'The Bill' - Axed after 25 years!

[The Coon Dog]

The ITV police drama The Bill, which is also popular in Australia, has been axed after twenty seven years on the air.

The show was revamped last year in an attempt to win back ratings, but failed to do so. In its peak, more than sixteen million viewers tuned in to the series. More recently, figures have been lower than four million viewers.

The Bill has iconic status in the UK and has often given aspiring actors their first break on TV. Celebrities who appeared on the show before they were famous include Keira Knightley, Emma Bunton, Russell Brand, Sean Bean and Hugh Laurie. Aussie favourite Daniel McPherson appeared in the show in 2004.

The Bill will be on Australian screens for some time yet, with UKTV still some time behind the UK.

Source

[GVGjr]

Re: 'The Bill' - Axed after 25 years!

I really enjoyed the show for a number of year but have rarely watched it in the last 2.

[Bornadog]

Re: 'The Bill' - Axed after 25 years!

I really enjoyed the show for a number of year but have rarely watched it in the last 2.

SAme here, didn't miss an episode up until a few years ago, but got sick of the changes they made to the style and story lines.

[Twodogs]

Re: 'The Bill' - Axed after 25 years!

I have never missed an episode. I have seen every episode of The Bill at least once.


The last couple of years I've been getting the latest UK aired ep off of UKnova each week. They have a really good story line running at the moment and it's thrown up some of the best episodes of The Bill I've seen in years. It's funny they chose now to pull the plug.

[The Adelaide Connection]

Re: 'The Bill' - Axed after 25 years!

Gee you would think around 4 million viewers would be enough to still make the show viable.

[Remi Moses]

Re: 'The Bill' - Axed after 25 years!

I stopped watching when they turned it into a soap opera in the early 2000's . The whole Don Beech story was totally silly,as was the corrupt superintendent [Chandler I think] storyline

[GVGjr]

Re: 'The Bill' - Axed after 25 years!

I stopped watching when they turned it into a soap opera in the early 2000's . The whole Don Beech story was totally silly,as was the corrupt superintendent [Chandler I think] storyline

To be honest, I didn't mind that. The Beech story in Australia was very poor though.

[comrade]

Re: 'The Bill' - Axed after 25 years!

I have never missed an episode. I have seen every episode of The Bill at least once.


The last couple of years I've been getting the latest UK aired ep off of UKnova each week. They have a really good story line running at the moment and it's thrown up some of the best episodes of The Bill I've seen in years. It's funny they chose now to pull the plug.

27 years worth of episodes - that's commitment!

How do you feel about the axing?

[Twodogs]

Re: 'The Bill' - Axed after 25 years!

27 years worth of episodes - that's commitment!

It was a lot of nights with the video and later DVD recorder set to tape it when I had to go out. All through my 20s and 30s mum knew to tape it automatically just in case I'd forgotten to set mine. Then for a couple of years UKTV on foxtel would have easter long weekend marathons of The Bill. Even ones I've missed I've managed to track down through the wonders of the net

How do you feel about the axing?

I'm not all that stressed. It went for a long, long time and it's run it's race. The advent of new technology isnbt doing it any favours. A lot of the time it seems as if the cops just look the criminal up on the internet, download some footage and then go and pick him up. No fights, no toerags and no car chases followed by the collar. I hate the term PC but that's exactly what's happened to the Bill-they have cut all the rough edges off and there isnt any interesting shady bits to look into.



It's funny the other day I watched an ep that totally centered around finding Ted Roach. It went for nearly 40 minutes but these days they would just ring him on his mobile.

[The Coon Dog]

Re: 'The Bill' - Axed after 25 years!

It's funny the other day I watched an ep that totally centered around finding Ted Roach.

Just go to the pub, you'll be sure to find him.

[Twodogs]

Re: 'The Bill' - Axed after 25 years!

Just go to the pub, you'll be sure to find him.

They knew he was in the pub, they just didnt know which one. Turns out he was arguing the point with an old boss.

[Twodogs]

Re: 'The Bill' - Axed after 25 years!

D-Day must be looming large for The Bill.


The Dear Old Luvvie is only being shown once every couple of weeks on British TV now. The actors are basically phoning their performances through and each episode some more of the set seems to go missing. It's not exactly going out firing on all cylindars...

[The Coon Dog]

Re: 'The Bill' - Axed after 25 years!

Just watching an old episode of The Bill on Channel 7. Is it just me or does it not seem right watching it on anything other than Channel 2?

[ledge]

Re: 'The Bill' - Axed after 25 years!

Just watching an old episode of The Bill on Channel 7. Is it just me or does it not seem right watching it on anything other than Channel 2?

Have had that problem for years, most UK comedies, eg Monty Python.

[AndrewP6]

Re: 'The Bill' - Axed after 25 years!

Have had that problem for years, most UK comedies, eg Monty Python.

I'll watch Python on any channel, anytime, anyday!