PC NATE ROBERTS - DRAG QUEEN

Press release just in:

FROM WALKING THE BEAT TO TREADING THE BOARDS
BEN RICHARDS JOINS CAST OF
PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT THE MUSICAL
AS OLIVIER AWARD WINNING MUSICAL EXTENDS BOOKING TO MAY 2011

Ben Richards, best known on television for playing PC Nathaniel Roberts in the long running TV drama The Bill and Bruno Milligan in ITV’s Footballer’s Wives, is to join the West End cast of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical from 1 June 2010.

Richards, who takes over the role of Tick from Jason Donovan, joins Don Gallagher (Bernadette), Oliver Thornton (Adam) and John Bowe (Bob) in the Olivier award-winning musical at the Palace Theatre, where booking is now extended until 28 May 2011.

As well as his roles in The Bill and Footballer’s Wives, Ben Richards played Justin Fuller in Holby City. His many leading roles in musical theatre include Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls on tour and in the West End, Danny Zuko in Grease at the Victoria Palace Theatre and on tour, Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever at the London Palladium, and on tour and Jerry Lukowski in The Full Monty at the Prince of Wales Theatre.

In March this year, before celebrating its first birthday in London, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical won the 2010 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Costume Design as well as the Whatsonstage.com awards for Best Musical, Best Supporting Actor in a Musical (Oliver Thompon), Best Set Design (Brian Thomson) and Best Choreographer (the late Ross Coleman).

Based on the Oscar® award-winning film and written by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott and directed by Simon Phillips, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical tells the story of Tick, Bernadette and Adam, a glamorous Sydney-based performing trio who agree to take their show to the middle of the Australian outback.

Priscilla is a heart-warming, uplifting adventure of three friends who hop aboard a battered old bus searching for love and friendship and end up finding more than they could ever have dreamed. With a dazzling array of outrageous costumes and featuring a score of dance-floor classics, Priscilla is a sensational journey to the heart of fabulous.

Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical had its world premiere in Sydney in October 2006 and has subsequently wowed audiences and critics alike in Melbourne and New Zealand, becoming the most successful Australian musical of all time. After a return Sydney season last year due to popular demand, the London production now celebrates its first year in the West End. Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical will open at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Toronto on 12 October and with plans for a Broadway transfer to open early 2011. Further international dates are also in discussion for productions in Brazil, Scandinavia and Germany.

Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical - adapted from the Oscar®-winning film The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert starring Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce - is written by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott. Direction is by Simon Phillips, Choreography is by Ross Coleman, Musical Supervision and Arrangements by Stephen ‘Spud’ Murphy and Production Design is by Brian Thomson. Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner have re-created their Oscar®-winning Costume Designs, which were originally designed for the film. BAFTA Award winning Make Up design is recreated by Cassie Hanlon. Lighting is designed by Nick Schlieper and Sound design by Michael Waters.

Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical is produced in London by Liz Koops and Garry McQuinn for Back Row Productions, Michael Hamlyn for Specific Films, Allan Scott, John Frost, Michael Chugg, David Mirvish and The Really Useful Group, in association with MGM on Stage, Darcie Denkert and Dean Stolber, based on the Latent Image/Specific Films Motion Picture, distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.

Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical
Booking until 28 May 2011
Palace Theatre, Cambridge Circus, London W1
Performances: Monday – Saturday at 7.30pm
Thursdays and Saturdays at 2.30pm
Website: priscillathemusical.com
Box Office:0844-755 0016

Bad Blood

THE BILL
Bad Blood - Episode 030
Thursday 15th April 2010, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV3 on Monday 19th April at 23:00

Jimmy Ferrier (Steve Nicolson) a known drug dealer approaches D.C. Mickey Webb (Chris Simmons) about the death of his brother Mitch Ferrier. Mickey was an old friend of Mitch’s and Jimmy hopes he will be able to investigate the case.

Mickey and D.S. Max Carter (Christopher Fox) meet Jimmy in a local pub where he reveals that Mitch had been being followed by a car for several weeks leading up to his death. He plays them a voicemail from Mitch who sounds panicked and distressed claiming that he was being followed again. Several minutes after the message was left Mitch was knocked off his bike and killed.

Mickey and Max attend Mitch’s funeral to dig deeper into Mitch’s life and his associates and they become suspicious of Ryan Lacey (Michael McKell) - a known drug dealer who has turned up.

