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.
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 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.
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 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.
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