robinson) and Jo Masters (Sally Rogers) work together and Banksy is shocked to learn that the anonymous call was made from Joseph Sissoulu’s (Mo Sesay) mobile. (Banksy worked as the Sissoulu’s Family Liaison Officer in episodes 007 and 008, when their son Danny was beaten to death by Craig Middleton).
Banksy and Jo visit the grieving family and Joseph wearily tells the officers that he bought the phone for Danny’s friend, Mo Campbell (Lanre Malaolu). He hasn’t seen Mo since Danny’s murder and knows he blames himself for his friend’s death.
Banksy and Jo eventually find Mo with arrogant teenager Devon Marshall (Anthony Welsh) and Kadisha Wilson (Ejiro Okorodudu).
Mo confirms that it was him who made the call to the police, but swears he was just walking past the shop when he heard someone cry out for help. Banksy is convinced he knows more, but can he get through to an angry, grieving Mo...?
As the case continues, Banksy is devastated to learn that fingerprints found in the shop belong to Mo and he is now the main murder suspect. Determined to discover what happened inside the shop, the officer’s question Devon and Kadisha again, this time separating them.
Devon tells Banksy that Mr O’Halloran was a racist who got what was coming to him, while Kadisha, sporting a black eye, grabs Jo and tells her she’s got Mo and Devon all wrong.
Desperate to find Mo, Banksy asks for Joseph’s help. Joseph is reluctant at first, but eventually agrees to calling Mo and meeting him with the pretence that he will be coming alone.
As Mo approaches Joseph, he visibly relaxes, but as soon as he spots Banksy and the uniformed officers, he instantly becomes angry and tries to fight them off, leaving the D.C. and Joseph feeling guilty.
At the station, Banksy interviews Mo, suggesting that someone else was in the shop with him. However, Mo clams up before eventually admitting to killing Mr O’Halloran, alone. Banksy, concerned by this revelation, is convinced that Mo is covering for someone else...
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Patrick Homes, directed by Nigel Douglas and produced by Ciara McIlvenny.
THE BILL
Lost Soul: Episode 011
Thursday 27 August 2009, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 28 August at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 31 August at 23:00
As dawn breaks over London, a desperate emergency call is made to the police, informing them that someone has been badly hurt at a newsagent. Sergeant Stone (Sam Callis) and P.C. Ben Gayle (Micah Balfour) are the first to arrive at the scene and make a grisly discovery: the newsagent owner, Mr O’Halloran has been beaten to death.
At the station, D.C.’s Jacob Banks (Patrick Robinson) and Jo Masters (Sally Rogers) work together and Banksy is shocked to learn that the anonymous call was made from Joseph Sissoulu’s (Mo Sesay) mobile. (Banksy worked as the Sissoulu’s Family Liaison Officer in episodes 007 and 008, when their son Danny was beaten to death by Craig Middleton).
Banksy and Jo visit the grieving family and Joseph wearily tells the officers that he bought the phone for Danny’s friend, Mo Campbell (Lanre Malaolu). He hasn’t seen Mo since Danny’s murder and knows he blames himself for his friend’s death.
Banksy and Jo eventually find Mo with arrogant teenager Devon Marshall (Anthony Welsh) and Kadisha Wilson (Ejiro Okorodudu).
Mo confirms that it was him who made the call to the police, but swears he was just walking past the shop when he heard someone cry out for help. Banksy is convinced he knows more, but can he get through to an angry, grieving Mo...?
As the case continues, Banksy is devastated to learn that fingerprints found in the shop belong to Mo and he is now the main murder suspect. Determined to discover what happened inside the shop, the officer’s question Devon and Kadisha again, this time separating them.
Devon tells Banksy that Mr O’Halloran was a racist who got what was coming to him, while Kadisha, sporting a black eye, grabs Jo and tells her she’s got Mo and Devon all wrong.
Desperate to find Mo, Banksy asks for Joseph’s help. Joseph is reluctant at first, but eventually agrees to calling Mo and meeting him with the pretence that he will be coming alone.
As Mo approaches Joseph, he visibly relaxes, but as soon as he spots Banksy and the uniformed officers, he instantly becomes angry and tries to fight them off, leaving the D.C. and Joseph feeling guilty.
At the station, Banksy interviews Mo, suggesting that someone else was in the shop with him. However, Mo clams up before eventually admitting to killing Mr O’Halloran, alone. Banksy, concerned by this revelation, is convinced that Mo is covering for someone else...
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Patrick Homes, directed by Nigel Douglas and produced by Ciara McIlvenny.
Reaching Out
What with the Edinburgh Festival and Fringe in full flow, I'm having difficulty seeing any TV at all right now. Nevertheless here is the synopsis for last week's episode, which I'm just about to watch... playing catch up.
The Bill
Reaching Out: Episode 019
Thursday 20 August 2009 21:00 to 22:00 ITV1Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 21 August at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 24 August at 23:00.
D.I. Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel) and D.C. Grace Dasari (Amita Dhiri) continue to work together on an investigation involving a psychiatrist that Neil knows from a previous investigation, Dr Julia Bickham (Emily Hamilton).
Neil is convinced that someone has a vendetta against her and that the suspect also injured her partner, Harry Gilmartin (David Michaels) in a hit and run. As the investigation continues, Neil discovers that their main suspect, Jared Miles (Brett Goldstein), is innocent and when Jared realises the police believe him, he opens up.
He explains to Neil that the previous day, he saw young Thomas Sands (Ethan Edwards) standing alone in a road with a crying man who quickly got into his car and drove away. Neil realises that the man Jared describes also has to be the same person that attacked Thomas’ nanny, mistaking her for Julia.
From the description Jared gives of the car, Neil and Grace are able to trace the vehicle to Stephen Fairfax (Jonathan Slinger), who insists he’s never heard of Julia or Harry. However, when Neil talks to Thomas and shows him some mug shots, he quickly identifies Stephen as the man who attacked his nanny...
Neil has Stephen followed and he is later seen coming out of Angela Hayne’s (Heather Tobias) house, arguing with her. Neil and Grace visit Angela who explains that Stephen was her daughter Danielle’s partner, with whom he had a daughter, Lily.
When Danielle died a couple of years previously, there was a dispute about her life insurance. Stephen was convinced that Danielle took an accidental overdose, but Danielle’s psychiatrist, Julia, stated that she was suffering from depression and committed suicide.
Julia’s verdict at an inquest meant that Stephen lost the claim and eventually custody of his daughter. Grace and Neil realise that Stephen is a man on the edge and the pair are horrified when they discover he has kidnapped Julia, with a gun.
For Neil, this is his worst nightmare happening all over again. Officers finally track down Stephen and Julia to a deserted warehouse, but Neil refuses to wait for back-up and despite Grace’s pleas, enters the building to face the gun-man alone...
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Emma Goodwin, directed by Paul Wroblewski and produced by Matt Strevens.
The Bill
Reaching Out: Episode 019
Thursday 20 August 2009 21:00 to 22:00 ITV1Repeated on ITV1 on Friday 21 August at 22:35 and ITV3 on Monday 24 August at 23:00.
D.I. Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel) and D.C. Grace Dasari (Amita Dhiri) continue to work together on an investigation involving a psychiatrist that Neil knows from a previous investigation, Dr Julia Bickham (Emily Hamilton).
