The Bill series 24
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (June 2019) |
| The Bill | |
|---|---|
| Series 24 | |
| No. of episodes | 88 |
| Release | |
| Original network | ITV |
| Original release | 2 January – 31 December 2008 |
| Series chronology | |
The 24th series of The Bill, a British television drama, was the antepenultimate series of the programme. This series was the last to feature the killing of an officer, PC Emma Keane. The death on-screen led to the resignation of the longest serving character, PC Reg Hollis, his controversial exit off-screen after actor Jeff Stewart attempted suicide on set, after being axed by producers following 24 years on the show.[1] Another long-term character, Inspector Gina Gold, left the show after six years as part of the aftermath of the storyline, Gold retiring after becoming increasingly terrified at the thought of losing another officer. In the autumn, The Bill celebrated its 25th anniversary with scenes aired in Germany as part of a crossover with Leipzig Homicide to investigate the abduction of a German national in London. There was also a special documentary hosted by Martin Kemp, “The Bill Made Me Famous”, featuring interviews with the most famous guest stars to have featured on the show including Roger Daltrey, Lynda Bellingham and Les Dennis, along with a number of past and present characters from the show. As part of several multi-part storylines throughout the year, the longest in the show's history aired with the eight-part Witness storyline exploring gang culture after the death of a young mother, Carly Samuels, a character introduced in series 23 that bonded with Sergeant Dale Smith. The show also had a two-parter inspired by Moors murderer Myra Hyndley; Katy Cavanagh portrayed a jailed serial killer, Linda Johnson, who assisted DI Neil Manson tracking down a boy abducted by one of her victims. Other major storylines included new character DC Stevie Moss taking centre stage in the Too Hot to Handle three-part storyline, Moss going undercover with an ex-boyfriend, portrayed by Bill Ward. Sergeant Dale Smith also went undercover in the five-part Gun Runner storyline. As well as the aforementioned scenes filmed in Germany, The Bill also filmed special scenes in Glasgow for the episode Demolition Girl, attending the demolition of The Gorbals tower block for a plot involving PC Sally Armstrong and PC Benjamin Gayle.[2] On 2 April 2014, The Bill Series 24 Part 1 & 2 and The Bill Series 24 Part 3 & 4 DVD sets were released (in Australia).
Cast changes
Arrivals
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Departures
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Episodes
| # | Title | Episode Notes | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Deadly Game" | First appearance of DC Stevie Moss, Jamie Davis, Marc Elliott and Danny Webb guest star | Paul Wroblewski | Gregory Evans | 2 January 2008 | 570 |
| 2 | "Shadow Stalker" | David Sibley guest stars | Paul Wroblewski | Frank Rickarby | 3 January 2008 | 571 |
| 3–4 | "To Catch a Killer" | Katy Cavanagh and Niky Wardley guest star | Karl Neilson | Julian Perkins | 9 & 10 January 2008 | 576-577 |
| 5–12 | "Witness" | Temporary departure of DI Neil Manson, final regular appearance of Leanne Samuels, Josette Simon, Nigel Betts and Ace Bhatti guest star | 1 & 2 – Tim Leandro, 3 & 4 – Ben Morris, 5 & 6 – David Holroyd, 7 & 8 – Steve Kelly | 1 – Tom Needham, 2 & 8 – Maxwell Young, 3 & 4 – Chris Murray, 5 – Julia Wall, 6 – Emma Goodwin, 7 – Jonathan Rich | 16 & 17, 23 & 24, 30 & 31 January and 6 & 7 February 2008 | 558-565 |
| 13 | "Driven to Kill" | Ralph Ineson and Trevor Byfield guest star | Matthew Whiteman | Emma Goodwin | 13 February 2008 | 557 |
