From tragic death to pop star children and real life criminal catching heroics
Hit ITV police drama The Bill ran from 1984 to 2010
For over two decades, The Bill served as a cornerstone of British television, showcasing the gritty realities of police work directly into our living rooms.
The ITV police drama, based around the fictional Sun Hill police station, broadcast from 1984 to 2010 and showcased a revolving ensemble of characters who became familiar faces nationwide.
It’s now 15 years since the hit show’s final episode was broadcast on August 31, 2010. But what became of the show’s stars once the sirens fell silent?
Here’s a look at where some of the most memorable and long-serving cast members are now.
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Jeff Stewart (PC Reg Hollis)
Jeff Stewart as PC Reg Hollis in The Bill(Image: ITV)
Jeff Stewart, 69, played the eccentric and committed PC Reg Hollis for 24 years. In 2008, upon discovering his contract would not be extended, Stewart made a suicide attempt but thankfully survived and resumed his acting career, reports the Mirror.
He secured Best Actor at the Manhattan Film Festival for his performance in Under Jakob’s Ladder.
Jeff commanded the highest salary amongst the cast, earning £150,000 annually for his performances. Stewart featured in the first ever episode of The Bill, which premiered in 1984.
Recently, the former TV copper was back in the news after he helped real-life police officers arrest a shoplifter as he attempted to escape on a bicycle.
He aided the arrest by sitting on the suspect’s legs, after he fell from the bike, while officers handcuffed him, in the incident in Southampton, Hampshire, on Wednesday (July 23).
Trudi Goodwin (Sgt June Ackland)
Actress Trudie Goodwin as Sergeant June Ackland in police drama The Bill, circa 1997
Trudie Goodwin, 73, played Georgia Sharm in the hit ITV soap Emmerdale between 2011 and 2015. However, she is probably better known for playing Sergeant June Ackland in the The Bill from 1984 until 2007.
Over the years her character was involved in a number of huge storylines – including a romance with colleague Jim and being duped by Gabriel Kent, played by Todd Carty, who was in fact not Gabriel, but his adopted brother David, hell bent on revenge.
Outside of the show, she has also appeared on a number of game shows – including The Weakest Link, Countdown and All Star Mr & Mrs, and Doctors.
As well as acting in Emmerdale, Trudi’s also appeared in Casualty. Her daughter, Elly, has also enjoyed fame – albeit in a different field – as none other than In for The Kill and Bulletproof singer La Roux.
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Chris Ellison (DI Frank Burnside)
Actor Chris Ellison played DI Frank Burnside
Chris Ellison (Frank Burnside), known for his role as the tough DI Frank Burnside in The Bill, which led to a spin-off series, Burnside, has had a varied career. After The Bill, he featured in popular shows such as EastEnders and New Tricks, and even took part in Celebrity Big Brother in 2015.
Now 78, Ellison is raising awareness about aphasia, a speech-impairing condition he shares with fellow actor Bruce Willis. In 2020, Ellison suffered a stroke at his Brighton home and was found by his wife on their bedroom floor.
Following hospital treatment, he returned home in November 2020, where his wife took on the role of full-time carer.
Kevin Lloyd (DC Tosh Lines)
Kevin Lloyd played Tosh in The Bill(Image: Thames)
Kevin Lloyd, who portrayed the loveable DC Tosh Lines until 1998, battled alcoholism. He was let go from the show and tragically passed away shortly after entering rehab in 1998, aged just 49.
His character remained on-screen for several weeks following his death.
Ben Roberts (Chief Inspector Derek Conway)
Chief Inspector Derek Conway played by Ben Roberts
Ben Roberts, who played Chief Inspector Derek Conway from 1987 until his character’s dramatic departure in 2002, died in 2021 at the age of 70. At the time of his death, his former agent described him as a “wonderful” actor with “an extensive career in theatre, TV and film”.