Neil is convinced that someone has a vendetta against her and that the suspect also injured her partner, Harry Gilmartin (David Michaels) in a hit and run. As the investigation continues, Neil discovers that their main suspect, Jared Miles (Brett Goldstein), is innocent and when Jared realises the police believe him, he opens up.
He explains to Neil that the previous day, he saw young Thomas Sands (Ethan Edwards) standing alone in a road with a crying man who quickly got into his car and drove away. Neil realises that the man Jared describes also has to be the same person that attacked Thomas’ nanny, mistaking her for Julia.
From the description Jared gives of the car, Neil and Grace are able to trace the vehicle to Stephen Fairfax (Jonathan Slinger), who insists he’s never heard of Julia or Harry. However, when Neil talks to Thomas and shows him some mug shots, he quickly identifies Stephen as the man who attacked his nanny...
Neil has Stephen followed and he is later seen coming out of Angela Hayne’s (Heather Tobias) house, arguing with her. Neil and Grace visit Angela who explains that Stephen was her daughter Danielle’s partner, with whom he had a daughter, Lily.
When Danielle died a couple of years previously, there was a dispute about her life insurance. Stephen was convinced that Danielle took an accidental overdose, but Danielle’s psychiatrist, Julia, stated that she was suffering from depression and committed suicide.
Julia’s verdict at an inquest meant that Stephen lost the claim and eventually custody of his daughter. Grace and Neil realise that Stephen is a man on the edge and the pair are horrified when they discover he has kidnapped Julia, with a gun.
For Neil, this is his worst nightmare happening all over again. Officers finally track down Stephen and Julia to a deserted warehouse, but Neil refuses to wait for back-up and despite Grace’s pleas, enters the building to face the gun-man alone...
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Emma Goodwin, directed by Paul Wroblewski and produced by Matt Strevens.
Jury's Out
Nice guy Chris Jury. Talented too. He wrote a batch of episodes of The Bill in the days when they were 30 minutes long and again when they returned to an hour long slot.
I caught up with him recently and he told me how he landed the job putting the words in the mouths of Bill favourites.
How Lovejoy’s Catchpole became a punk director: Chris Jury goes behind the camera
Extract: Producing theatre is just one of the talents Chris Jury has developed since choosing life behind the camera instead of in front of it.
Indeed, since leaving Lovejoy he has enjoyed an interesting career directing episodes of EastEnders and Coronation Street and scripting episodes for The Bill.
“I’ve been writing and directing now for 15 years. I left Lovejoy to direct a short film and then retrained in areas such as post-production management using some of the money I had earned from Lovejoy.
“I then went on to make another couple of short films and set up a company. Later I was asked to join the BBC as a development executive but that didn’t work out so I left, only to find that suddenly I couldn’t get arrested.
“I’d had an idea for a cop show so I wrote it and sent it to the script editor of The Bill, and she asked if I wanted to do a script for them - that’s how I started writing for The Bill.”
When the producer of The Bill moved to the BBC’s Casualty, she took Jury with her.
“I then did Casualty, Holby City, Doctors . . .” he says.
“But while all this was going on I still wanted to be a director. Out of the blue a mate of mine on EastEnders rang up and said, ‘Do you want to direct a block of EastEnders?’ So, for five or six years I alternated between writing and directing.”
Edinburgh Evening News 21 Aug 2009
I caught up with him recently and he told me how he landed the job putting the words in the mouths of Bill favourites.
How Lovejoy’s Catchpole became a punk director: Chris Jury goes behind the camera
Extract: Producing theatre is just one of the talents Chris Jury has developed since choosing life behind the camera instead of in front of it.
Indeed, since leaving Lovejoy he has enjoyed an interesting career directing episodes of EastEnders and Coronation Street and scripting episodes for The Bill.
“I’ve been writing and directing now for 15 years. I left Lovejoy to direct a short film and then retrained in areas such as post-production management using some of the money I had earned from Lovejoy.
“I then went on to make another couple of short films and set up a company. Later I was asked to join the BBC as a development executive but that didn’t work out so I left, only to find that suddenly I couldn’t get arrested.
“I’d had an idea for a cop show so I wrote it and sent it to the script editor of The Bill, and she asked if I wanted to do a script for them - that’s how I started writing for The Bill.”
When the producer of The Bill moved to the BBC’s Casualty, she took Jury with her.
“I then did Casualty, Holby City, Doctors . . .” he says.
“But while all this was going on I still wanted to be a director. Out of the blue a mate of mine on EastEnders rang up and said, ‘Do you want to direct a block of EastEnders?’ So, for five or six years I alternated between writing and directing.”
Edinburgh Evening News 21 Aug 2009
Saturday, 8 August 2009
Absolute Power
Catch up time again... here's the synopsis on last Thursday's episode... or next Monday's if you are watching in Scotland.
THE BILL
Absolute Power: Episode 005
Thursday 6 August 2009 9.00 to 10.00pm ITV1
*Guest starring Danielle Brent as Lucy Fuller*
Officers are called to a pub where Joel Fuller (Nicholas Aaron) has smashed a bottle over a fellow drinkers head in an unprovoked attack.
The following morning, D.S. Stevie Moss (Lucy Speed) is tasked with questioning Joel who is horribly hungover and in no mood to talk. Stevie attempts to get Joel to open up by asking him about his work and his wife, Lucy (Danielle Brent), but as soon as she is mentioned, Joel retreats into himself and begs Stevie to let him go.
After bailing him, Joel continues to play on Stevie’s mind: he didn’t give any explanation to the random, unprovoked attack and the Sergeant senses that he is a man on the edge.
However, the case takes a shocking turn when Stevie is called to the pub where Joel was arrested, to talk to the landlords’ young son, Alex Burrows (Drew Blackall). The terrified child eventually summons up the courage to tell Stevie that he saw Joel in the pub toilets the night before - and that Joel threatened him with a gun...
In a desperate bid to find Joel, Lucy is brought in and questioned by Stevie. Lucy is stunned to hear that her normally passive, quiet husband is in possession of a gun while clearly experiencing a breakdown. She admits that Joel had been depressed after losing his job a few months previously.
However, as more evidence comes to light and Stevie pushes Lucy, the officer discovers that Lucy has been having an affair with her boss, Dave and Joel has found out about it. Lucy is overwhelmed when she soon realises that her actions are the catalyst for Joel’s breakdown and is horrified when she discovers Joel is on his way to Dave’s house, with the gun.
With no time to spare, CO19 troops are brought in to cover Dave’s house, while Stevie and Inspector Smith (Alex Walkinshaw) track down Joel in his car and discreetly follow him.
Stevie, adamant that she can help Joel, insists that Smithy stop the car so she can talk to him.
Smithy infuriates her by flatly refusing, highlighting the clear danger. By the time they reach Dave’s house, Stevie is devastated as she watches CO19 order Joel out of his car and arrest him.
At Sun Hill, Stevie and Smithy are still awkward around one another as they are congratulated on the arrest by D.I. Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel) who notices the tension.
Stevie, certain that she could have helped Joel earlier, despite Smithy’s intervention, interviews Joel again. It quickly becomes clear that she can’t handle his confused state of mind when Joel eventually snaps, he grabs Stevie by the throat and pushes her up against a wall...
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Chris Murray, directed by Richard Signy and produced by James Hall.
