Live episodes of The Bill
Encyclopedia
The Bill
has aired two live episodes in its history
, the first being in 2003 to commemorate its 20th anniversary of the pilot episode "Woodentop
" and the second in 2005 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ITV1
.
The live
episode followed on from the cliffhanger
ending of episode 161, where Detective Constable Juliet Becker was seen to have been held hostage
by an intoxicated man called Mark, whom she and Constable Cathy Bradford previously arrested for causing criminal damage
to a phone box
. Despite PC Bradfords attempts to negotiate with Mark, Juliet is held hostage in a carrier
located in the station yard. PC Bradford alerts the rest of the station by sounding the custody suite
's alarm, introducing a number of regular cast members who rush into the station's yard, led by Superintendent Adam Okaro who attempts to negotiate
with Mark. As Mark airs his intentions of killing DC Becker, Superintendent Okaro signals the order for the van to be broken into. Once the officers have stormed the van and mark is restrained, it is discovered that DC Becker has been stabbed in the stomach, and is positioned on the yard floor awaiting an ambulance
. Officers try frantically to stem DC Becker's arterial bleed
and keep her calm before the ambulance arrives, and while waiting for it Superintendent Okaro considers rushing DC Becker to A & E
in the area-car
but decides against it due to her unstable condition. Upon the ambulance arriving, DC Becker is rushed to St. Hugh's Hospital accompanied by Sergeant Sheelagh Murphy. After failed attempts to resuscitate DC Becker, she is pronounced dead.
While the situation is in progress at Sun Hill Police Station, Sergeant June Ackland was already at St Hugh's Hospital accompanying an injured prisoner, and while there finds Detective Constable Jim Carver with an injured face, discovering that his wife is beating him. This leads them to reminisce about the pilot episode, "Woodentop"
, which was Jim Carver's first day as a police officer and was mentored by June Ackland in 1983.
Outside of St Hugh's Hospital, Sergeant Sheelagh Murphy is unaware she is being watched by the father of her unborn baby, Des Taviner who is alive after having staged his own death, as he was discovered to be responsible for the
murder of six officers
.
Meanwhile, Constable Gary Best is concerned for the welfare of his missing father. The prime suspect in his fathers disappearance, Ellis, was arrested following an armed siege and Detective Sergeant Samantha Nixon and Detective Constable Ken Drummond, only for the interview to be interrupted by Detective Constable Mickey Webb from the Murder Investigation Team
. During the investigation into PC Best's fathers whereabouts, a van is discovered awash with the blood of Best's father, leading Detective Constables Eva Sharpe and Rob Thatcher to discover a decaying body.
After the body is formally identified as PC Best's father, he attacks Ellis while he is being charged and is in police custody. In the confusion, Ellis flees from the custody suite
running up the fire exit stairway and gaining access to the roof, and is pursued by PC Best. In the resulting fight, they both fall off the station roof landing on a vehicle below, with Ellis being killed and Gary escaping death due to the cushioning affect of Ellis's body which impacted first.
The live episode in 2005 centred around a grief-stricken father, Jeff Clarke, whose son was killed by a stolen car driven by Ashley Morgan in episode 348. The subsequent verdict of accidental death
and what Clarke thought to be insensitive treatment from Superintendent
Amanda Prosser, led to Jeff Clarke taking a number of police and civilian hostages in the CID
office while the station was celebrating Sun Hill's 50th anniversary on the ground floor. The episode reveals that Constable Gabriel Kent is masquerading under the false name of his foster brother, and that Gabriel Kent is in fact David Kent. The actual Gabriel Kent arrived at Sun Hill Police Station
to meet his birth mother, Sergeant June Ackland.