| 14–15 | "Family Loyalty" | Rob Spendlove, Paul Copley and Sakuntala Ramanee guest star | Anthony Quinn | Patrick Homes | 14 & 21 February 2008 | 572-573 |
| 16 | "The Hit" | TBA | Robert Del Maestro | Sally Tatchell | 27 February 2008 | 574 |
| 17 | "Spilt Blood" | Daniel Brocklebank guest stars | Robert Maestro | Tom Higgins | 28 February 2008 | 575 |
| 18 | "Deadly Cocktail" | First appearance of CSE Eddie Olosunje | Richard Signy | Alan Pollock | 5 March 2008 | 578 |
| 19 | "Heat on the Beat" | Final appearance of PC Reg Hollis | Richard Signy | Si Spencer | 12 March 2008 | 580 |
| 20 | "Corrupted" | Kelly George guest stars | Nigel Douglas | Patrick Homes | 13 March 2008 | 581 |
| 21 | "Break In" | TBA | Nigel Douglas | Will Shindler | 19 March 2008 | 582 |
| 22 | "Beth Undercover" | TBA | Roberto Bangura | Steve Bailie | 20 March 2008 | 583 |
| 23–24 | "Closing The Net" | Final regular appearance of PC Diane Noble, John Bowe and David Schofield guest star | Paul Wroblewski | Chris Ould | 26 & 27 March 2008 | 584-585 |
| 25–26 | "Blood Rush" | TBA | Matt Bloom | Andrew Taft | 2 & 3 April 2008 | 586-587 |
| 27–28 | "Sins of the Father" | Ann Mitchell and Edward and Tim Woodward guest star | Anthony Quinn | Chris Murray | 9 & 10 April 2008 | 594-595 |
| 29 | "Going Under" | Tracy Brabin guest stars | Roberto Bangura | Doug Milburn | 16 April 2008 | 579 |
| 30 | "Overkill" | TBA | Olivia Lichtenstein | Clive Dawson | 17 April 2008 | 588 |
| 31–32 | "Private Investigation" | First appearance of DC Jacob Banks, Gordon Kennedy guest stars | 1 – Olivia Lichtenstein 2 – Simon Massey | 1 – Richard Ommanney 2 – Clive Dawson | 23 & 24 April 2008 | 589-590 |
| 33–35 | "Frontline" | Final appearance of PC Emma Keane, Liz May Brice, Mark Moraghan and Sally Ann Triplett guest star | 1 – Simon Massey 2 & 3 – Karl Neilson | 1 & 2 – Sarah-Louise Hawkins 3 – Tom Needham | 1, 8 & 15 May 2008 | 591-593 |
| 36 | "Lucky Lucky Lucky" | Return of DI Neil Manson, Nicky Ladanowski guest stars | David Innes Edwards | Chris Dunn | 22 May 2008 | 597 |
| 37 | "Running Scared" | Peter-Hugo Daly guest stars | David Innes Edwards | Emma Goodwin | 29 May 2008 | 596 |
| 38 | "Cowboy Country" | Carl Rigg guest stars | Richard Signy | Frank Rickarby | 4 June 2008 | 598 |
| 39–40 | "We Are Family" | Joe Absolom and Sharon Duce guest star | Nigel Douglas | Tom Higgins | 5 & 11 June 2008 | 604-605 |
| 41 | "New Blood" | First appearances of PCs Millie Brown, Leon Taylor and Arun Ghir, Ray Trickitt guest stars | Richard Standeven | Patrick Homes | 12 June 2008 | 660 |
| 42 | "Landfill Killer" | TBA | Richard Standeven | Chris Murray | 25 June 2008 | 661 |
| 43–47 | "Gun Runner" | First appearance of PC Mel Ryder, Martin Reeve, Andreas Wisniewski and Rupert Hill guest star | 1- Richard Signy, 2 & 3 – Indra Bhose, 4 & 5 – Tim Leandro | 1 – Gregory Evans, 2 – Sally Tatchell, 3 – Patrick Homes, 4 & 5 – Steve Trafford | 2, 3, 9, 10 & 16 July 2008 | 599-603 |
| 48 | "Jack of Hearts" | Alex Beckett guest stars | Robert Knights | Andrew Alty | 17 July 2008 | 606 |
| 49 | "Body of Evidence" | Paul Panting, Robin Soans and Kim Thomson guest star | Robert Knights | Andrew Rattenbury | 23 July 2008 | 607 |
| 50 | "Lifesaver" | Lorraine Stanley and Lin Blakley guest star | Robert Del Maestro | Nicholas McInerny | 24 July 2008 | 608 |
| 51 | "Teacher's Pet" | TBA | Robert Maestro | Sally Tatchell | 30 July 2008 | 609 |
| 52 | "Seize the Day" | Final appearance of Sergeant Nikki Wright, Martin Jarvis guest stars | Anthony Quinn | Steve Bailie | 31 July 2008 | 611 |
| 53 | "Street Kid" | First appearance of Sergeant Rachel Weston | Anthony Quinn | Simon Spencer | 6 August 2008 | 610 |
