Next Week In The Bill

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

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

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.

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).

New Year Promo

Dial 999 and check out the future at Sun Hill. 2010 preview. Brilliant.

http://thebill.com/videos/videodetail/item_200069.htm