The live episode begins with Superintendent Prosser struggling to negotiate
with Jeff Clarke at gunpoint, and is watched by David and the real Gabriel Kent as the anniversary reception begins downstairs. Detective Constables Jo Masters, Zain Nadir and Terry Perkins arrive at the CID office with guests, and are held hostage by Clarke along with Constable Dan Casper who was sent to look for Superintendent Prosser. During Jeff's struggle to gain control, a shot is fired which alerts the civilians and police officers downstairs of the situation unfolding upstairs. As plans are made by Superintendent Adam Okaro, Detective Chief Inspector Jack Meadows and suspended Inspector Gina Gold to evacuate the civilian guests and close the station and cordon off the station and surrounding streets due to the gunman having access to the CID office balcony, establishing an observation point staffed by June Ackland and Suzie Simm and arranging for CO19
to attend the incident. While held hostage, PC Dan Casper is encouraged by Superintendent Prosser to overpower Jeff, subsequently being shot in the arm while doing so. The real Gabriel Kent is also shot and falls from the top floor landing in the front office area, but the scuffle allows Jo, Zain, the false Gabriel Kent, Amanda and the guests to escape the CID office. Jeff is left with an injured PC Casper and DC Perkins, who stays behind to care for Casper. The real Gabriel Kent is eventually rushed to hospital, accompanied by the false Gabriel and Sheelagh Murphey. As the real Gabriel regains consciousness, the false threatens him to keep quiet about the identities.
Following Clarke's refusal to negotiate, a power struggle develops between Adam Okaro and Amanda Prossa over who should deal with the siege. Despite specialist negotiators
being held up, Prosser refuses to allow suspended Inspector Gold back on duty to negotiate due to her being the only trained negotiator in the building. Superintendent Okaro manages to persuade Amanda Prosser to allow Gina Gold back on duty to negotiate, and Gina manages to establish contact with Terry through a covert earpiece, without Jeff realising. As concern grows for the welfare of the missing boy who killed Jeff's son, Ashley Morgan, Superintendent Prosser refuses to give the order for armed police to fire upon Jeff, handing control over to Superintendent Okaro and Inspector Gold. With the assistance of Inspector Gold, DC Perkins manages to persuade Jeff to release injured PC Casper. Sergeant Ackland and DC Sim radio their suspicions about a car parked near CID, with the theory that the boy may be trapped in the car. Concern grows amongst Zain and Phil Hunter about Ashley. Against Detective Sergeant Sam Nixon's orders, Phil and Zain hurtle down the street outside the station in a vehicle, with shots fired at them by Jeff from the balcony, resulting in Zain losing control and crashing through roadworks.
Meanwhile, in the CID office a distraught Jeff reveals to Terry how he planned to kill himself and Ashley by blowing up the car. Phil, Zain, June and Suzie try frantically to rescue the boy from the car, managing a few yards before it is engulfed in a fireball. Jeff later reveals how he shouted at his son and hit him, resulting in him running into the road in front of the stolen car driven by Ashley Morgan. Jeff breaks out of CID holding DC Perkins hostage, surrounded by armed officers demanding that his wife be told that he is sorry and that he loves her. Jeff moves outside the station with DC Perkins as hostage surrounded by armed officers, whispering to Terry that he will not hurt him. Jeff deliberately aims his firearm towards DC Perkins, intentionally doing so that he is shot. Subsequently, Jeff is shot dead by armed police.
Appearing in Live Episode (2005):
The Bill
The Bill is a police procedural television series that ran from October 1984 to August 2010. It focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work...
has aired two live episodes in its history
History of The Bill
From the ITV police drama's first screening in 1983, the history of The Bill includes a variety of major plotlines and changes to the programme's format.-Pilot:...
, the first being in 2003 to commemorate its 20th anniversary of the pilot episode "Woodentop
Woodentop (The Bill)
"Woodentop" is an episode of the Thames Television series of one-off plays Storyboard. The programme was originally broadcast on 16 August 1983. It is also the forerunner to the long-running British police television series The Bill...
" and the second in 2005 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
.
Live Episode (2003)
Episode 162, the first live episode of The Bill was broadcast on October 30, 2003 at 8:00 pm. It was written by Tom Needham, directed by Sylvie Boden and produced by Susan Mather and Donna Wiffen.The live
Live television
Live television refers to a television production broadcast in real-time, as events happen, in the present. From the early days of television until about 1958, live television was used heavily, except for filmed shows such as I Love Lucy and Gunsmoke. Video tape did not exist until 1957...
episode followed on from the cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
ending of episode 161, where Detective Constable Juliet Becker was seen to have been held hostage
Hostage
A hostage is a person or entity which is held by a captor. The original definition meant that this was handed over by one of two belligerent parties to the other or seized as security for the carrying out of an agreement, or as a preventive measure against certain acts of war...
by an intoxicated man called Mark, whom she and Constable Cathy Bradford previously arrested for causing criminal damage
Property damage
Property damage is damage to or the destruction of public or private property, caused either by a person who is not its owner or by natural phenomena. Property damage caused by persons is generally categorized by its cause: neglect , and intentional damage...
to a phone box
Telephone booth
A telephone booth, telephone kiosk, telephone call box or telephone box is a small structure furnished with a payphone and designed for a telephone user's convenience. In the USA, Canada and Australia, "telephone booth" is used, while in the UK and the rest of the Commonwealth it is a "telephone...