Whilst Mitch’s family are at the funeral Mitch’s home and his café are broken into and turned over. Mickey speaks to Jimmy Ferrier about the possibility that Ryan Lacey is involved in Mitch’s death when the investigation reveals that Mitch and Ryan have previously had a fight.

Jimmy is adamant that Ryan and Mitch didn’t know each other and that Ryan has nothing to do with his brother’s death. But when the team later discover a gun in Mitch’s café that is forensically linked to Ryan Lacey they persuade Jimmy to meet with Ryan and confront him about Mitch. Intent on nailing Ryan, Max convinces D.I. Manson (Andrew Lancel) that they can at least charge Ryan with drug offences even if he had nothing to do with Mitch’s death. Mickey is unhappy but agrees to go along with it.

Whilst waiting outside Ryan Lacey’s club for Jimmy Ferrier, Mickey and Max are summoned into the club to join the conversation under the guise of being Jimmy’s friends. Mickey is shocked and angered when Max joins Jimmy and Ryan in snorting cocaine - Max later insists he had to go along with it so they wouldn’t get rumbled.

Ryan denies any involvement in Mitch’s death but admits he gave him with the gun for protection when he was being followed. Does Ryan know more than he’s letting on or will further investigations uncover another suspect?

THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by Emma Goodwin, directed by Declan O’Dwyer and produced by James Hall.

Maureen Beattie

Interviewed actress Maureen Beattie, who played Chief Superintendent Jane Fitzwilliam in The Bill in 2003, for a piece in the Edinburgh Evening News – she’s starring in The Cherry Orchard at The Royal Lyceum, until 8, May, 2010.
She had this to say about the axing of the series:

“I was very sad when I heard that The Bill was being axed because it was just fantastic to work on. It was actually quite a magical series to work on because you go into what you think is an industrial unit... and find yourself in the police station, with all these people walking about dressed as policemen. And then you go in behind that and you have the offices, the wardrobe department, the make-up department.

“The axing must have been a huge blow to all the regulars – wonderful actors doing wonderful work, creating very believable characters, who will suddenly find themselves out of work. So I hope very much that The Bill does get saved. It’s a good programme and not as if the quality was in question.”

On The Beat: Maureen Beattie’s credits on The Bill from imdb.

Body Language (11 September 1990) - Tory Councillor
Your Shout (23 July 1991) - Mrs. Henderson
Powerless (26 January 1995) - Kathleen Leigh
075 (31 December 2002) - Chief Superintendent Jane Fitzwilliam
076 (1 January 2003) - Chief Supt Jane FitzWilliam
077 (2 January 2003) - Chief Supt Jane FitzWilliam
079 (9 January 2003) - Chief Superintendent Jane Fitzwilliam
081 (16 January 2003) - Chief Superintendent Jane Fitzwilliam
082 (22 January 2003) - Chief Superintendent Jane Fitzwilliam
090 (13 February 2003) - Chief Superintendent Jane Fitzwilliam
120 (11 June 2003) - Borough Commander
121 (12 June 2003) - Chief Superintendent Jane Fitzwilliam

Great Responsibility

THE BILL
Great Responsibility - Episode 44
Thursday 8th April 2010, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV3 on Monday 12th April at 23:00
*Featuring Julie Graham as Commander Lisa Kennedy*
Part 2 of a 2 part episode

It is the aftermath of the football riot and the team are under fire from the media for containing fans on match day. The press claim this ‘kettling’ contributed to the death of a man, Yusef Hanoush (Emanuele Interlici), whose body was discovered during the riot clean up. The press are speculating that this was a race related murder.

Just as Superintendent Meadows (Simon Rouse) and Commander Lisa Kennedy (Julie Graham) are about to hold a press conference regarding the murder, the team pull Superintendent Meadows aside to inform him that they have spotted Commander Kennedy’s son Mark (Finn Jones) on CCTV running from the alley where Yusef Hanoush’s body was found.

Superintendent Meadows shows the footage to Commander Kennedy who cannot hide her shock and concern. Mark Kennedy is taken in for questioning.

In the meantime the team discover that Yusef Hanoush had been having an affair with Karen Mills (Michelle Abrahams) the owner of the laundry where he worked. Yusef’s wife believed that he had been going to all away matches, but data from his Oyster card reveals he had been visiting Karen at home.

Back at the station Mark Kennedy is questioned about the stabbing of Mr Hanoush. He is shown the CCTV evidence of him fleeing the scene and questioned over the phone calls made to his mother (Commander Kennedy) after the estimated time of Yusef Hanoush’s death.

Mark finally admits to being in the alley but denies any involvement in the stabbing.