THE BILL
Absolute Power: Episode 005
Thursday 6 August 2009 9.00 to 10.00pm ITV1
*Guest starring Danielle Brent as Lucy Fuller*
Officers are called to a pub where Joel Fuller (Nicholas Aaron) has smashed a bottle over a fellow drinkers head in an unprovoked attack.
The following morning, D.S. Stevie Moss (Lucy Speed) is tasked with questioning Joel who is horribly hungover and in no mood to talk. Stevie attempts to get Joel to open up by asking him about his work and his wife, Lucy (Danielle Brent), but as soon as she is mentioned, Joel retreats into himself and begs Stevie to let him go.
After bailing him, Joel continues to play on Stevie’s mind: he didn’t give any explanation to the random, unprovoked attack and the Sergeant senses that he is a man on the edge.
However, the case takes a shocking turn when Stevie is called to the pub where Joel was arrested, to talk to the landlords’ young son, Alex Burrows (Drew Blackall). The terrified child eventually summons up the courage to tell Stevie that he saw Joel in the pub toilets the night before - and that Joel threatened him with a gun...
In a desperate bid to find Joel, Lucy is brought in and questioned by Stevie. Lucy is stunned to hear that her normally passive, quiet husband is in possession of a gun while clearly experiencing a breakdown. She admits that Joel had been depressed after losing his job a few months previously.
However, as more evidence comes to light and Stevie pushes Lucy, the officer discovers that Lucy has been having an affair with her boss, Dave and Joel has found out about it. Lucy is overwhelmed when she soon realises that her actions are the catalyst for Joel’s breakdown and is horrified when she discovers Joel is on his way to Dave’s house, with the gun.
With no time to spare, CO19 troops are brought in to cover Dave’s house, while Stevie and Inspector Smith (Alex Walkinshaw) track down Joel in his car and discreetly follow him.
Stevie, adamant that she can help Joel, insists that Smithy stop the car so she can talk to him.
Smithy infuriates her by flatly refusing, highlighting the clear danger. By the time they reach Dave’s house, Stevie is devastated as she watches CO19 order Joel out of his car and arrest him.
At Sun Hill, Stevie and Smithy are still awkward around one another as they are congratulated on the arrest by D.I. Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel) who notices the tension.
Stevie, certain that she could have helped Joel earlier, despite Smithy’s intervention, interviews Joel again. It quickly becomes clear that she can’t handle his confused state of mind when Joel eventually snaps, he grabs Stevie by the throat and pushes her up against a wall...
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Chris Murray, directed by Richard Signy and produced by James Hall.
Debbie Arnold
TOMORROW should be fun. Debbie Arnold is in Edinburgh. Another Fringe visitor, her daughter Ciara is starring in Bloodbath The Musical with Antony Costa of Blue.
Fans of The Bill of course will remember Debbie’s appearances in early episodes of the series.
I've been invited to join her at The Dome for a chat. Again, watch this space.
Fans of The Bill of course will remember Debbie’s appearances in early episodes of the series.
I've been invited to join her at The Dome for a chat. Again, watch this space.
Chris Jury
JUST had an e-mail asking if I could do an interview with a producer who is bringing a play to the Edinburgh Festival. His name? Chris Jury. If that sounds familiar it’s because as an actor he played Eric Catchpole in Lovejoy.
However, his credits also include writing scripts for The Bill. Stay tuned for more details.
His play, Reality Chokes, is about the reunion of a punk band, is on at the New Town Theatre, George Street, Edinburgh, until August 30. www.edfringe.com/ticketing/detail.php?id=15449
However, his credits also include writing scripts for The Bill. Stay tuned for more details.
His play, Reality Chokes, is about the reunion of a punk band, is on at the New Town Theatre, George Street, Edinburgh, until August 30. www.edfringe.com/ticketing/detail.php?id=15449
Friday, 31 July 2009
Patrick Robinson On Playing Banksy And The New Look Bill
Found this interview with Patrick Robinson, giving an insight to the over-haul of the series.
ROBINSON RELISHES NEW-LOOK BILL
By Dave Mark
PATRICK ROBINSON’S dignified stage performances have been likened to those of a young James Earl Jones, resonating with controlled passion and gravitas.Co-stars joke that he had to take so many bows during one standing ovation that he risked permanent curvature of the spine.
He was the first black man to play Romeo in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Romeo and Juliet, and performed the role with such aplomb that most reviewers forgot to mention the colour of his skin.On screen, he’s traded blows with Steven Seagal and took the role of black icon Thomas Peters in slavery epic Rough Crossings.
Why then, with such a varied CV, do people still think “that’s Ash from Casualty” when they spot Robinson in the street?
Perhaps it’s a measure of the esteem in which the Casualty character is held, even if 13 years have passed since he last wore the nurse’s uniform in the BBC1 medical drama.
“Thankfully, the people who remember me playing Ash tend to be in their 30s now so they’re a bit busy with kids and real lives to shout, ‘Hi Ash,’ and run away giggling,” laughs Robinson.
“But I do get the odd, ‘Hello,’ from people and then hear the word ‘Ash’ when they’re whispering. I don’t mind. I’ve got a lot of love for the character.”
These days, 46-year-old Robinson is best known to a new generation of viewers as the likeable DC Jacob ‘Banksy’ Banks in The Bill. And he’s delighted to be a part of the cast at such a seminal time in the show’s long history.
The show is moving to a new weekly 9pm time slot at the heart of the ITV1 schedule, finding itself repositioned as a post-watershed drama for the first time since it began 25 years ago.
“It’s an exciting time,” says Robinson. “Some people see these kind of moves as a licence to swear and show some nudity, but that’s not it at all.“We’re not reinventing The Bill. We’re not wiping out all that was good before. We’re just being given that little bit more freedom and as an actor, that’s tremendously challenging.
“It’s a tried and tested show and still has millions of fans so we have to be wary of suddenly altering everything. It’s more a change of tone. Sure, on-set it does feel a bit like being part of a new show, but that’s more because of the excitement in the air and the fact that everybody’s so keen for this to do well.”
Show executive producer Johnathan Young agrees: “We’re digging deeper into characters to tell stronger and more challenging stories which really examine the true causes and effects of crime.
“The later time slot allows us to produce darker, grittier and more hard-hitting drama, through the eyes of our existing characters. The heart of the show will remain the same, but it will look very fresh.”Robinson is clearly relishing the chance to once again play a regular role and takes the craft of character development very seriously. He is enjoying peeling back the layers of Banksy each week.
“That’s the thing about the post-watershed move,” he says. “We’ll just get a bit more freedom to flesh the characters out. To be a bit more real, I suppose. It won’t be full on, but it will have a bit more oomph, and the chance to play a character close to my heart in slightly grittier storylines, and still stay true to what has gone before, is a wonderful challenge for an actor.”
But does he think he could do the job for real? “Not a chance,” he laughs.“Banksy’s a great guy and if I was to be a police officer, I would hope to be one like him, but if I hear a gunshot or a scream I think I would do the sensible thing and run away from it. A police officer is somebody who goes towards it. That’s an instinctive thing.”
As a popular and recognisable talent, Robinson would seem an obvious choice for a role in a reality show, but admits he doesn’t find the prospect attractive.
“I probably wouldn’t say no to Strictly Come Dancing, but I’m not very keen on having a camera on me all the time. The dancing would be great fun to learn, but the cameras are intrusive. I’m quite a shy person really and that would be a hard thing for me to deal with.