. Despite PC Bradfords attempts to negotiate with Mark, Juliet is held hostage in a carrier
Police van
A police van is a type of vehicle operated by police forces. Police vans are usually employed for the transportation of prisoners inside a specially adapted cell in the vehicle, or for the rapid transportation of a number of officers to an incident.- History :Early police vans were in the form of...
located in the station yard. PC Bradford alerts the rest of the station by sounding the custody suite
Custody suite
A custody suite is a designated area within a police station designed and adapted to process and detain those who have been arrested, or who are there for purposes such as answering bail....
's alarm, introducing a number of regular cast members who rush into the station's yard, led by Superintendent Adam Okaro who attempts to negotiate
Hostage negotiator
Crisis negotiation is a technique for law enforcement to communicate with people who are threatening violence, including barricaded subjects, hostage takers, stalkers, threats, workplace violence, or persons threatening suicide....
with Mark. As Mark airs his intentions of killing DC Becker, Superintendent Okaro signals the order for the van to be broken into. Once the officers have stormed the van and mark is restrained, it is discovered that DC Becker has been stabbed in the stomach, and is positioned on the yard floor awaiting an ambulance
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
. Officers try frantically to stem DC Becker's arterial bleed
Emergency bleeding control
Emergency bleeding control describes the steps or actions taken to control bleeding from a patient who has suffered a traumatic injury or who has a medical condition which has led to bleeding...
and keep her calm before the ambulance arrives, and while waiting for it Superintendent Okaro considers rushing DC Becker to A & E
Emergency department
An emergency department , also known as accident & emergency , emergency room , emergency ward , or casualty department is a medical treatment facility specialising in acute care of patients who present without prior appointment, either by their own means or by ambulance...
in the area-car
Police car
A police car is a ground vehicle used by police, to assist with their duties in patrolling and responding to incidents. Typical uses of a police car include transportation for officers to reach the scene of an incident quickly, to transport criminal suspects, or to patrol an area, while providing a...
but decides against it due to her unstable condition. Upon the ambulance arriving, DC Becker is rushed to St. Hugh's Hospital accompanied by Sergeant Sheelagh Murphy. After failed attempts to resuscitate DC Becker, she is pronounced dead.
While the situation is in progress at Sun Hill Police Station, Sergeant June Ackland was already at St Hugh's Hospital accompanying an injured prisoner, and while there finds Detective Constable Jim Carver with an injured face, discovering that his wife is beating him. This leads them to reminisce about the pilot episode, "Woodentop"
Woodentop (The Bill)
"Woodentop" is an episode of the Thames Television series of one-off plays Storyboard. The programme was originally broadcast on 16 August 1983. It is also the forerunner to the long-running British police television series The Bill...
, which was Jim Carver's first day as a police officer and was mentored by June Ackland in 1983.
Outside of St Hugh's Hospital, Sergeant Sheelagh Murphy is unaware she is being watched by the father of her unborn baby, Des Taviner who is alive after having staged his own death, as he was discovered to be responsible for the
murder of six officers
The Sun Hill Fire (2002)
The Sun Hill Fire was a storyline in the long-running police procedural television series, The Bill, which was broadcast from 1984 to 2010.During the latter part of 2002, the fictional London borough of Canley is troubled by racial tensions between racist groups and Asian youths over a planned...
.
Meanwhile, Constable Gary Best is concerned for the welfare of his missing father. The prime suspect in his fathers disappearance, Ellis, was arrested following an armed siege and Detective Sergeant Samantha Nixon and Detective Constable Ken Drummond, only for the interview to be interrupted by Detective Constable Mickey Webb from the Murder Investigation Team
Murder Investigation Team
Murder/Major Investigation Teams are the specialised homicide squads of the Metropolitan Police in London, England. Forming part of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command, itself part of the Specialist Crime Directorate, there is one MIT for each Borough Operational Command Unit...
