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
Monday, 26 October 2009
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.
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