Roberts’ character in the ITV police drama was a traditional officer and a trained hostage negotiator. Conway tragically lost his life when a petrol bomb was hurled into his police vehicle.
His acting career included roles in the 2011 film adaptation of Jane Eyre and Tim Burton’s 2016 fantasy flick, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. He is survived by his wife, Helen Lloyd, a former continuity announcer and audiobook narrator.
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Eric Richard (Sgt Bob Cryer)
Eric Richard and Trudie Goodwin as Sergeants Bob Cryer and June Ackland in police drama The Bill, circa 1997
Eric Richard played copper Sergeant Bob Cryer in more than 789 episodes of The Bill between 1984 and 2004. His character was accidentally shot and injured by PC Dale Smith and subsequently left the show, but Eric still made guest appearances over the years in different storylines.
Shortly after his exit from The Bill, Eric suffered a family tragedy as his two-month-old grandson Charlie Smith was killed in the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami in Sri Lanka. Charlie was the youngest known British victim of the disaster.
Eric, now 85, carried on acting after his long-serving stint as Bob, starring in Eastenders, Holby City, Call the Midwife, Oscar-winning film Stutterer and war film Dunkirk.
Tony Scannell (DS Ted Roach)
Tony Scannell played DS Ted Roach(Image: Fremantle Media/Shutterstock)
Irish actor Tony Scannell, who played DS Ted Roach, was part of the show for nine years before his departure in 1993. He died in 2020 at the age of 74.
Scannell first appeared on The Bill on October 23, 1984, in an episode titled “A Friend in Need.” He was initially signed for two episodes, but ended up staying until 1993. He also appeared in the Channel 5 soap opera Family Affairs as Eddie Harris from 1997 to 1999.
Graham Cole (PC Tony Stamp)
Actor Graham Cole as PC Tony Stamp
Another long serving cast member, Graham Cole played PC Tony for 25 years, from 1984 to 2009. Other acting roles since The Bill have included Law & Order: UK, Evil Never Dies, Doctors, Holby City, and in 2020 he appeared in romantic-drama film 23 Walks.
Graham, now 73, has also been lauded for his extensive charity work over the years, receiving an OBE in 2010 for his work with good causes in 2010.
Lisa Geoghan (PC Polly Page)
Lisa as PC Polly Page (Image: Thames Television)
Lisa, 59, played the police constable from 1992 – 2004 with her big storylines including Polly’s relationship with Dave. Lisa, who had been a regular in sitcom Desmond’s before joining The Bill, took a year off from the police drama after her son was born and, after returning for a while, decided to leave permanently to concentrate on being a mum.
Since leaving The Bill, Lisa has starred in Casualty, with her role in the BBC drama marking a return to acting after an 11 year hiatus. In 2021, Lisa made a guest appearance in EastEnders playing pub barmaid Paula.
Mark Wingett (DC Jim Carver)
Mark Wingett played hard drinking DC Jim Carver for over 20 years(Image: Getty Images)
Mark, 64, appeared on the show from its early beginnings in the 1980s up until 2005. The actor spent 21 years playing the alcoholic, gambling cop on the long-running soap before it came to an end in 2010.
After his Bill days he went on to appear in EastEnders as the father of Joe Swash’s character Mickey Miller. The actor also appeared on Heartbeat and drama Missing. His film roles also include turns in Snow White and the Huntsman and Run For Your Wife.
Simon Rouse (DCI Jack Meadows)
Actor Simon Rouse played DCI Jack Meadows(Image: Sunday Mail)
Simon Rouse played the legendary DCI Jack Meadows for 842 episodes and earned himself the title of one of ITV’s longest-serving actors. The actor, now 74, first stepped onto the set in 1990 and became a regular up until 2010.
Although he’s mostly known for his work as Jack, the actor has played many other roles in his time and turned his hand to theatre. He toured the UK for the stage adaptation of The Full Monty as Gerald.