. During the investigation into PC Best's fathers whereabouts, a van is discovered awash with the blood of Best's father, leading Detective Constables Eva Sharpe and Rob Thatcher to discover a decaying body.
After the body is formally identified as PC Best's father, he attacks Ellis while he is being charged and is in police custody. In the confusion, Ellis flees from the custody suite
Custody suite
A custody suite is a designated area within a police station designed and adapted to process and detain those who have been arrested, or who are there for purposes such as answering bail....
running up the fire exit stairway and gaining access to the roof, and is pursued by PC Best. In the resulting fight, they both fall off the station roof landing on a vehicle below, with Ellis being killed and Gary escaping death due to the cushioning affect of Ellis's body which impacted first.
Live episode (2005)
Episode 349, the second live episode of The Bill was broadcast on September 22, 2005 at 8:00 PM. It was written by Graham Mitchell, directed and co-produced by Sylvie Boden and produced by Donna Wiffen.The live episode in 2005 centred around a grief-stricken father, Jeff Clarke, whose son was killed by a stolen car driven by Ashley Morgan in episode 348. The subsequent verdict of accidental death
Accident
An accident or mishap is an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance, often with lack of intention or necessity. It implies a generally negative outcome which may have been avoided or prevented had circumstances leading up to the accident been recognized, and acted upon, prior to its...
and what Clarke thought to be insensitive treatment from Superintendent
Superintendent (police)
Superintendent , often shortened to "super", is a rank in British police services and in most English-speaking Commonwealth nations. In many Commonwealth countries the full version is superintendent of police...
Amanda Prosser, led to Jeff Clarke taking a number of police and civilian hostages in the CID
Criminal Investigation Department
The Crime Investigation Department is the branch of all Territorial police forces within the British Police and many other Commonwealth police forces, to which plain clothes detectives belong. It is thus distinct from the Uniformed Branch and the Special Branch.The Metropolitan Police Service CID,...
office while the station was celebrating Sun Hill's 50th anniversary on the ground floor. The episode reveals that Constable Gabriel Kent is masquerading under the false name of his foster brother, and that Gabriel Kent is in fact David Kent. The actual Gabriel Kent arrived at Sun Hill Police Station
Police Station
Police Station is a American TV series that aired in syndication in 1959. Stories were taken from actual files.- Cast :*Baynes Barron as Sergeant White*Larry Kerr as Detective Chuck Mitchell*Henry Beckman as Detective Stan Abramson...
to meet his birth mother, Sergeant June Ackland.
The live episode begins with Superintendent Prosser struggling to negotiate
Hostage negotiator
Crisis negotiation is a technique for law enforcement to communicate with people who are threatening violence, including barricaded subjects, hostage takers, stalkers, threats, workplace violence, or persons threatening suicide....
with Jeff Clarke at gunpoint, and is watched by David and the real Gabriel Kent as the anniversary reception begins downstairs. Detective Constables Jo Masters, Zain Nadir and Terry Perkins arrive at the CID office with guests, and are held hostage by Clarke along with Constable Dan Casper who was sent to look for Superintendent Prosser. During Jeff's struggle to gain control, a shot is fired which alerts the civilians and police officers downstairs of the situation unfolding upstairs. As plans are made by Superintendent Adam Okaro, Detective Chief Inspector Jack Meadows and suspended Inspector Gina Gold to evacuate the civilian guests and close the station and cordon off the station and surrounding streets due to the gunman having access to the CID office balcony, establishing an observation point staffed by June Ackland and Suzie Simm and arranging for CO19
Specialist Firearms Command
Central Operations Specialist Firearms Command is a Central Operations branch within Greater London's Metropolitan Police Service. The Command is responsible for providing a firearms-response capability, assisting the rest of the service, which is normally unarmed...
to attend the incident. While held hostage, PC Dan Casper is encouraged by Superintendent Prosser to overpower Jeff, subsequently being shot in the arm while doing so. The real Gabriel Kent is also shot and falls from the top floor landing in the front office area, but the scuffle allows Jo, Zain, the false Gabriel Kent, Amanda and the guests to escape the CID office. Jeff is left with an injured PC Casper and DC Perkins, who stays behind to care for Casper. The real Gabriel Kent is eventually rushed to hospital, accompanied by the false Gabriel and Sheelagh Murphey. As the real Gabriel regains consciousness, the false threatens him to keep quiet about the identities.