“As for the others, it’s just not me. I don’t really want to be in a jungle eating monkey testicles, thank you. Some people might jump at the chance, but I’d give that a miss.”
Viewers did at least get to see him showcase his dance moves when he took part in Let’s Dance For Comic Relief, performing a brilliant Riverdance with former Bill colleague Lisa Maxwell.
So, given that he’s a recognised acting talent with a string of rave reviews on his CV, what on earth is he doing in The Bill? And what’s more, how long will he stay?
“There have obviously been a few cuts over the past few months and some talented people have been let go, and that’s a very sad thing, but in the current economic climate, nothing is certain any more. I’m grateful to have a paying job, and it happens to be one in a show that has a great following, lots of ambition and major potential.
“I consider myself very fortunate. I still adore the stage work but playing Banksy is great fun too, and I’m fortunate to be involved at such an important time. Before this, I was on tour in a stage play for next to nothing. There are no guarantees in this business.
“My old mate Huw Higginson used to play the legendary PC Garfield and when I used to tune in to watch him I was always impressed by the subtle little things that made it that cut above. And the year I joined, The Bill won a Bafta, so we must be doing something right.
“What’s more, I’m probably one of the few people who long-time viewers don’t remember playing a cameo part as a criminal when I was a youngster!
“Long term, I would love to be able to say what I see myself doing five, 10 and 20 years from now, but you quickly learn in this business that it doesn’t really work out that way. I love being a part of The Bill, and that’s my day job for as long as they want me.”
ROBINSON RELISHES NEW-LOOK BILL
By Dave Mark
PATRICK ROBINSON’S dignified stage performances have been likened to those of a young James Earl Jones, resonating with controlled passion and gravitas.Co-stars joke that he had to take so many bows during one standing ovation that he risked permanent curvature of the spine.
He was the first black man to play Romeo in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Romeo and Juliet, and performed the role with such aplomb that most reviewers forgot to mention the colour of his skin.On screen, he’s traded blows with Steven Seagal and took the role of black icon Thomas Peters in slavery epic Rough Crossings.
Why then, with such a varied CV, do people still think “that’s Ash from Casualty” when they spot Robinson in the street?
Perhaps it’s a measure of the esteem in which the Casualty character is held, even if 13 years have passed since he last wore the nurse’s uniform in the BBC1 medical drama.
“Thankfully, the people who remember me playing Ash tend to be in their 30s now so they’re a bit busy with kids and real lives to shout, ‘Hi Ash,’ and run away giggling,” laughs Robinson.
“But I do get the odd, ‘Hello,’ from people and then hear the word ‘Ash’ when they’re whispering. I don’t mind. I’ve got a lot of love for the character.”
These days, 46-year-old Robinson is best known to a new generation of viewers as the likeable DC Jacob ‘Banksy’ Banks in The Bill. And he’s delighted to be a part of the cast at such a seminal time in the show’s long history.
The show is moving to a new weekly 9pm time slot at the heart of the ITV1 schedule, finding itself repositioned as a post-watershed drama for the first time since it began 25 years ago.
“It’s an exciting time,” says Robinson. “Some people see these kind of moves as a licence to swear and show some nudity, but that’s not it at all.“We’re not reinventing The Bill. We’re not wiping out all that was good before. We’re just being given that little bit more freedom and as an actor, that’s tremendously challenging.
“It’s a tried and tested show and still has millions of fans so we have to be wary of suddenly altering everything. It’s more a change of tone. Sure, on-set it does feel a bit like being part of a new show, but that’s more because of the excitement in the air and the fact that everybody’s so keen for this to do well.”
Show executive producer Johnathan Young agrees: “We’re digging deeper into characters to tell stronger and more challenging stories which really examine the true causes and effects of crime.
“The later time slot allows us to produce darker, grittier and more hard-hitting drama, through the eyes of our existing characters. The heart of the show will remain the same, but it will look very fresh.”Robinson is clearly relishing the chance to once again play a regular role and takes the craft of character development very seriously. He is enjoying peeling back the layers of Banksy each week.
“That’s the thing about the post-watershed move,” he says. “We’ll just get a bit more freedom to flesh the characters out. To be a bit more real, I suppose. It won’t be full on, but it will have a bit more oomph, and the chance to play a character close to my heart in slightly grittier storylines, and still stay true to what has gone before, is a wonderful challenge for an actor.”
But does he think he could do the job for real? “Not a chance,” he laughs.“Banksy’s a great guy and if I was to be a police officer, I would hope to be one like him, but if I hear a gunshot or a scream I think I would do the sensible thing and run away from it. A police officer is somebody who goes towards it. That’s an instinctive thing.”
As a popular and recognisable talent, Robinson would seem an obvious choice for a role in a reality show, but admits he doesn’t find the prospect attractive.
“I probably wouldn’t say no to Strictly Come Dancing, but I’m not very keen on having a camera on me all the time. The dancing would be great fun to learn, but the cameras are intrusive. I’m quite a shy person really and that would be a hard thing for me to deal with.
“As for the others, it’s just not me. I don’t really want to be in a jungle eating monkey testicles, thank you. Some people might jump at the chance, but I’d give that a miss.”
Viewers did at least get to see him showcase his dance moves when he took part in Let’s Dance For Comic Relief, performing a brilliant Riverdance with former Bill colleague Lisa Maxwell.
So, given that he’s a recognised acting talent with a string of rave reviews on his CV, what on earth is he doing in The Bill? And what’s more, how long will he stay?
“There have obviously been a few cuts over the past few months and some talented people have been let go, and that’s a very sad thing, but in the current economic climate, nothing is certain any more. I’m grateful to have a paying job, and it happens to be one in a show that has a great following, lots of ambition and major potential.
“I consider myself very fortunate. I still adore the stage work but playing Banksy is great fun too, and I’m fortunate to be involved at such an important time. Before this, I was on tour in a stage play for next to nothing. There are no guarantees in this business.
“My old mate Huw Higginson used to play the legendary PC Garfield and when I used to tune in to watch him I was always impressed by the subtle little things that made it that cut above. And the year I joined, The Bill won a Bafta, so we must be doing something right.
“What’s more, I’m probably one of the few people who long-time viewers don’t remember playing a cameo part as a criminal when I was a youngster!
“Long term, I would love to be able to say what I see myself doing five, 10 and 20 years from now, but you quickly learn in this business that it doesn’t really work out that way. I love being a part of The Bill, and that’s my day job for as long as they want me.”
Cry Wolf
MUST admit I was impressed by Cry Wolf – a sensitive and intelligent piece of writing with some great acting. Love the way the directors on The Bill can get truthful performances out of not just the regulars, but guest stars too.
Here’s the resume. Viewers in Scotland can see the episode on ITV3 on Monday at 11pm.
THE BILL
Episode 020 – Cry WolfThursday 30 July 2009 9.00 to 10.00pm ITV1
D.C. Mickey Webb (Chris Simmons) is frustrated after having to release teenager Grant Shepherd (Christopher Hughes) on suspicion of raping 17 year old Caitlin Macey (Ruby Thomas). Although there is no forensic evidence, Mickey is convinced that Caitlin was attacked but isn't certain that Grant is the rapist.
After speaking to D.I. Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel), Mickey is given another day to investigate and asks D.C. Jacob Banks (Patrick Robinson) for his help. The two officers, along with P.C. Mel Ryder (Rhea Bailey) head to Caitlin's home where they tell Caitlin's mother, Lorraine (Sarah Ball) and step-father Craig (Antony Edridge) that they need to question their daughter again.
