bill bill british police procedural television series broadcast itv october august programme originated drama broadcast august final year air bill broadcast week usually hour format programme focused lives work shift police officers particular aspect police work bill longest running police procedural television series united_kingdom longest running british television series title originates old bill slang term police highly acclaimed fans critics series attracted controversy occasions episode broadcast criticised featuring fictional treatment multiple series faced general criticism concerning levels violence particularly prior occupied pre watershed slot bill won awards including writers guild great_britain award inside soap awards series fourth consecutive win seven year run programme broadcast main itv network later years episodes repeated week broadcast series repeated digital stations including gold watch dave drama march executives itv announced network intend bill filming series cease june episode aired august history bill originally conceived relatively new television writer drama originally titled production old bill picked itv franchise holder retitled thames storyboard series dramas broadcast itv title august starred police constable london attached fictional sun hill police station originally intended impressed itv extent series commissioned broadcast october post watershed episode week featuring hour long separate storyline episode series episode series funny business changed bill years series broadcast july onwards year week summer break july series changed episodes thirty minutes week july onwards series began broadcast year round summer break increasing week beginning episode broadcast bill returned hour long episodes later twice weekly friday episode dropped point series adopted approach took executive producer drive ratings series revamped bringing soap opera type feel stories veteran characters written leading sun hill fire stated necessary introduce plausible powerful new characters new serial format characters personal lives explored viewers don home change allowed bill reflective modern introduction officers ethnic minorities notably new superintendent allowed coverage relationship homosexual storyline determined explore rival took executive producer serial format dropped bill returned stand episodes focus crime personal lives officers saw episode titles dropped bill moved slot previously held theme tune replaced major overhaul series cancellation march itv announced series later year years air itv said decision reflected changing tastes viewers episode bill filmed june broadcast august followed documentary titled farewell bill fans started save bill campaign social networking website facebook effort persuade itv reconsider cancellation radio broadcasters including presented special features programme cancellation time series end august bill united_kingdom longest running police drama longest running british television series series finale entitled respect aired parts dedicated men women past present finale storyline concerned gang member involved murder fellow member died arms inspector smith stabbed gang raped talked police found person responsible held gunpoint title finale executive producer said called respect hope respect heritage finale episodes featured cast final scene specially written cast members featured following final episode itv aired documentary entitled farewell bill featured interviews past present cast crew members finale watched million viewers farewell bill averaging million viewers broadcasting production filming locations series filming locations sun hill police station series police station consisted set buildings buildings news international plant winter industrial action resulted thought real police actually actors working bill working conditions got dire production team realised needed find base set sun hill police station second location old record distribution depot filming began march owners road site ordered bill redevelopment plans area extensive search sites selected favourite disused hospital fell second option chosen old wine distribution warehouse march disguised screen ongoing refurbishment sun hill police station finally explosion terrorist car bomb station car park ended killing filming series took place london mainly particularly london borough sun hill set located locations filmed housing estate included kingston south west london high path estate south west london minute walk sun hill set estate london estate includes housing block regularly bill filming demolished november scenes filmed east london notably scenes filmed sun hill bill set sun hill police station fictional unit creator bill claimed named street home town fictional sun hill suburb located fictional london borough east end north river_thames borough approximately real life years bill police station actually stated located london address police station given sun hill road corresponds real life areas production details filming bill scenes enacted indoors surrounding actors extra sounds dubbed later aggressive scenes filmed indoors dubbing safety reasons filming scenes involving police cars camera attached outside car feeds images digital recorder vehicle technique film new opening titles bill series added later dubbing suite bill permission use location police uniforms series genuine making bill unique police dramas series ended london talks production company bought kilograms police related including flat caps stab etc prevent falling hands criminals seek use criminal activities programme production ceased bill unique police dramas takes serial format work lives single shift police officers particular area police work unique bill adapted format series comparable series started serial format broadcast united_kingdom initial broadcast bill shown itv itv regional franchise opted broadcasting series number dramas decision later subject legal proceedings main itv network legal dispute settled april itv receiving million aside repeats episodes occurred original week broadcast regularly repeated digital stations runs series began november new digital channel began broadcasting channel broadcast repeats series nearly sixteen years october channel given owners network sixteen year period runs series covered episode broadcast october march october launched new british drama channel point episodes series broadcast slot channel broadcast episodes december taken channel schedule poor viewer feedback fourteen months broadcast channel covered episodes broadcast august february january relocated bill recent entertainment channels