The Bill series 18

The Bill
Season 18
No. of episodes	86
Release
Original network	ITV
Original release	3 January – 31 December 2002
Series chronology

Series 18 of British television drama The Bill consisted of 86 episodes, broadcast between 3 January and 31 December 2002. This series marked a massive change for the show, after it received a new executive producer, Paul Marquess. Series 18 became the first series to be broadcast in serial format, and generally, only one episode was broadcast per week. The style of the programme also noticeably changes, becoming less police procedural and more "soap opera". As well as featuring 80 regular episodes, the series featured a six-part serial based around PC Dave Quinnan, to mark his departure from the series. This series also saw another major cast change, with departures of several central characters. This made a total of 13 cast members to leave the show, the most in any season. On 14 August 2013, The Bill Series 18 Part 1 & 2 and The Bill Series 18 Part 3 & 4 DVD sets were released (in Australia).

Cast changes

Arrivals

• PC Cathy Bradford
• DC Eva Sharpe
• PC Gary Best
• DC Ken Drummond
• Insp. Gina Gold
• PC Luke Ashton - returning character
• DC Brandon Kane
• PC Kerry Young
• DS Phil Hunter
• FDO Roberta Cryer
• DS Samantha Nixon
• DCI Andrew Ross
• PC Gemma Osbourne
• Supt. Adam Okaro
• PC Ruby Buxton

Departures

• SC Terry Knowles - Stabbed during traffic stop
• PC Dave Quinnan - Transfers to SO10 after PC Polly Page rejects his marriage proposal
• Ch. Insp. Derek Conway - Killed in petrol bomb attack by Jeff Simpson
• DS Vik Singh - Resigns after being suspended for assaulting Jeff Simpson
• Insp. Andrew Monroe - Killed in station fire
• PC Ben Hayward - Killed in station fire
• PC Di Worrell - Killed in station fire
• DC Paul Riley - Killed in station fire
• DC Kate Spears - Killed in station fire
• PC Sam Harker - Killed in station fire
• DI Alex Cullen - Transfers to MIT
• Supt. Tom Chandler - Commits suicide before being arrested for rape
• PC Cass Rickman - Murdered by the Sun Hill Serial Killer