Two further suspects are arrested but will their version of events match up with Mark Kennedy’s and how will Commander Kennedy deal with the inevitable fall out of the situation?

THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by David Lawrence, directed by Alex Pillai and produced by James Hall.

Great Power

THE BILL
Great Power - Episode 39
Thursday 1st April 2010, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV3 on Monday 5th April at 23:00
*Featuring Julie Graham as Commander Lisa Kennedy*
Part 1 of a 2 part episode

The troops are tasked with managing an onslaught of fighting football fans on match day.

Watching live CCTV images from base during a very tense build up to a football match Superintendent Jack Meadows (Simon Rouse) leads the team on the ground, there are known trouble makers in the crowd. Inspector Smith (Alex Walkinshaw) is tasked with controlling the fans and keeping the rival fans apart.

Due to an earlier incident, part of the route Superintendent Meadows had intended to send one group of fans down is now closed off leading to them being contained. Commander Lisa Kennedy (Julie Graham) who is overseeing the whole situation is unhappy about the 'Kettling' of fans and urges Meadows to release the fans into a nearby park.

Commander Lisa Kennedy’s son Mark is attending the football match and she becomes increasingly anxious for his safety. When a woman in the crowd suffers an asthma attack, Commander Lisa Kennedy eventually takes control of the situation and orders Smithy to release the fans into the nearby park in order for an ambulance to get through.

When the situation seems to have calmed down, Smithy and the team start to clean up the area and come across the body of a man in a nearby alley who seems to have died in suspicious circumstances. Was he killed during the crowd scuffle?

Story concludes Week 14 Ep 44 Great Responsibility (TX 08/04/10)
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was written by David Lawrence, directed by Alex Pillai and produced by James Hall.

The Truth Will Out

THE BILL
The Truth Will Out - Episode 36
Thursday 25th March 2010, 21.00 to 22.00, ITV1
Repeated on ITV3 on Monday 29th March at 23:00
*Featuring Julie Graham as Commander Lisa Kennedy*
*Featuring Joel Beckett as Peter Grigson*

When Billy Edwards a four year old boy goes missing from his father’s garden, the team leap into action pulling in all the resources necessary to find him.

They begin door to door enquiries canvassing all local residents and look into a possible sighting 100 yards from Billy’s home of a small boy getting into a car.

CCTV images confirm the boy is Billy and the team immediately begin tracing the car. In the meantime Superintendent Jack Meadows convinces Billy’s parents (who are separated) to conduct a joint press conference.

Further investigations by D.S Stevie Moss (Lucy Speed) and D.C Jacob Banks (Patrick Robinson) reveal the number plates on the car involved in Billy’s abduction are false, leading them to a local scrap yard where they discover that the owner’s son Danny Lord has sold the plates to Peter Grigson (Joel Beckett)

The team track down Peter Grigson’s ex wife Helen Grigson (Tor Clark).When questioned by D.S Stevie Moss and D.C Jacob Banks she reveals that she left Peter Grigson when she became concerned about his inappropriate behaviour towards a neighbour’s son.

Billy’s mother Jenny Sullivan (Claire-Louise Caldwell) has never heard of Grigson but Billy’s father Ray Sullivan (Laurence Mitchell) becomes a suspect in his son’s abduction when CCTV from the local pub shows him speaking to Grigson about Billy, his routine, likes and dislikes. Ray is shocked and denies any involvement in Billy’s abduction.

Sergeant Callum Stone (Sam Callis) (who is still on suspension) is at Sun Hill discussing his own situation but as an observer to the whole abduction case, feels certain Edwards is a victim and convinces Inspector Smith (Alex Walkinshaw) to treat him as such rather than as a suspect.

The team track down Peter Grigson who is not with the missing boy. He is taken into custody for questioning where he admits to taking Billy but claims he quickly dropped him off at a local market and called the police. However P.C Leon Taylor (Dominic Power) tracks down Grigson’s phone records that reveal Grigson was not in the market when he claimed he was but was in fact four miles away.

Smithy calls the whole team in to help in the search for Billy including suspended Sergeant Stone.

The phone records and forensic evidence retrieved from Peter Grigson’s clothes lead the team to a building site a few miles away next to the river Thames. When banging is heard coming from a storm drain at the far side of the building site, Smithy and P.C Mel Ryder (Rhea Bailey) quickly climb down putting themselves in danger as the water is rapidly rising, but can they save the boy?
THE BILL is a talkbackTHAMES production and a direct commission by ITV. This episode was directed by Karl Neilson and produced by Ciara McIlvenny.