However, as they wait for Caitlin to finish her bath, Mel realises that there is no one in the bathroom and discovers an empty bottle of pills. Horrified, the officers rush out of the house and find a semi-unconscious Caitlin down an alleyway...
After being discharged from the hospital, Mickey gently questions Caitlin who tells him that everything is jumbled up. Mickey tells her that he firmly believes she was raped, but that they may be looking at the wrong suspect.
As the investigation continues, Mickey and Banksy realise that the attack didn't take place recently, as Caitlin claimed. Mickey talks to Caitlin again and attempts to regress her memories: the interview provides Mickey with more evidence and between them, he and Banksy realise that the rape took place at a family party two years previously.
Lorraine and Craig are horrified by the latest turn of events but provide the police with a video tape from the party, which shows Caitlin, horribly drunk and stumbling up the stairs to her bedroom, followed swiftly by her step-father...
Mickey questions Craig who is disgusted by the allegation that he may have raped Caitlin. He tells Mickey that he helped her to bed and knowing how drunk she was, made sure that she wasn't sick before falling asleep. The D.C.’s instinct tells him that Craig had nothing to do with Caitlin’s attack but Mickey grows more frustrated with the case.
However, later that day, Caitlin calls Mickey and tells him that she remembers who raped her at the party, but the truth will blow two families apart. Can Caitlin reveal who attacked her, in order to move on with her life...?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Matthew Bardsley, directed by Reza Moradi and produced by James Hall.
Here’s the resume. Viewers in Scotland can see the episode on ITV3 on Monday at 11pm.
THE BILL
Episode 020 – Cry WolfThursday 30 July 2009 9.00 to 10.00pm ITV1
D.C. Mickey Webb (Chris Simmons) is frustrated after having to release teenager Grant Shepherd (Christopher Hughes) on suspicion of raping 17 year old Caitlin Macey (Ruby Thomas). Although there is no forensic evidence, Mickey is convinced that Caitlin was attacked but isn't certain that Grant is the rapist.
After speaking to D.I. Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel), Mickey is given another day to investigate and asks D.C. Jacob Banks (Patrick Robinson) for his help. The two officers, along with P.C. Mel Ryder (Rhea Bailey) head to Caitlin's home where they tell Caitlin's mother, Lorraine (Sarah Ball) and step-father Craig (Antony Edridge) that they need to question their daughter again.
However, as they wait for Caitlin to finish her bath, Mel realises that there is no one in the bathroom and discovers an empty bottle of pills. Horrified, the officers rush out of the house and find a semi-unconscious Caitlin down an alleyway...
After being discharged from the hospital, Mickey gently questions Caitlin who tells him that everything is jumbled up. Mickey tells her that he firmly believes she was raped, but that they may be looking at the wrong suspect.
As the investigation continues, Mickey and Banksy realise that the attack didn't take place recently, as Caitlin claimed. Mickey talks to Caitlin again and attempts to regress her memories: the interview provides Mickey with more evidence and between them, he and Banksy realise that the rape took place at a family party two years previously.
Lorraine and Craig are horrified by the latest turn of events but provide the police with a video tape from the party, which shows Caitlin, horribly drunk and stumbling up the stairs to her bedroom, followed swiftly by her step-father...
Mickey questions Craig who is disgusted by the allegation that he may have raped Caitlin. He tells Mickey that he helped her to bed and knowing how drunk she was, made sure that she wasn't sick before falling asleep. The D.C.’s instinct tells him that Craig had nothing to do with Caitlin’s attack but Mickey grows more frustrated with the case.
However, later that day, Caitlin calls Mickey and tells him that she remembers who raped her at the party, but the truth will blow two families apart. Can Caitlin reveal who attacked her, in order to move on with her life...?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Matthew Bardsley, directed by Reza Moradi and produced by James Hall.
Monday, 27 July 2009
Die By The Sword
Loving the new look. It's amazing how you don't miss incidental music when it's not there, yet when it is, it brings a whole new sense of drama to a scene.
At last The Bill is back at the cutting edge of TV drama.
Here's a synopsis of the last episode for those who missed it. Courtesy, as ever, of The Bill press office.
THE BILL
Epsiode 008: Die By the Sword
Friday 24th July 2009 9.00 to 10.00pm ITV1
*Guest starring Andrew Tiernan as Craig Middleton*
D.I. Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel) and D.C. Jacob Banks (Patrick Robinson) meet at St Hugh’s hospital, where Banksy reveals that Danny Sissoulu (Tunji Lucas) has just died: this is now a murder enquiry.
Back at the station, prime suspect Craig Middleton (Andrew Tiernan) is interviewed and he tells the officers that he was out walking his baby in through the park when Danny, his brother Kip (Mohammed Mansaray) and friend Mo Campbell (Lanre Malaolu) confronted him with a knife. He says that he was slashed several times and punched Danny in retaliation.
Banksy is tasked with updating the grieving Sissoulu family and Danny’s mother, Miriam (Sara Powell) is furious at the suggestion that her sons may have had knives on them. The officers are convinced that Kip knows exactly what happened the night Danny died, but are frustrated that they can’t get him to open up. Determined to get a result, Superintendent Jack Meadows (Simon Rouse) insists to Neil that they need to put surveillance equipment in the Sissoulu’s house and Banksy shouldn’t be told about it...
Elsewhere, Mo is finally traced and taken to the station for questioning. He admits a fight broke out between Danny and Craig when Craig confronted them for no reason, but swears there were no knives involved.
Banksy soon discovers that the boys were involved in an anti-knife campaign and tells Neil that the family should now be left alone. However, when surveillance in the Sissoulu’s house show Danny’s parents Miriam and Joseph (Mo Sesay) telling their daughter to delete a shocking video clip on their computer, Neil realises that they need to get their hands on the hard-drive.
Later, while the family are at the mortuary, Neil arranges for the surveillance team to retrieve the clip. However, Banksy turns up unexpectedly and Neil is forced to tell him what’s going on. Banksy is bitterly disappointed that Neil didn’t trust him and later has an angry altercation with D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox), who knew about the operation.
However, he is horrified when he and Neil watch the clip which shows Danny showing off with some knives. With the evidence mounting, Mo’s gangster facade starts to crack and reveals the truth, stunning the officers.
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Tom Needham, directed by Paul Wroblewski and produced by Ciara McIlvenny.
At last The Bill is back at the cutting edge of TV drama.
Here's a synopsis of the last episode for those who missed it. Courtesy, as ever, of The Bill press office.
THE BILL
Epsiode 008: Die By the Sword
Friday 24th July 2009 9.00 to 10.00pm ITV1
*Guest starring Andrew Tiernan as Craig Middleton*
D.I. Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel) and D.C. Jacob Banks (Patrick Robinson) meet at St Hugh’s hospital, where Banksy reveals that Danny Sissoulu (Tunji Lucas) has just died: this is now a murder enquiry.
Back at the station, prime suspect Craig Middleton (Andrew Tiernan) is interviewed and he tells the officers that he was out walking his baby in through the park when Danny, his brother Kip (Mohammed Mansaray) and friend Mo Campbell (Lanre Malaolu) confronted him with a knife. He says that he was slashed several times and punched Danny in retaliation.
