Here’s where The Bill cast is now, from Jeff Stewart’s comeback to Sarah Manners’ tech success and heartbreaking losses along the way. From tragedy to new business ventures.
For over two decades, The Bill was a staple of British television, bringing the gritty realities of police work into living rooms across the nation. The ITV drama, set in the fictional Sun Hill police station, ran from 1984 to 2010 and featured a rotating cast of characters who became household names.
The final episode of the television series will soon be 25 years old. The final two episodes were produced by Reza Moradi and David Harsent, and they were broadcast on ITV1 on August 24 and 31. What transpired after the sirens ceased, though? Some of the cast members who are most recognizable are now, let’s take a look.
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Jeff Stewart (PC Reg Hollis)
For 24 years, Jeff Stewart, 69, played the eccentric and devoted PC Reg Hollis. Stewart attempted suicide in 2008 after learning that his contract was terminated, but he persisted and went on to work again in acting. For his role in Under Jakob’s Ladder, he won the Best Actor award at the Manhattan Film Festival.
The actor was reportedly in financial trouble when a source close to him said at the time. He has been sobbing and shedding a lot of tears. He has endured a difficult ordeal because he was hospitalized while he was only partially conscious. He has been severely injured and deeply disappointed by his dismissal.
Jeff earned the most money in the cast, making £150,000 annually from his appearances. Stewart made an appearance in the first episode of The Bill since 1984.
Chris Ellison (Frank Burnside)
Chris Ellison’s portrayal of the hard-nosed DI Frank Burnside earned him a spin-off series, Burnside. After The Bill, he appeared in shows like EastEnders and New Tricks, and participated in Celebrity Big Brother in 2015.
Ellison, 78, has been raising awareness about aphasia, a speech-debilitating condition he and actor Bruce Willis share. The actor had a stroke in 2020 when his wife discovered him lying on the floor of their Brighton bedroom.
Ellison’s wife became his full-time caregiver after spending time in the hospital. He then returned home in November 2020. Ellison can fully comprehend what other people are saying despite having trouble speaking.
Kevin Lloyd, Tosh Lines,
Up until 1998, Kevin Lloyd served as the endearing DC Tosh Lines. He was kicked out of the show after struggling with alcoholism, and he passed away shortly after going to rehab in 1998 at the age of 49. His death left a legacy for a number of weeks, but his character remained on-screen.
Derek Conway (Chief Inspector) is represented by Ben Roberts.
From 1987 until his dramatic departure in 2002, Chief Inspector Derek Conway was played by Ben Roberts. Roberts passed away in 2021 at the age of 70, leaving behind a legacy of memorable performances.
His former agent, who described him as a “wonderful” actor with “an extensive career in theatre, TV, and film,” confirmed his death. In the ITV police drama Roberts played an old-fashioned officer who had a background in hostage negotiations.
A petrol bomb went into Conway’s panda car, killing him in the end. He later appeared in Tim Burton’s 2016 fantasy Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and Jane Eyre’s 2011 film adaptation. Helen Lloyd, a former continuity announcer and audiobook narrator, leaves him behind.
Tony Scannell (DS Ted Roach)
Tony Scannell, an Irish actor, spent nine years on the DS Ted Roach before quitting in 1993. He passed away in 2020 at the age of 74, and tributes have focused on his strong performance on screen. On October 23, 1984, Scannell made his television debut with the episode “A Friend in Need.”
He agreed to two episodes at first, but he stayed until 1993. From 1997 to 1999, he also acted as Eddie Harris on the Channel 5 soap opera Family Affairs.
Chris Simmons (DC Mickey Webb)
Chris Simmons joined The Bill in the late ’90s as DC Mickey Webb. Post The Bill, he appeared in EastEnders and Hollyoaks, and has been involved in youth initiatives in his hometown of Gravesend.
Simmons was on The Bill from 2000 to 2003. He made an appearance in EastEnders in October 2011 as Kat Moon’s love interest Mark Garland for a few episodes. For a three-part The Bill Podcast in order to promote Chris’s starring role in Sally’s play The Still Room, he and his The Bill co-star Sally Rogers were interviewed for a three-part interview in 2020.
He also creates safety diagrams for the HS2 project’s participants.
Sarah Manners (PC Kirsty Knight)
Sarah Manners, 49, played PC Kirsty Knight in the show’s final years. Afterwards, she appeared on Strictly Come Dancing and later launched a successful Pilates app, Pilates On Tap, earning recognition as an inspirational woman in tech.
Sarah placed sixth overall on the 2004 Strictly competition. It was revealed that the show would be canceled after Kirst spent six months on-screen as Kirst in The Bill. She later stated, “I’m heartbroken. For everyone on the show, not just for myself. The industry suffers a significant loss as a result. Everyone is extremely upset about it.
Scott Maslen (DS Phil Hunter)
Scott Maslen, 53, played Jack Branning in the main role on EastEnders before leaving The Bill. He also competed in Celebrity MasterChef and Strictly Come Dancing.
Scott made his first appearance on The Bill in 2002 before leaving in 2007 to join EastEnders full-time. Maslen admitted in April 2015 that he had rejected returning to EastEnders, stating, “I didn’t want to go back just 18 months after leaving.”
Scott is married to Estelle Maslen, the mother of his son Zak Alexander Maslen, who also teaches acting. Before getting married on September 6, 2008, the couple had been living together for nine years.
Callum Stone’s Sam Callis
Sam Callis, 51, became The Bill’s DC Callum Stone in the later years. He has since appeared in a number of TV dramas and continues to work in both front and backroom.
Sam and Osmin met at London’s Burning, and the couple now live there. With the birth of his daughter, he became a father for the first time in December 2008. He also has a son.
Cat Simmons (DC Kezia Walker)
The role of DC Kezia Walker was enhanced by Cat Simmons, 44, who added depth. She continued acting after The Bill, including in the roles in Oliver! and the Superstar of Jesus Christ.
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Source: Mirror
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