watch watch began airing episode sweet revenge broadcast march continued broadcast order carrying predecessor finished course year channel continued broadcast episodes years concluding november episode conviction judgement day broadcast july following short break network series returned december beginning broadcast february continued broadcast order episodes repeated carrying network finished april watch repeated single episode february february begin airing episodes march july started broadcast channel drama starting episodes broadcast outside bill broadcast different countries australia bill shown final episode shown october farewell bill shown following week october wednesday february commenced repeating entire series pilot episode afternoon weekday timeslot early morning repeats pay television services australia new_zealand older episodes broadcast denmark series retitled law disorder episodes series broadcast afternoon charlie ireland series broadcast television starting early 1990s early 2000s began broadcasting weekday splitting hour long episodes half hour episodes discontinued moving monday nights showed episodes ain moved prime time slot midnight slot thursday nights remained player sweden series retitled broadcaster broadcast daily early afternoon repeat early following morning themes title sequences pilot episode series featured short theme composed theme specifically episode time main series title sequence episode consisted simply word letter letter writing opening sequence bill seen episode funny business sequence consisted police officers male female walking street whilst images sun hill interspersed sequence series featured version series iconic theme tune composed theme notable use meter end titles series simply showed feet police pounding beat second series opening sequence consisted police car racing street blue flashing light car stop camera blue light clips shown series characters action chasing suspects sequence kept version ending credits series sequence series fourth series onwards opening sequence kept generally clips series regularly updated remove departed characters date events minor changes sequence included changing ford sierra replaced sequence seen overtaking bus halt main sequence starting end credits series remained new version composed january starting hard cash episode fourteenth series title sequence theme nearly years scrapped time title sequence consisted police procedural images including suspect shown police cell suspect interviewed posing shot photographs clips actors featured removed initial sequence involving police car racing street morgan revamped giving jazz feel majority theme played saxophone end credits series completely revamped time credits featured images uniform combined images feet tapping longer version final credits time composed opening closing sequences nearly years saw minor updates text sequence start opening sequence changed different font images police uniform feet tapping curb removed closing sequence way preview episode closing sequence remained way opening titles updated remove certain images sequence shorter noted period previously bill segment aired title sequence inform views occurred episode february starting going fourteenth episode seventeenth series opening closing sequences scrapped way completely new sequence theme time opening sequence consisted montage image entire cast backed darker slower version closing credits featured montage police related images backed new version opening sequence designed visuals company blue new arrangement produced titles remained essentially years small updates font closing credits changed end characters featured opening sequence updated remove characters departed include new characters titles broadcast episode notable characters titles appeared appeared titles episode appear episode months later february starting episode opening closing sequences updated time opening sequence consisted generic police images police car uniform new arrangement opening closing sequences background closing sequence designed company blue simply police shade blue generic images removed year use titles updated changed exception police shade blue changed dark shade black january starting episode opening closing sequences changed time opening sequence time features image sun hill sign returns featuring images officers action sequence featured new arrangement arranged time closing sequence follows police car patrol watching drives streets sun hill titles nearly half years july programme underwent major overhaul opening sequence theme heavily changed time classic theme completely removed new theme created producer stated echoes heard theme opening sequence featured patrol car driving streets sun hill closing sequence follows patrol car time overhead view titles remained final episode theme tune replaced final version homage episodes bill commissioned series itv started episodes year hour long separate storyline format changed year round broadcast thirty minute episodes week expanded thirty minute episodes week broadcast format changed hour episodes week episodes recorded bill began broadcasting major reduced broadcasting week bill finished episodes broadcast special episodes bill broadcast live episodes celebrate twentieth anniversary pilot second celebrate birthday itv live episode episode originally broadcast october produced crew staff including seven camera crews reported live television broadcast programme filming largely confined studio detective constable juliet constable held hostage man called mark held hostage carrier station yard raises custody suite alarm rest station arrive outside mark makes known intends kill police permission break carrier find juliet stabbed rushed hospital attempts fail episode watched million viewers special later released dvd united_kingdom october network dvd soap box volume live episode episode broadcast september episode revealed assumed false identity revealed operating brother fact episode real arrived meet mother episode sun hill police station hosting reception party police arrive taken hostage distraught father son killed stolen car struggle shot fired building incident evacuation station superintendent encourages attempt man real shot real rushed hospital false threatens identity switch secret series special episodes titled bill uncovered produced reflect stories select characters events bill uncovered des story unusual friendship traversing history des day sun hill death sun hill cell second bill uncovered story story met death outside sun hill special bill uncovered jim story story day sun hill pilot bill uncovered