Banksy is tasked with updating the grieving Sissoulu family and Danny’s mother, Miriam (Sara Powell) is furious at the suggestion that her sons may have had knives on them. The officers are convinced that Kip knows exactly what happened the night Danny died, but are frustrated that they can’t get him to open up. Determined to get a result, Superintendent Jack Meadows (Simon Rouse) insists to Neil that they need to put surveillance equipment in the Sissoulu’s house and Banksy shouldn’t be told about it...
Elsewhere, Mo is finally traced and taken to the station for questioning. He admits a fight broke out between Danny and Craig when Craig confronted them for no reason, but swears there were no knives involved.
Banksy soon discovers that the boys were involved in an anti-knife campaign and tells Neil that the family should now be left alone. However, when surveillance in the Sissoulu’s house show Danny’s parents Miriam and Joseph (Mo Sesay) telling their daughter to delete a shocking video clip on their computer, Neil realises that they need to get their hands on the hard-drive.
Later, while the family are at the mortuary, Neil arranges for the surveillance team to retrieve the clip. However, Banksy turns up unexpectedly and Neil is forced to tell him what’s going on. Banksy is bitterly disappointed that Neil didn’t trust him and later has an angry altercation with D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox), who knew about the operation.
However, he is horrified when he and Neil watch the clip which shows Danny showing off with some knives. With the evidence mounting, Mo’s gangster facade starts to crack and reveals the truth, stunning the officers.
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Tom Needham, directed by Paul Wroblewski and produced by Ciara McIlvenny.
Friday, 24 July 2009
Live By The Sword
Here’s the catch up for last night’s episode courtesy of The Bill press office.
The Bill
Epiosde 007: Live By the Sword
Thursday 23rd July 2009 9.00 to 10.00pm ITV1
*Guest starring Julia Ford as Debbie Readshaw & Andrew Tiernan as Craig Middleton*
Sergeant Stone (Sam Callis) and P.C. Ben Gayle (Micah Balfour) are out on patrol when they discover teenager Danny Sissoulu (Tunji Lucas) has been beaten unconscious, while his distraught younger brother, Kip (Mohammed Mansaray) and friend Mo Campbell (Lanre Malaolu) are covered in blood.
CID are called to the scene and as they begin to question potential witnesses, Stone confronts a suspicious looking teenager, Ollie Readshaw (Jazz Litott), who runs as soon as he see’s Stone, who chases after him while the rest of his team follow.
On a busy roadside, Stone attempts to reason with Ollie, but just as Ben catches up with his Sergeant, he sees the teenager turn away from Stone and run into the road, only to be hit and killed by a lorry. Did Stone chase him to his death?
D.I. Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel) is tasked with questioning Ollie’s mother, Debbie (Julia Ford), about his whereabouts the night Danny was attacked. The grieving mother insists that Ollie was with her all night, but Neil is convinced she’s hiding something.
Debbie, although consumed with grief and anger seems to make a connection with the D.C. so when Neil is forced to return to her house later with a team to search her flat for evidence, she angrily attacks him. Can Neil console a mother and lay her son’s memory to rest, or will Debbie have to live with the fact that her son died after brutally attacking another teenager..?
Elsewhere, D.C. Jacob Banks (Patrick Robinson) is assigned the role of Family Liaison Officer for the Sissoulu family, keeping them informed as any new evidence comes to light. The D.C. is reluctant when Neil and D.C. Grace Dasari (Amita Dhiri) turn up at the house and tell him they need to interview younger brother Kip, but escorts the Sissoulu’s to the station.
In the soft interview room, a distraught Kip is gently questioned. He eventually breaks down and reveals that he, Danny and Mo were confronted by a man with a baby in the park where Danny was attacked. The man is quickly identified as Craig Middleton (Andrew Tiernan), a witness who was previously questioned. When they arrest him, he is horribly drunk and mumbling that it was self defence...
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Tom Needham, directed by Paul Wroblewski and produced by Ciara McIlvenny.
The Bill
Epiosde 007: Live By the Sword
Thursday 23rd July 2009 9.00 to 10.00pm ITV1
*Guest starring Julia Ford as Debbie Readshaw & Andrew Tiernan as Craig Middleton*
Sergeant Stone (Sam Callis) and P.C. Ben Gayle (Micah Balfour) are out on patrol when they discover teenager Danny Sissoulu (Tunji Lucas) has been beaten unconscious, while his distraught younger brother, Kip (Mohammed Mansaray) and friend Mo Campbell (Lanre Malaolu) are covered in blood.
CID are called to the scene and as they begin to question potential witnesses, Stone confronts a suspicious looking teenager, Ollie Readshaw (Jazz Litott), who runs as soon as he see’s Stone, who chases after him while the rest of his team follow.
On a busy roadside, Stone attempts to reason with Ollie, but just as Ben catches up with his Sergeant, he sees the teenager turn away from Stone and run into the road, only to be hit and killed by a lorry. Did Stone chase him to his death?
D.I. Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel) is tasked with questioning Ollie’s mother, Debbie (Julia Ford), about his whereabouts the night Danny was attacked. The grieving mother insists that Ollie was with her all night, but Neil is convinced she’s hiding something.
Debbie, although consumed with grief and anger seems to make a connection with the D.C. so when Neil is forced to return to her house later with a team to search her flat for evidence, she angrily attacks him. Can Neil console a mother and lay her son’s memory to rest, or will Debbie have to live with the fact that her son died after brutally attacking another teenager..?
Elsewhere, D.C. Jacob Banks (Patrick Robinson) is assigned the role of Family Liaison Officer for the Sissoulu family, keeping them informed as any new evidence comes to light. The D.C. is reluctant when Neil and D.C. Grace Dasari (Amita Dhiri) turn up at the house and tell him they need to interview younger brother Kip, but escorts the Sissoulu’s to the station.
In the soft interview room, a distraught Kip is gently questioned. He eventually breaks down and reveals that he, Danny and Mo were confronted by a man with a baby in the park where Danny was attacked. The man is quickly identified as Craig Middleton (Andrew Tiernan), a witness who was previously questioned. When they arrest him, he is horribly drunk and mumbling that it was self defence...
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Tom Needham, directed by Paul Wroblewski and produced by Ciara McIlvenny.
New Look
A MAJOR milestone in the history of The Bill was reached last night with the broadcast of the first ‘new look’ episode on ITV1 – the first episode not to be screened in Scotland.
Good news is that ITV3 programme schedules have been rejigged so that Scottish viewers will have a chance to see the new episodes. Last night’s, Live By The Sword, will be broadcast next Wednesday at 11pm, part of a double-header with tonight’s ITV1 episode, Die By the Sword.
Thereafter, ITV3 will broadcast the previous Thursday’s ITV1 episode of The Bill on a Monday at 11pm.
Just for the record, a number of the series dropped by STV (including The Bill, Midsomer Murders, Benidorm, Lewis and Wycliffe) used to attract between 500,000 and 600,000 viewers.
Many of their replacements are managing only 200,000 viewers – a discrepancy of between 300,000 to 400,000. That’s two thirds of the audience gone... but STV bosses insist that’s fine, apparently it’s part of a long-game. Time will tell.
Anyway, this is how the launch of the ‘new look’ episodes of The Bill was announced to the rest of the UK’s viewing public.
