The Bill – Off the Beat
Broadcaster ITV has decided to cull the cops after 27 years of policing drama.
It was hoped that last years darker and edgier revamp and post-watershed timeslot might raise falling ratings, having fallen to around 3.5 million from 7 million in 2002.
ITV claims the decision was based on a review of its drama schedule, which found short-run shows such as Above Suspicion and Collision to be more popular, rather than as a cost-cutting exercise. The broadcaster hopes to use the saved money to fund more such short dramas, such as plans for a new series by writer Anthony Horowitz.
Talkback Thames, The Bill’s producer, now warns of a “significant number of redundancies” among The Bill’s 90-strong production team. The BAFTA award-winning programme grew from a pilot episode, Woodentop, in 1983.
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