He starred in stage roles in productions such as When We Are Married and The Bomb and has also appeared on Coronation Street. Rouse also played journalist Len Danvers in Broadchurch. Most recently, Simon has appeared in The Witcher: Blood Origin mini series in 2022, as well as BBC daytime soap Doctors and Doctor Who.
Kim Tiddy (PC Honey Harman)
Kim Tiddy as PC Honey Harman in The Bill(Image: Thames Television)
Kim Tiddy played Honey for five years until the character was killed off. Her story highlights include being injured in a bomb blast in 2003, going on the run with her new husband after he was wanted for murder in 2005 and going undercover as a single mum in 2007.
The character died in 2007 after getting kidnapped and murdered by drug dealers after an attempted arrest. Kim, 47, went on to join Hollyoaks as Heidi Costello, but left the soap in 2011 after her character was murdered once again, a storyline nominated for “Best Exit” at the 2012 British Soap Awards.
She has since appeared in an episode of Eastenders, TV movie Last Night a DJ Saved My Life, Doctors and TV mini-series Moreland’s Firm.
Andrew Paul (PC Dave Quinnan)
Andrew Paul (right) and Graham Cole as PCs Dave Quinnan and Tony Stamp
Tony’s partner in crime, Andrew Paul had a number of big storylines during his time as Dave Quinnan at Sun Hill, kicked almost to death by a gang of thugs, having to spend several weeks in hospital on a drip and falling in love with a colleague’s girlfriend.
Dave was eventually transferred out of Sun Hill after successfully undertaking undercover work, which tied in with Andrew’s decision to leave The Bill after 13 years. Since leaving the show, Andrew, 64, has starred in Where The Heart Is, Casualty and Coronation Street, where he played a love interest for Liz McDonald.
Bill Murray (DS Don Beech)
Bill Murray as Don Beech in The Bill(Image: ITV)
After initially appearing in the show in a much smaller role in 1989, Bill Murray joined The Bill as notoriously dodgy copper Don Beech in 1995. After leaving in 2001, Murray reprised the role of Sun Hill’s resident villain in a special spin-off episode entitled Beech on the Run, which was followed by the six-part mini-series Beech is Back.
In 2004, Murray made his final appearance as Beech for a guest stint in five episodes, in which his character escaped from prison.
After quitting The Bill for good, Murray, 83, went onto appear in EastEnders, playing another evil character, gangster Johnny Allen, the man responsible for the death of the much loved Albert Square heartthrob Dennis Rickman, a role which won him Best Villain at the British Soap Awards.
He has since appeared in British films like Rollin’ with the Nines, Rise of the Footsoldier, Doghouse and Dead Cert.
Lisa Maxwell (DI Sam Nixon)
Lisa Maxwell as DI Sam Nixon in The Bill(Image: Thames Television)
Lisa made DI Nixon a real matriarch of Sun Hill, joining the cast in late 2001 and filming her last scenes in March 2009. Since The Bill, Lisa, 61, has been a regular panellist on Loose Women and appeared in Hollyoaks as Tracey Donovan, mum of Grace, Adam, Liam and Jesse.
She was also a contestant on Celebrity Masterchef, as well as appearing in Casualty.
Scott Maslen (DS Phil Hunter)
Scott Maslen was in The Bill before joining Eastenders(Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Scott Maslen, 54, moved from playing DS Phil Hunter in The Bill to EastEnders, where he portrayed leading character Jack Branning. He also participated in Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity MasterChef.
Scott landed his role on The Bill in 2002, before announcing his exit in 2007 to join EastEnders permanently. In April 2015, Maslen confessed that he had turned down the opportunity to return to EastEnders, saying, “I didn’t want to go back just 18 months after leaving. However, Scott has now returned to the BBC soap.
Beyond acting, Scott is wed to Estelle Maslen, the mother of his son Zak Alexander Maslen. The pair were together for nine years before marrying on September 6, 2008.