TRANSMISSION ANNOUNCEMENT: A VIEW FROM THE FRONTLINE – NEW AT 9
The Bill moves to new 9pm timeslot with double-episode special
Top crime drama, The Bill, is to move to its new weekly 9pm time slot at the heart of the ITV1 schedule from Thursday 23rd July, as the BAFTA award-winning series is repositioned as a post-watershed drama for the first time in its 25 year history. As a one-off special to herald the start of the ‘new’ show, a second episode will be screened at 9pm on Friday 24th July.
The new-look continuing series will be shot in high definition, with a musical score and new title credits and theme music. Subtle echoes of the original theme music will remain, but the entire show has been given a new lease of life.
“We haven’t sought to totally reinvent The Bill,” commented executive producer Johnathan Young, “but we have wanted to create a more immersive experience for our viewers. We’re digging deeper into characters to tell stronger and more challenging stories which really examine the true causes and effects of crime. The later timeslot allows us to produce darker, grittier and more hard-hitting drama, through the eyes of our existing characters. The heart of the show will remain the same, but it will look very fresh.”
Sergeant Callum Stone (Sam Callis) and P.C. Ben Gayle (Micah Balfour) will be the first characters to tread Sun Hill streets in the new timeslot, so leading the action into the first big storyline, ‘Live by the Sword’. When a 15 year old boy is critically injured – ultimately, fatally – following a knife attack on an estate, investigations begin into identifying the killer. Featuring guest actors Julia Ford and Andrew Tiernan, the episode kicks off with high-octane energy, and sets the pace for the series. The second-part of the storyline – ‘Die by the Sword’ – airs on the consecutive night.
Viewers will get the first taster of the new-look show through a national ITV marketing campaign – including billboard posters and on-air trails – in coming weeks.
Good news is that ITV3 programme schedules have been rejigged so that Scottish viewers will have a chance to see the new episodes. Last night’s, Live By The Sword, will be broadcast next Wednesday at 11pm, part of a double-header with tonight’s ITV1 episode, Die By the Sword.
Thereafter, ITV3 will broadcast the previous Thursday’s ITV1 episode of The Bill on a Monday at 11pm.
Just for the record, a number of the series dropped by STV (including The Bill, Midsomer Murders, Benidorm, Lewis and Wycliffe) used to attract between 500,000 and 600,000 viewers.
Many of their replacements are managing only 200,000 viewers – a discrepancy of between 300,000 to 400,000. That’s two thirds of the audience gone... but STV bosses insist that’s fine, apparently it’s part of a long-game. Time will tell.
Anyway, this is how the launch of the ‘new look’ episodes of The Bill was announced to the rest of the UK’s viewing public.
TRANSMISSION ANNOUNCEMENT: A VIEW FROM THE FRONTLINE – NEW AT 9
The Bill moves to new 9pm timeslot with double-episode special
Top crime drama, The Bill, is to move to its new weekly 9pm time slot at the heart of the ITV1 schedule from Thursday 23rd July, as the BAFTA award-winning series is repositioned as a post-watershed drama for the first time in its 25 year history. As a one-off special to herald the start of the ‘new’ show, a second episode will be screened at 9pm on Friday 24th July.
The new-look continuing series will be shot in high definition, with a musical score and new title credits and theme music. Subtle echoes of the original theme music will remain, but the entire show has been given a new lease of life.
“We haven’t sought to totally reinvent The Bill,” commented executive producer Johnathan Young, “but we have wanted to create a more immersive experience for our viewers. We’re digging deeper into characters to tell stronger and more challenging stories which really examine the true causes and effects of crime. The later timeslot allows us to produce darker, grittier and more hard-hitting drama, through the eyes of our existing characters. The heart of the show will remain the same, but it will look very fresh.”
Sergeant Callum Stone (Sam Callis) and P.C. Ben Gayle (Micah Balfour) will be the first characters to tread Sun Hill streets in the new timeslot, so leading the action into the first big storyline, ‘Live by the Sword’. When a 15 year old boy is critically injured – ultimately, fatally – following a knife attack on an estate, investigations begin into identifying the killer. Featuring guest actors Julia Ford and Andrew Tiernan, the episode kicks off with high-octane energy, and sets the pace for the series. The second-part of the storyline – ‘Die by the Sword’ – airs on the consecutive night.
Viewers will get the first taster of the new-look show through a national ITV marketing campaign – including billboard posters and on-air trails – in coming weeks.
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
The Bill 1 STV 0
ITV have just just announced that 'Scotland is not losing The Bill'.
ITV3 schedules have been reshuffled to allow repeats of the previous Thursday's episode on a Monday at 11pm.
STV viewers can return to the Sun Hill frontline on Wednesday 29, July with a special double-bill entitled Live By The Sword/Die By The Sword, on ITV3 between 11pm and 1am.
Thereafter, ITV3 will broadcast The Bill on a Monday at 11pm.
Result.
ITV3 schedules have been reshuffled to allow repeats of the previous Thursday's episode on a Monday at 11pm.
STV viewers can return to the Sun Hill frontline on Wednesday 29, July with a special double-bill entitled Live By The Sword/Die By The Sword, on ITV3 between 11pm and 1am.
Thereafter, ITV3 will broadcast The Bill on a Monday at 11pm.
Result.
Monday, 20 July 2009
Flashback 2000: Sgt Cryer aka Eric Richard on the Royal Yacht Britannia
A touch of nostalgia now, with this piece which was written to coincide with a low-key visit to Edinburgh by Eric Richard. Enjoy.
Britannia fits The Bill as Eric beats a path to Leith
By LIAM RUDDEN
Edinburgh Evening News 25 Mar 2000
"HEY Sarge" is the cry that greets Eric Richard as he walks along the shore at Leith and on to the Royal Yacht Britannia.
It's the sort of recognition that goes with being one of Britain's most famous TV faces. As Sergeant Bob Cryer, the linchpin of Britain's longest running police show, The Bill, he has been a household name for 17 years. But there's more to Eric Richard than meets the eye.
In the little time he spends away from his Sun Hill beat you are just as likely to find him behind the camera as in front of it. Two years ago he formed his own company, Watchman Productions, which makes documentaries, and it's the latest of these which brings him to the Capital to film on board Britannia.
"Everywhere you go someone will recognise you," he says. To help him work smoothly on Britannia he even had to be provided with security to keep over-enthusiastic fans at bay.
"It's an ongoing project," he explains. "But initially we were here to create a video for retail sale on board the ship." That completed, Richard is looking forward to returning later in the year.
"Working on the ship is marvellous. It's exciting being able to get below stairs on such a famous vessel."
His first visit to the ship that took Charles and Diana on the first leg of their honeymoon, has left him with an unexpected insight into the Royal Family.
"It isn't as regal as I expected," he says. "I hadn't realised that the Royal Family were quite as austere as they are. I suppose it's because we all imagine that palaces are from fairy tales, where everything is made of solid gold.
"Exploring the ship, I realise that they lived in a very practical way. I'm told the Queen wanted the drawing room to resemble that of a country cottage, rather than a state room, and although you're on a ship, that's exactly what it feels like."
With so much attention to detail on board, capturing the ship's atmosphere on video was just as important, and though Richard himself has narrated many documentaries he has not been tempted to do this one.
"As the producer it's my job to ensure we do the best for the subject we are filming. Britannia was built in Scotland, and has now, we assume, come to reside in Scotland for the rest of its life, I wanted a Scottish lilt to the narration to reflect that."
