Trivia for
"The Bill" (1984)

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• As of March 2007, Jeff Stewart (PC Reg Hollis) is the last remaining original cast member. Trudie Goodwin left in March 2007, after playing WPC/Sgt. June Ackland since 1984. Long-standing cast member Mark Wingett (PC/DC Jim Carver) left the series in February 2005, but returned briefly for Goodwin's leaving storyline. Original cast members Peter Ellis (Chief. Supt. Charles Brownlow) and Eric Richard (Sgt. Bob Cryer) left in 2000/01, although both returned briefly for guest starring spots, as did Larry Dann (Sgt. Alec Peters).
  
  
• Episode titles were dropped in 2002 when the show became serialized under new executive producer Paul Marquess. The last episode to have an on-screen title was "The Bill: Set in Stone (#18.5)" (2002). A six-part storyline followed which had no on-screen titles but is referred to as "Quinnan" parts 1-6 by fans, as this storyline marked the departure of long-term character PC Dave Quinnan (Andrew Paul). Subsequent episodes were numbered, beginning with "The Bill: 001 (#18.12)" (2002). These numbers did not appear on-screen but were given on the show's official website. This numbering system remained in place for five years until "The Bill: 489 (#23.19)" (2007), which was the final episode of original character Sgt. June Ackland (Trudie Goodwin). It was then announced on the official website that episode titles would return, with the next episode title of "The Bill: Sweet Revenge (#23.20)" (2007) appearing on-screen. The episode numbers continue to be given on the official website, alongside the titles.
  
  
• There have been three different buildings used for Sun Hill police station, where the series is set. The first - used for seasons one and two (1984-1986) - was in Wapping, East London. The show was forced to move due to a lengthy strike at a nearby newspaper plant, when actors in police uniforms were mistaken for real police. The second location - used for season three (1987) and 1988-89 - was in Barlby Road in West London. The show was forced to move again in 1989 when the owners of the site wanted to redevelop the area. As the show was running continuously at this point production could not stop, and the move was explained in storylines as the station being renovated. The real tradesmen carrying out the work could be seen in the background of some episodes. The new site was a disused warehouse in Merton, near Wimbledon in South London, where the show remains to the present day.
  
  

• The telephone number for Sun Hill police station is given as: 0207 511 0953.
  
  
• Space was so tight in the building used for the set of the first Sun Hill station that Chief Superintendent Brownlow's (Peter Ellis) office doubled as producer Michael Chapman's office, and the canteen set was the actual canteen used by cast and crew.
  
  
• In the early years of the show, the location of Sun Hill was given as the real London borough of Tower Hamlets. At some point later on the location was changed to the fictional borough of Canley, which corresponds to the real borough of Tower Hamlet on maps.
  
