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.
Thursday, 27 August 2009
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.”
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