Filming here has brought Richard back to Leith for the first time in 20 years. He has noticed some changes. "I was last here in '76 and '77," he recalls, "and my memory is that it certainly wasn't a place I would have gone sightseeing. I do remember being taken to a party there by some friends once, though.
"We ended up in some dodgy-looking flat, but as a southerner I'd say it's now more on par with the Docklands, or Covent Garden ".
He regards his film work as a welcome diversion from a gruelling TV schedule -being the country's best-loved copper since Dixon of Dock Green can be hard work.
The actor, born in Margate and brought up in Brixton, first appeared on our screens in The Bill in 1983, since then most of the original characters have moved on to pastures new, but Bob Cryer is still there.
"I don't think any actor can ever perceive being in something this long," he confesses. "It's not the way the business usually works, but it is nice to be secure in the knowledge that for six months, or a year, you will be paid a certain amount."
Life wasn't always that easy. He left school at 15, and was married for the first time, and working in the motor trade by the age of 21. His acting debut came almost by accident.
"A workmate introduced me to the local amateur dramatic club," he laughs, "and I remember thinking, what a great way to make a living".
For the next 15 years he worked solidly as a jobbing actor before, at the age of 45, landing the part that was to change his life. In a real force Sgt Bob Cryer would have been pensioned off by now, but Richard is still happy to play TV father figure to his ever-changing batch of rookies.
Away from the screaming sirens and flashing blue lights he has another great love. "I have a passion for motorbikes," he reveals.
With nine bikes to his name - the earliest is a 1952 Triumph Tiger 100, and the most recent a GSXR 750 Suzuki - he jumped at the chance to present an episode of the travel show, Wish You Were Here, touring Scotland on his bike.
"I didn't set out to collect motor cycles," he says, "they've just sort of gathered themselves around me". When he'd finished shooting his holiday report, Richard and his wife, Tina, decided to spend a little longer in Scotland tracing his roots. "My mother was a MacDonell. And we managed to trace the family back to the times of Mary Queen of Scots."
During The Clearances his family moved to Edinburgh, before making their way down south working as engineers on the Victorian railways.
One day, the father-of-two, found himself at Glencoe, gazing out over his heritage - and taking some of his Kiwi fans by surprise.
"We were on our bikes, on the rise by the waterfall at the side of Glencoe," he remembers, "and it was raining. A car pulled up beside us, and five people got out to share the view. They were New Zealanders, and for some reason The Bill is really big out there. Imagine their faces as they stepped from their car only to be confronted by Sgt Cryer, in full motorcycle kit, standing drenched in the peeing rain in Glencoe.
"I've never seen anyone look so shocked," he laughs. "I'm sure they thought I should have been in a Rolls Royce and at least wearing a Barbour jacket!"
Britannia fits The Bill as Eric beats a path to Leith
By LIAM RUDDEN
Edinburgh Evening News 25 Mar 2000
"HEY Sarge" is the cry that greets Eric Richard as he walks along the shore at Leith and on to the Royal Yacht Britannia.
It's the sort of recognition that goes with being one of Britain's most famous TV faces. As Sergeant Bob Cryer, the linchpin of Britain's longest running police show, The Bill, he has been a household name for 17 years. But there's more to Eric Richard than meets the eye.
In the little time he spends away from his Sun Hill beat you are just as likely to find him behind the camera as in front of it. Two years ago he formed his own company, Watchman Productions, which makes documentaries, and it's the latest of these which brings him to the Capital to film on board Britannia.
"Everywhere you go someone will recognise you," he says. To help him work smoothly on Britannia he even had to be provided with security to keep over-enthusiastic fans at bay.
"It's an ongoing project," he explains. "But initially we were here to create a video for retail sale on board the ship." That completed, Richard is looking forward to returning later in the year.
"Working on the ship is marvellous. It's exciting being able to get below stairs on such a famous vessel."
His first visit to the ship that took Charles and Diana on the first leg of their honeymoon, has left him with an unexpected insight into the Royal Family.
"It isn't as regal as I expected," he says. "I hadn't realised that the Royal Family were quite as austere as they are. I suppose it's because we all imagine that palaces are from fairy tales, where everything is made of solid gold.
"Exploring the ship, I realise that they lived in a very practical way. I'm told the Queen wanted the drawing room to resemble that of a country cottage, rather than a state room, and although you're on a ship, that's exactly what it feels like."
With so much attention to detail on board, capturing the ship's atmosphere on video was just as important, and though Richard himself has narrated many documentaries he has not been tempted to do this one.
"As the producer it's my job to ensure we do the best for the subject we are filming. Britannia was built in Scotland, and has now, we assume, come to reside in Scotland for the rest of its life, I wanted a Scottish lilt to the narration to reflect that."
Filming here has brought Richard back to Leith for the first time in 20 years. He has noticed some changes. "I was last here in '76 and '77," he recalls, "and my memory is that it certainly wasn't a place I would have gone sightseeing. I do remember being taken to a party there by some friends once, though.
"We ended up in some dodgy-looking flat, but as a southerner I'd say it's now more on par with the Docklands, or Covent Garden ".
He regards his film work as a welcome diversion from a gruelling TV schedule -being the country's best-loved copper since Dixon of Dock Green can be hard work.
The actor, born in Margate and brought up in Brixton, first appeared on our screens in The Bill in 1983, since then most of the original characters have moved on to pastures new, but Bob Cryer is still there.
"I don't think any actor can ever perceive being in something this long," he confesses. "It's not the way the business usually works, but it is nice to be secure in the knowledge that for six months, or a year, you will be paid a certain amount."
Life wasn't always that easy. He left school at 15, and was married for the first time, and working in the motor trade by the age of 21. His acting debut came almost by accident.
"A workmate introduced me to the local amateur dramatic club," he laughs, "and I remember thinking, what a great way to make a living".
For the next 15 years he worked solidly as a jobbing actor before, at the age of 45, landing the part that was to change his life. In a real force Sgt Bob Cryer would have been pensioned off by now, but Richard is still happy to play TV father figure to his ever-changing batch of rookies.
Away from the screaming sirens and flashing blue lights he has another great love. "I have a passion for motorbikes," he reveals.
With nine bikes to his name - the earliest is a 1952 Triumph Tiger 100, and the most recent a GSXR 750 Suzuki - he jumped at the chance to present an episode of the travel show, Wish You Were Here, touring Scotland on his bike.
"I didn't set out to collect motor cycles," he says, "they've just sort of gathered themselves around me". When he'd finished shooting his holiday report, Richard and his wife, Tina, decided to spend a little longer in Scotland tracing his roots. "My mother was a MacDonell. And we managed to trace the family back to the times of Mary Queen of Scots."
During The Clearances his family moved to Edinburgh, before making their way down south working as engineers on the Victorian railways.
One day, the father-of-two, found himself at Glencoe, gazing out over his heritage - and taking some of his Kiwi fans by surprise.
"We were on our bikes, on the rise by the waterfall at the side of Glencoe," he remembers, "and it was raining. A car pulled up beside us, and five people got out to share the view. They were New Zealanders, and for some reason The Bill is really big out there. Imagine their faces as they stepped from their car only to be confronted by Sgt Cryer, in full motorcycle kit, standing drenched in the peeing rain in Glencoe.
"I've never seen anyone look so shocked," he laughs. "I'm sure they thought I should have been in a Rolls Royce and at least wearing a Barbour jacket!"
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