A View from the Frontline – new at 9

8th July 2009

Top crime drama, The Bill, is to move to its new weekly 9pm time slot at the heart of the ITV1 schedule from Thursday 23rd July, as the BAFTA award-winning series is repositioned as a post-watershed drama for the first time in its 25 year history.  As a one-off special to herald the start of the ‘new’ show, a second episode will be screened at 9pm on Friday 24th July.

The new-look continuing series will be shot in high definition, with a musical score and new title credits and theme music.  Subtle echoes of the original theme music will remain, but the entire show has been given a new lease of life.

“We haven’t sought to totally reinvent The Bill,” commented executive producer Johnathan Young, “but we have wanted to create a more immersive experience for our viewers.  We’re digging deeper into characters to tell stronger and more challenging stories which really examine the true causes and effects of crime.  The later timeslot allows us to produce darker, grittier and more hard-hitting drama, through the eyes of our existing characters.  The heart of the show will remain the same, but it will look very fresh.”

Sergeant Callum Stone (Sam Callis) and P.C. Ben Gayle (Micah Balfour) will be the first characters to tread Sun Hill streets in the new timeslot, so leading the action into the first big storyline, ‘Live by the Sword’.  When a 15 year old boy is critically injured – ultimately, fatally – following a knife attack on an estate, investigations begin into identifying the killer.  Featuring guest actors Julia Ford and Andrew Tiernan, the episode kicks off with high-octane energy, and sets the pace for the series. The second-part of the storyline – ‘Die by the Sword’ – airs on the consecutive night.

Viewers will get the first taster of the new-look show through a national ITV marketing campaign – including billboard posters and on-air trails – in coming weeks.