| 54–55 | "Personal Grudge" | PC Will Fletcher begins an attachment with CID | Diana Patrick | 1 – P.G. Morgan 2 – Stuart Morris | 7 & 14 August 2008 | 612-613 |
| 56–57 | "Game Plan" | Shaun Williamson and Liz May Brice guest star | Richard Signy | Julian Perkins | 19 & 20 August 2008 | 614-615 |
| 58–59 | "Unnecessary Heroics" | Victoria Alcock guest stars | Reza Moradi | 1 – Chris Smyth 2 – Chris Murray | 21 & 26 August 2008 | 616-617 |
| 60–61 | "The Fall" | Jackie Clune guest stars | Olivia Lichtenstein | Tom Needham | 28 August & 3 September 2008 | 618-619 |
| 62–63 | "Secret History" | Tracey Wilkinson and Kim Thomson guest star | Paul Wroblewski | 1 – Simon Moss 2 – Len Collin | 4 & 10 September 2008 | 622-623 |
| 64–65 | "Trial and Error" | Temporary departure of DI Samantha Nixon, Kim Thomson and Wunmi Mosaku guest star | Karl Neilson | 1 – Maxwell Young 2 – Chris Smyth | 11 & 17 September 2008 | 620-621 |
| 66 | "Funny Money" | Alibe Parsons and JoAnne Good guest star | David Innes Edwards | Roger Gartland | 18 September 2008 | 624 |
| 67 | "Appropriate Force" | Brian Croucher guest stars | David Innes Edwards | Patrick Homes | 24 September 2008 | 625 |
| 68–69 | "An Honour to Serve" | Final appearance of Inspector Gina Gold | Robert Knights | Frank Rickarby | 25 September & 2 October 2008 | 626-627 |
| 70 | "Hide and Seek" | Sergeant Rachel Weston is promoted to Inspector | Indra Bhose | Matthew Bardsley | 8 October 2008 | 630 |
| 71 | "First Strike" | James Buckley guest stars | Indra Bhose | Will Shindler | 9 October 2008 | 631 |
| 72–73 | "Hold Me Tight" | TDC Kezia Walker becomes a fully fledged DC, Stephen North and Richard Wisker guest star | Richard Standeven | Lizzie Mickery | 15 & 16 October 2008 | 628-629 |
| 74 | "The Rookie" | PC Will Fletcher becomes a TDC, Zoë Henry and Tim Dantay guest star | Jamie Annett | Patrick Homes | 22 October 2008 | 634 |
| 75 | "Fools Rush In" | TBA | Jamie Annett | Clive Dawson | 23 October 2008 | 635 |
| 76 | "Loved and Lost" | Faye Daveney and Bel Powley guest star | Matt Bloom | Sally Tatchell | 30 October 2008 | 636 |
| 77 | "Walk on By" | TBA | David Holroyd | Stuart Morris | 5 November 2008 | 638 |
| 77a | "The Bill Made Me Famous" | TBA | Reza Moradi | Stuart Morris | 5 November 2008 | 638a |
| 78 | "In Deep" | Elize du Toit guest stars | David Holroyd | Steve Bailie | 6 November 2008 | 639 |
| 79–80 | "Proof of Life" | Crossover episode with Leipzig Homicide | Robert Maestro | Steve Bailie | 12 & 13 November 2008 | 640-641 |
| 81 | "One Day, But Not Today" | Race Davies guest stars | Sallie Aprahamian | Tom Higgins | 27 November 2008 | 642 |
| 82–83 | "Forgotten Child" | Warren Brown guest stars | Gill Wilkinson | Chris Murray | 10 & 11 December 2008 | 644-645 |
| 84 | "Santa's Little Helper" | Bill Ward and Francis Magee guest star | Diana Patrick | Sally Tatchell | 17 December 2008 | 646 |
| 85–87 | "Too Hot to Handle" | Bill Ward, Aisling Loftus and Eamon Boland guest star | 1 – Diana Patrick 2 & 3 – AJ Quinn | 1 – Chris Dunn 2 & 3 – Patrick Homes | 18, 22, 23 December 2008 | 647-649 |
| 88 | "Second Chance" | TBA | Tim Leandro | Len Collin | 31 December 2008 | 652 |
References
- ^ "Sacked Bill star out of hospital". BBC News. 9 January 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
- ^ "Exclusive: The Bill star Micah Balfour reveals terror at Glasgow high-rise demolition filming". Daily Record. 11 August 2008. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
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| Notable episodes |
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| Spin-offs |
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