The Bill's Live Episodes

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The Bill has broadcasted two Live Episodes, the first in 2003 to mark the 20th anniversary of the pilot episode "Woodentop", and a second in 2005 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ITV1.

[edit] Live Episode (2003)

The first live episode of The Bill (episode #162) was broadcast on October 30, 2003 at 8:00pm. It was written by Tom Needham, directed by Sylvie Boden, and produced by Susan Mather and Donna Wiffen.

The live episode took off from the cliffhanger of the previous episode, 161, where DC Juliet Becker was being held at knifepoint by a drunken man whom she and PC Cathy Bradford tried to stop and search. Despite Cathy's attempts to reason with the man, Juliet is held captive in a station van, and Cathy promptly alerts the rest of the station. Several Sun Hill officers come to Juliet's rescue by breaking into the van and managing to disarm the drunk, only to discover that Juliet had been stabbed in the chest. Juliet is rushed to St Hugh's hospital, accompanied by Inspector Gold and Sgt. June Ackland, but Juliet later dies from her injuries.

June is shocked to find colleague DC Jim Carver in St Hugh's with a bruised face. June soon learns that Jim's wife, Marie, has been beating him up. As June confronts Jim about his marriage, the pair of them reminicse about their 20 years at Sun Hill.

Elsewhere, Sgt. Sheelagh Murphy is unaware of being watched by a familiar face during the catalogue of events - fugitive former PC Des Taviner, wanted by the Sun Hill team for the murder of six colleagues.

Menawhile, PC Gary Best is concerned for the welfare of his missing father. The prime suspect in his father's disappearance was arrested during an armed siege and interviewed by DS Samantha Nixon and DC Ken Drummond, only for the interview to be interrupted by DC Mickey Webb, who was then working for M.I.T. A van is discovered during the investigation, awash with the blood of Gary's father, and a tip-off in a residential area leads to DC Eva Sharpe and DC Rob Thatcher discovering the decaying body.

After the body is identified as Gary's father, Gary waits for the suspect to be charged in custody before attacking him. The suspect flees from the station but is pursued by Gary. The pair of them fight it out on the station rooftop but fall off during the struggle. Gary narrowly escapes death from being cushioned by the suspect's body.

[edit] Live Episode (2005)

Bruce Byron as DC Terry Perkins being held hostage in the 2005 live episode.

The second live episode of The Bill (episode #349) was broadcast on September 22, 2005 at 8:00pm. It was written by Graham Mitchell, directed and co-produced by Sylvie Boden, and produced by Donna Wiffen.

This live episode was centred around the case of the grief-stricken father Jeff Clarke and his son, who was killed by a passing car in episode 348. The subsequent verdict of accidental death and the insensitive treatment that Jeff Clarke received from Sun Hill's Superintendent Amanda Prosser lead to Jeff gatecrashing the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the running of Sun Hill by taking a number of police officers and civilians hostage in the station. His demands were that the driver, Ashley Morgan be charged with his son's death.

That evening, PC Gabriel Kent, masquerading under the name of his adopted brother, encounters the real Gabriel who had arived at the station to meet his mother, Sgt. Ackland. As the real Gabriel confronts his brother, David, in an empty CID office, Jeff Clarke pulls a gun on Amanda in the Superintendent's office.

The episode opens up with Amanda struggling to reason with Jeff in front of David and Gabriel as the anniversary reception begins downstairs. DC Jo Masters, DC Zain Nadir and DC Terry Perkins arrive in CID with some guests and they are held hostage along with PC Dan Casper, who is looking for Amanda. A shot is fired during Jeff's struggle to gain control, and staff and civilians downstairs are alerted to the situation unfolding. As plans are made by Superintendent Adam Okaro, DCI Jack Meadows and suspended Inspector Gold to evacuate the guests, deploy armed response units and establish an observation point, Dan is encouraged by Amanda to overpower Jeff, but is shot in the arm. Gabriel is also shot and injured out of sight, but Jo, Zain, David, Amanda and the guests make it to safety. Jeff is left with an injured Dan, and Terry, who stays behind to help him.

Gabriel is eventually rushed to hospital through Jeff's consent, accompanied by David and PC Sheelagh Murphy. As Gabriel regains consciousness, David quietly threatens him to keep quiet about his identity.

After Clarke refuses to negotiate following the incident, a power struggle ensues between Adam and Amanda over who should deal with the siege. Amanda flatly refuses to allow Gina back into duty to negotiate, but Gina manages to establish contact with Terry who has a radio earpiece. As concern grows for the welfare of Ashley Morgan, Amanda declines an order for C019 to shoot Jeff and allows Adam and Gina to take control and continue negotiations with Jeff through Terry. With the help of Gina, Terry manages to persuade Jeff to release Dan. June and DC Suzie Sim at an observation point spot a car parked in a nearby yard and radio in their suspicions. Concern grows amongst Zain and DS Phil Hunter about Ashley, who may be stuck in the boot of the car. Against DS Nixon's orders, Phil and Zain get into a car and take off towards the yard where shots are fired at them by Jeff. Zain momentarily loses control of the car and crashes through roadworks.

Back in CID, a distraught Jeff opens up to Terry that he was misguided and admits that he planned to kill himself and Ashley by blowing the car up. As Jeff's wife arrives at Sun Hill, he makes his way out of the station with Terry as word spreads by radio that the car is wired. Phil and Zain, with the help of June and Suzie, manage to free Ashley from the boot of the car. Phil and Zain manage to run several yards with Ashley before the car is engulfed in a fireball. Surrounded by CO19 officers, Jeff sacrifices himself by pointing his gun at Terry.