  
• Many of the actors who have guest appeared on the show have later gone on to become a full time member of the cast. The following is a list of regular performers who have at one stage guest appeared in the series:
  • Ray Ashcroft appeared as a PC in 1993 and an ex-con in 1994 before joining the regular cast in 1996 as DS Daly.
  • Michele Austin played a community leader in 2 episodes in 2001 before joining the cast as PC Hemmingway in 2003.
  • Russell Boulter originally appeared as a PC in 1992, and guest starred as DC Boulton in 1994 before joining the cast as DS Boulton in 1995.
  • Brian Bovell played a DJ in 1989 and a dodgy preacher in 1997 before signing on as DC Thatcher in 2003.
  • 'John Bowler' had a minor role in an episode in 2002, joining the cast as PC Valentine in 2004.
  • 'Bruce Byron' guest starred in episodes in 1997 and 1998, and played a DI from the Flying Squad in 2000 before joining the cast full-time as DC Perkins in 2003.
  • Lolita Chakrabarti appeared 4 times (a victim of domestic violence in 1993, a witness in 1994 and twice as Dr. Vole in 1996) before becoming a regular as WPC Blake in October 1996.
  • Graham Cole appeared as an uncredited extra in 1984 - 1986 before joining the regular cast in 1987 as PC Stamp.
  • Karl Collins first appeared in 1991 and later in 1997 before joining full time in 1999 as DC Glaze.
  • Tom Cotcher appeared in an episode in 1988 and later went on to play DC Woods from 1992-1996.
  • Matthew Crompton had a small role in an episode in 1996. One year later he returned as PC Harker.
  • Jane Danson appeared as an abused girl in 1993 but came back as PC Osbourne in 2002.
  • Holly Davidson appeared as the mother of an abducted baby in 1998 before coming back in 2000 as PC Clarke.
  • Libby Davison played a character called Briony Richards in 1996. A few months later, she resurfaced as WDC Rawton.
  • 'Gregory Donaldson' appeared in an episode in early 1997. He returned later that year as DC Proctor.
  • Christopher Ellison guest starred as Sgt. Tommy Burnside in 1984 - 1986 before joining the cast as DI Frank Burnside in 1988.
  • Tania Emery had a small role in an episode in July 2000 before joining the cast as DC Spears in November 2000.
  • Russell Floyd who later went on to play DC Drummond in 2000, first appeared in 1993.
  • Vikki Gee-Dare appeared as an uncredited extra from 1984 before joining the regular cast as WPC Ford in 1989.
  • Jaye Griffiths appeared as WDS Johnson in 1993. One year - and a promotion - later, she returned as a regular as DI Johnson.
  • 'Steven Hartley (I)' joined in 2000 as Superintendent Chandler. He had played a murder suspect in 1994 and a dodgy DI in 1998.
  • Connie Hyde appeared as a prostitute in 1995 and a bank clerk in 1998 before returning in February 2002 as PC Bradford.
  • Wendy Kweh played a kidnap victim in a 3-part story in 2000 and a corrupt translator in 2 episodes in 2003 before joining as DC Sim in 2004.
  • Andrew Lancel appeared in episodes in 1995 and 1997 before becoming DI Manson in 2003.
  • James Lloyd played the part of DC Lines' oldest son in an episode in 1989 but joined the cast as PC Steve Hunter (DS Hunter's brother) in 2004.
  • Lisa Maxwell appeared as a gangster's wife in an episode in 2001, before returning in 2002 as DS Nixon.
  • Billy Murray first appeared as a DI in 1989 before joining the cast as DS Beech in 1995.
  • Scott Neal had a small role in an episode in 1996. Just over one year later he returned as PC Ashton. He left again, but returned in 2002.
  • Cyril Nri guest starred in 1998 and 2000 before joining the cast as Supt. Okaro in 2002.
  • Tony O'Callaghan first appeared as a villain in 1989, before signing on as Sgt. Boyden in 1991.
  • Roland Oliver first appeared in 1984 and went on to play Sgt. Corrie in 1990. Unusually, he returned in 1998 as another character.
  • Nick Patrick guest starred as a man who assaulted a homophobe in 2001 before joining the cast as SRO Julian Tavell
  • 'Andrew Paul' who later went on to play the role of PC Quinnan between 1989 and 2002 first appeared in an episode in 1987.
  • Robert Perkins played PC Leigh in 1993, joining the cast as Sgt. Steele in 1993.
  • Ben Roberts was an uncredited extra in an episode in 1987. He joined up one year later as Chief. Insp Conway.
  • Natalie Roles appeared in 1993 and again in 1997 before joining as DS McAllister in 2000.
  • George Rossi first appeared in an episode in 1997 before joining in late 1998 as DC Lennox.
  • Simon Rouse appeared in several episodes in 1990 - 1991 as Det. Supt. Meadows before being demoted to DCI and transferred to Sun Hill in 1992.
  • Clara Salaman guest starred in an episode in 1995 and joined the cast as DS Stanton in 1999.
  • Shaun Scott played a villain in 1991 but joined the cast as DS Chris Deakin in 1994.
  • Chris Simmons appeared as villains in two episodes, in 1998 and 1999 before coming back as DC Webb in 2000.
  • Ged Simmons appeared appeared as a guest in episodes in 1994, 1997 and 1999 prior to joining the cast in 2000.
  • Hywel Simons who played Sgt. Gilmore first appeared in 1994 and as a PC in 1998 before joining the cast in 2001.
  • 'Nick Stringer' appeared in 1985 before joining the cast as PC Smollett in 1990.
  • Roberta Taylor appeared in 1992 and again in 1993 before becoming a regular member of the cast in July 2002 as Insp. Gold.
  • Ofo Uhiara had a minor part in an episode in 2000 before joining as PC Powell in 2004.
  • Alex Walkinshaw played a young troublemaker in 1995 before joining the cast as PC Dale Smith in 1999.
  • 'Jane Wall' was first seen in an episode in 1997 before returning in 1999 as PC Worrell.
  • 'Alan Westaway' joined The Bill in 1995 as PC Slater. He first appeared in 1994.
  • Gary Whelan guest starred as DI Ken Haines in 1992 before joining the cast as DI Harry Haines in 1993.
  • Philip Whitchurch who played the memorable role of Chief Insp. Cato from 1993 first appeared as Insp. Twist in 2 episodes in 1990.
  • Natasha Williams played Sun Hill's typing room supervisor Delia France in 1989 before joining the cast as WPC Delia French in 1990.
  • 'Clive Wood' appeared as DI Wray in a 2-part story in 1990 before joining the cast on promotion to DCI later that year. And finally,
  • René Zagger played a drug addict in 1991 and 1997 (and another character in 1994) before joining the cast as drug addict PC Klein in 1999.
  