Following Clarke's refusal to negotiate, a power struggle develops between Adam Okaro and Amanda Prossa over who should deal with the siege. Despite specialist negotiators
Hostage negotiator
Crisis negotiation is a technique for law enforcement to communicate with people who are threatening violence, including barricaded subjects, hostage takers, stalkers, threats, workplace violence, or persons threatening suicide....
being held up, Prosser refuses to allow suspended Inspector Gold back on duty to negotiate due to her being the only trained negotiator in the building. Superintendent Okaro manages to persuade Amanda Prosser to allow Gina Gold back on duty to negotiate, and Gina manages to establish contact with Terry through a covert earpiece, without Jeff realising. As concern grows for the welfare of the missing boy who killed Jeff's son, Ashley Morgan, Superintendent Prosser refuses to give the order for armed police to fire upon Jeff, handing control over to Superintendent Okaro and Inspector Gold. With the assistance of Inspector Gold, DC Perkins manages to persuade Jeff to release injured PC Casper. Sergeant Ackland and DC Sim radio their suspicions about a car parked near CID, with the theory that the boy may be trapped in the car. Concern grows amongst Zain and Phil Hunter about Ashley. Against Detective Sergeant Sam Nixon's orders, Phil and Zain hurtle down the street outside the station in a vehicle, with shots fired at them by Jeff from the balcony, resulting in Zain losing control and crashing through roadworks.
Meanwhile, in the CID office a distraught Jeff reveals to Terry how he planned to kill himself and Ashley by blowing up the car. Phil, Zain, June and Suzie try frantically to rescue the boy from the car, managing a few yards before it is engulfed in a fireball. Jeff later reveals how he shouted at his son and hit him, resulting in him running into the road in front of the stolen car driven by Ashley Morgan. Jeff breaks out of CID holding DC Perkins hostage, surrounded by armed officers demanding that his wife be told that he is sorry and that he loves her. Jeff moves outside the station with DC Perkins as hostage surrounded by armed officers, whispering to Terry that he will not hurt him. Jeff deliberately aims his firearm towards DC Perkins, intentionally doing so that he is shot. Subsequently, Jeff is shot dead by armed police.
Regular cast
Appearing in Live Episode (2003):- Superintendent Adam Okaro
- Inspector Gina Gold
- Sgt. June Ackland
- Sgt. Sheelagh Murphy
- Sgt. Dale SmithDale Smith (The Bill)Dale Smith is a fictional character played by Alex Walkinshaw in the British police procedural television series, The Bill. He first appeared in 1999 as a police constable, and eventually became inspector.-Character history:...
- PC Gary Best
- PC Cathy Bradford
- PC Honey Harman
- PC Gabriel KentGabriel KentGabriel Kent is a fictional character in The Bill. He was played by Todd Carty from 2003 to 2005.-Personal life and background:PC Gabriel Kent was the most corrupt and deranged police officers ever to work at Sun Hill....
- PC Nick Klein
- PC Tony Stamp
- PC Des Taviner
- DI Samantha Nixon
- DC Juliet Becker
- DC Jim Carver
- DC Ken Drummond
- DC Eva Sharpe
- DC Rob Thatcher
- DC Mickey Webb
- SRO Marilyn Chambers
Appearing in Live Episode (2005):
- Superintendent Adam Okaro
- Superintendent Amanda Prosser
- Inspector Gina Gold
- Sgt. June Ackland
- Sgt. Dale Smith
- PC Dan Casper
- PC Honey Harman
- PC Yvonne Hemmingway
- PC Amber Johannsen
- PC Gabriel KentGabriel KentGabriel Kent is a fictional character in The Bill. He was played by Todd Carty from 2003 to 2005.-Personal life and background:PC Gabriel Kent was the most corrupt and deranged police officers ever to work at Sun Hill....
- PC Sheelagh Murphy
- PC Tony Stamp
- PC Roger Valentine
- DCI Jack Meadows
- DS Samantha Nixon
- DS Phil Hunter
- DC Jo Masters
- DC Zain Nadir
- DC Terry Perkins
- DC Suzie Sim