THE Bill fans have been given a real treat after the stars of the show dusted off their police uniforms and reunited for a special one-off video.
Original cast members including Trudie Goodwin, Chris Ellison and Mark Wingett, got together for the virtual catch-up to discuss their time on the long-running ITV series.
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Filmed in their own homes due to the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, the gang sat in front of a series of backdrops taken from The Bill, including scenes of both ‘the slammer’ and Sun Hill Police Station.
Reminiscing about the show, which ran from 1984 to 2010, Chris Ellison – who played DI Frank Burnside – said: “There were no stars of The Bill, no egos.
“It was happy. Happy family people. It was a happy time for all of us.”
Graham Cole, aka PC Tony Stamp, added: “And of course all the car stuff, that’s my memories. I just loved doing all the car shots.”
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But Chris, 73, disagreed, chipping in: “I hated car shots, especially in the summer, we used to take our trousers off!”
Mark Wingett, who played DC Jim Carver, recalled: “The most abiding memory for me is the belly laughs we had every day. At least on[ce] a day we would be in fits of giggles.”
The gang also chatted about “the talent that came through the doors”, including Brit actress Kiera Knightley, who has gone on to find Hollywood fame.
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Mark, 59, jokes: “I did one of her first episodes she ever did on television and has she ever phoned? No.”
The stars filmed the special video, called The Bill In Lockdown, to celebrate the launch of the hugely popular show now airing on UKTV.
Trudie, who played Sergeant June Ackland, revealed she had received her uniform at home by courier – much to the amusement of the delivery driver.
The actress, 68, said: “When this uniform arrived yesterday, in a clear plastic bag, and was delivered by a dispatch driver, he gave me such a look.
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“He obviously thought, ‘What are they up to during lockdown?!”
The Bill ran on ITV for 26 years before it was axed in 2010.
Each episode followed one shift of the fictional police force and would famously end with a shot of officers’ feet walking along the pavement.
The show won a number of awards during its run, including several BAFTAs, and was shot in various locations across London.
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Fans were left gutted when ITV decided to pull the plug, but execs insisted the decision reflected “the changing taste of viewers”.
Its finale episode, which aired on August 31, 2010, drew in 4.4 million people.
When asked during the reunion what The Bill would look like now, Chris quipped: “It would look like the cast of One Foot In The Grave!”