recounts extraordinary events surrounded sun hill time charge review second specials criticised increasingly series characterised special outing covering bill plot editions released dvd australia bill series dvd april special programme called bill famous light 25th anniversary broadcast saw actors special guest stars telling accounts working changed lives included old favourites popular personalities crossover episode german series entitled proof life broadcast november following bill final episode august hour special titled farewell bill broadcast special explored history series gave viewers scenes look filming episode special later release dvd australia october episode respect cast bill large regular cast support number episodes produced year working bill rite passage british acting actors having formed series main cast series began number cast members played multiple roles series british soap operas dramas notable cast members numerous actors appeared bill considerable length time careers bill significant impact following list notable expanded version available list characters bill played character cold police officer notably having murdered forcing beech run sparking don beech scandal leaving bill murray career included stint gangster murderer films rise character spawned beech run beech tony played sergeant shot dead daughter boyfriend profit insurance money fund drug habit storyline formed basis opening episode spin murder investigation team tony appeared doctors played later promoted enemies sun hill villains chief superintendent pearson tried frame corruption inquiry leaving bill enjoyed guest stint appeared professionals casualty judge voiced doctor audio adventure character spawned spin played later promoted marriage june collapsed built gambling debts character left leaving appeared played character leaving injured accidentally shot character later brief appearances series including storyline involving niece later joined station prior appearing bill richard appeared number programmes including open hours britain played lines character written having accepted position lloyd sacked turning work drunk lloyd died week dismissal played character written resigning grounds death colleagues bomb blast learning stewart attempted suicide set played character written series taking driving instructor post producers felt didn fit style new cole episode shown november departure meant end year association programme played later promoted sergeant june appearing character retired screen relationship came abrupt end left bill longest serving cast member history bill held world record longest time actor portrayed police character played later promoted smith appearances series prior regular cast member appearances british serial dramas including road casualty played later promoted superintendent character regular role aside bill small appearances number british television series including robin professionals casualty doctor played appeared twice playing different roles notably criminal joining cast regular following year left series temporarily culmination storyline character raped guest appearances returning regular ratings bill popular drama united_kingdom countries notably australia series attracted audiences million viewers ratings peaked overhaul brought fire episode officers killed live episode attracted million percent audience share immediately following bill time slot change reported programme attracted million viewers audience share lost bbc new tricks daily_mirror later reporting itv schedule change million viewer drop ratings prior paul appointment executive producer bill ratings dropped approximately million viewers advertising revenues fallen demographic viewers leading itv order saw series adopt serial format independent reported bill thursday episode viewed approximately million people fall approximately million viewers space months cast resulting sun hill fire april reported bill attracted million viewers highest figure year point october program million viewers week bill averaging million viewers comparison coronation street attracting million viewers daily_mirror reported bill moved post watershed slot allow cover storylines reported time british television itv broadcast drama year slot happened end july bill averaging million viewers episodes week reports week october saw million viewers watch bill awards bill achieved number awards time air ranging bafta particularly best recurring drama category bill nominated award best soap continuing drama beating coronation street nominations list soap nominated results announced march episode bill won impact history bill britain longest running police drama compared similar serial format series bill seen little direct competition british television police procedural genre year history bbc twice launched rival series ran cancelled poor ratings problems cast second launched spin successful medical drama spin long running casualty scheduled head head bill prompting brief ratings war cancelled bbc largely poor ratings bill started majority opposed programme claiming portrayed police racist organisation feelings programme extent executive producer met sir commissioner met decided editorial relationship police programme sufficient young stressed bill bound police despite better relations police bill controversy bill repeatedly criticised high levels violence portrayed scenes especially prior occupied pre watershed timeslot specific story lines come fire media surrounding gay kiss episode broadcast march featured fictional treatment multiple leading brand plot irresponsible series criticised tabloid press replacing iconic theme tune effort spin offs related series year run bill spawned spin productions related series german dutch languages series documentaries following list notable bureau dutch interpretation series produced programme lasted series running nominated ring award best television programme netherlands series released dvd die german interpretation series decent script writers hard find time german producers given licence use scripts british series series produced running nearly episodes spin main british series following frank transfer promotion programme lasted single series episodes debuting july series created produced october series released dvd australia disc set mit murder investigation team spin main british series lasting series drama began group mit officers investigating drive shooting sgt sun hill years series consisted hour episodes second series consisted ninety minute episodes series created produced starred bill 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