  
  
• In November 2006, thieves stole editing machines and master tapes from the shows studios in Merton, South West London. Posing as a worker and wearing a high-visibility jacket, one of the thieves followed a real worker into the studios and took the equipment, walked out with it and was driven off in a getaway van. Two episodes (468 and 469) were dropped from the schedules in late December 2006, and it is rumored that the stolen tapes contained scenes from these episodes. These scenes were re-filmed and the episodes aired in May 2007, titled as "The Bill: Blood Money (#23.32)" (2007) (episode 468) and "The Bill: To Honour and Obey (#23.33)" (2007) (episode 469).
  
  
• The show has traveled abroad three times for special episodes. In 1999, "The Bill: Foreign Body (#15.37)" (1999) took DCI Meadows and DC Skase to France in pursuit of a murder suspect; Claire Stanton followed Don Beech to Australia in "The Bill: Beech on the Run (#17.59)" (2001) in 2001; and in 2006 DS Hunter and DS Nixon went to Romania to investigate human trafficking in episodes "The Bill: 446 (#22.69)" (2006) and "The Bill: 447 (#22.70)" (2006).
  
  
• A special live episode ("The Bill: 162 (#19.87)" (2003)) was broadcast on the 30 October 2003 to celebrate twenty years of the show since the pilot "Storyboard: Woodentop (#1.4)" (1983). In a shock move the character of DC Juliet Becker (Rae Baker) was stabbed to death by a drunken man (played by Charles Dale), having only been in the show for four months. On the 22 September 2005 a second live episode ("The Bill: 349 (#21.76)" (2005)) was shown to celebrate the 50th birthday of ITV, the network that broadcasts the show. The storyline involved the armed siege of Sun Hill police station by the distraught father (Stuart Laing) of a boy killed by a car thief.
  
  
• Burnside (Christopher Ellison) was originally called Tommy when he guest starred in series one and two, but when he appeared as a regular character from 1988 onwards his first name was changed to Frank. This was because there was a real-life Tommy Burnside serving in the Metropolitan police at the time.
  
  
• James Lloyd (who plays PC Steve Hunter) is the son of Kevin Lloyd ("Tosh" Lines).
  
  
• René Zagger (PC Nick Klein) has an elder brother who is a policeman. When René Zagger won his part on the bill, his brother invited him to spend a week with Essex Constabulary.
  
  
• The actors' white shirts are washed with a black sock at first so that there isn't too much glare on screen.
  
  
• The police uniforms used in the series are genuine and are locked away for security reasons every night, with no complete uniform being locked in any one cupboard.
  
  
• When filming on location, the show does not have permission to use sirens. These are dubbed in later.
  
  
• The UK police rank system is organized thus: Constable, Sergeant, Inspector, Chief Inspector, Superintendent, Chief Superintendent. (Uniformed officers are referred to as Police Constable, Police Sergeant, etc.; detectives are Detective Constable, Detective Sergeant, and so on.)
  
  
• Emily Watson was interviewed for visiting parts a number of times.
  
  
• The producers of the show clear all new regular police character names with the Metropolitan police service to ensure there are no current serving officers with the same name. However if a person with the same name were to join the service at a later date, the show would be entitled to continue using the name.
  
  
• The format of the show still follows Geoff McQueen's original guidelines: the story is told through the eyes and by the actions of the Police, as such any given scene will always have one or more police officers in it.
  
  
• Rick Wakeman was offered the chance to write the theme tune either for this series or for "Lytton's Diary" (1985). He chose the latter, believing that it had the best potential of the two to be a long running series. It ran for two seasons.
  
  
• Other current cast members collecting long service medals are Graham Cole (PC Tony Stamp) (1987 to present) and 'Rouse, Simon (I)' (DCI Jack Meadows) (1992 to present).
  
  

• SPOILER: Sun Hill police station has been blown up three times. The first time was in "The Bill: Trojan Horse (#6.41)" (1990) when a car bomb meant for the car's owner exploded in the Sun Hill courtyard, killing PC Ken Melvin (Mark Powley). The second explosion was in "The Bill: 008 (#18.19)" (2002), when the station came under attack from rioting youths. PC Des Taviner (Paul Usher), trying to destroy some counterfeit banknotes that he had given to a colleague's memorial fund, seized his opportunity and threw a petrol bomb into a ground-floor room that - unbeknown to him - was being used to store a workman's gas cannisters. The resulting explosion killed six officers who were inside the station. The third explosion, less than three years later in "The Bill: 288 (#21.14)" (2005), killed another three officers. Recently fired PCSO Colin Fairfax (Tim Steed) drove a van full of petrol cannisters into the station reception area.
  
  

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