Episodes

No.	Title	Episode notes	Directed by	Written by	Original air date
1	"Loaded"	Final appearance of SC Terry Knowles, Irene Sutcliffe guest stars.	Christopher Lovett	Leonard Collin	3 January 2002 (2002-01-03)
2	"Not To Praise Him"	TBA	Chris Lovett	Len Collin	10 January 2002 (2002-01-10)
3	"Do Not Pass Go"	James Marcus guest stars.	Ged Maguire	Len Collin	17 January 2002 (2002-01-17)
4	"Juliet"	Anna Keaveney guest stars.	Michael Simpson	Tom Needham	24 January 2002 (2002-01-24)
5	"Set In Stone"	First appearance of PC Cathy Bradford. Sara Stockbridge guest stars.	Ron Bain	Candy Denman	31 January 2002 (2002-01-31)
6	"Quinnan Part 1"	Sara Stockbridge, Michael Attwell and Andrew Pleavin guest stars.	Ron Bain	Phil Ford	7 February 2002 (2002-02-07)
7	"Quinnan Part 2"	TBA	Roberto Bangura	Len Collin	7 February 2002 (2002-02-07)
8	"Quinnan Part 3"	Velibor Topic guest stars	Michael Cocker	Patrick Melanaphy	14 February 2002 (2002-02-14)
9	"Quinnan Part 4"	Norman Lovett and Velibor Topic guest star.	Ian White	Maxwell Young	14 February 2002 (2002-02-14)
10	"Quinnan Part 5"	Velibor Topic guest stars	Ian White	Len Collin	20 February 2002 (2002-02-20)
11	"Quinnan Part 6"	Final appearance of PC Dave Quinnan, Velibor Topic guest stars	Michael Simpson	Len Collin	27 February 2002 (2002-02-27)
12	"Episode 001" "Down A Blind Alley"	First episode in serial format, Zig Byfield guest stars	Daniela Neumann	Steve Handley	28 February 2002 (2002-02-28)
13	"Episode 002" "Loose Cannon"	First appearance of recurring character Jeff Simpson, Carol Harrison and Bryan Murray guest star.	Daniela Neumann	Eric Deacon	7 March 2002 (2002-03-07)
14	"Episode 003" "Face the Music"	Paul Raffield guest stars.	Jamie Nuttgens	Chris McWatters	14 March 2002 (2002-03-14)
15	"Episode 004" "Thin Ice"	Anthony May guest stars.	Jamie Nuttgens	Julian Spilsbury	21 March 2002 (2002-03-21)
16	"Episode 005" "Afternoon Rendezvous"	Final appearance of Ch. Insp. Derek Conway	Mike Adams	Marc Pye	28 March 2002 (2002-03-28)
17	"Episode 006" "Rally the Troops"	Final appearance of DS Vik Singh	Mike Adams	Phillip Gladwin	4 April 2002 (2002-04-04)
18	"Episode 007" "A Show Of Generosity"	Guy Henry guest stars.	Steve Finn	Katherine Smith	11 April 2002 (2002-04-11)
19	"Episode 008" "Golden Opportunity"	Final appearances of Inspector Andrew Monroe, PCs Ben Hayward & Di Worrell and DCs Paul Riley and Kate Spears	Steve Finn	Declan Croghan	16 April 2002 (2002-04-16)
20	"Episode 009" "No Signs Of Life"	Departure of PC Polly Page, Barrie Gosney guest stars.	Declan O'Dwyer	Katherine Smith	17 April 2002 (2002-04-17)
21	"Episode 010" "A Peg Or Two"	Final appearance of PC Sam Harker, Sylvester McCoy guest stars.	Declan O'Dwyer	Tom Needham	18 April 2002 (2002-04-18)
22	"Episode 011" "Suspects"	TBA	Ken Grieve	Henrietta Hardy	25 April 2002 (2002-04-25)
23	"Episode 012" "At The Deep End"	First appearance of DC Eva Sharpe, former Chief Supt. Charles Brownlow and ex-Sergeant Bob Cryer guest star	Ken Grieve	Julie White	2 May 2002 (2002-05-02)
24	"Episode 013" "Needle In A Haystack"	Updated title sequence to show cast changes. First episode with stab vests as standard issue for PCs. Neil Maskell guest stars.	Graeme Harper	Nick Saltrese	9 May 2002 (2002-05-09)
25	"Episode 014" "Walking On Water"	Beverley Callard guest stars	Graeme Harper	Alison Fisher	16 May 2002 (2002-05-16)
26	"Episode 015" "Slippery Slope"	TBA	Michael Ferguson	Annie Jones	23 May 2002 (2002-05-23)
27	"Episode 016" "Crying Wolf"	TBA	Michael Ferguson	Ed Jones	30 May 2002 (2002-05-30)
28	"Episode 017" "A Run Of Good Luck"	John Alford guest stars.	Susan Tully	Julian Perkins	6 June 2002 (2002-06-06)
29	"Episode 018" "Tough Love"	TBA	Susan Tully	Marcus Brent	13 June 2002 (2002-06-13)
30	"Episode 019" "On The Pitch"	TBA	Jim Goddard	Annie Jones	20 June 2002 (2002-06-20)
31	"Episode 020" "Vigilante"	First appearance of PC Gary Best, Tom Lister guest stars	Jim Goddard	Ian Harris	25 June 2002 (2002-06-25)
32	"Episode 021" "Ruffled Feathers"	First appearances of DC Ken Drummond and Insp Gina Gold	Ian White	Steve Attridge	27 June 2002 (2002-06-27)
33	"Episode 022" "Prove Your Worth"	First appearance of DC Brandon Kane, return of PC Luke Ashton	Ian White	Gerard McKenna	2 July 2002 (2002-07-02)
34	"Episode 023" "Aptitude Test"	Brooke Kinsella guest stars.	Ged Maguire	Matthew Leys	4 July 2002 (2002-07-04)
35	"Episode 024" "Sitting Tennants"	Brooke Kinsella, Katy Murphy and Peter Guinness guest star.	Ged Maguire	Matthew Leys	9 July 2002 (2002-07-09)
36	"Episode 025" "Too Close To The Wind"	First appearance of PC Kerry Young	Dermot Boyd	Hugh Ellis	11 July 2002 (2002-07-11)
37	"Episode 026" "Playing Runaway"	TBA	Dermot Boyd	Clive Dawson	16 July 2002 (2002-07-16)
38	"Episode 027" "Old Tricks"	Nia Roberts guest stars.	John Davies	Julian Perkins	18 July 2002 (2002-07-18)
39	"Episode 028" "Missing Without Trace"	TBA	John Davies	Steve Hughes	23 July 2002 (2002-07-23)
40	"Episode 029" "First Day Collar"	First appearance of DS Phil Hunter	Steve Finn	Maxwell Young	25 July 2002 (2002-07-25)
41	"Episode 030" "No Loyalty"	Victoria Finney guest stars.	Steve Finn	Marc Pye	30 July 2002 (2002-07-30)
42	"Episode 031" "Conflicting Information"	TBA	Chris Lovett	Len Collin	1 August 2002 (2002-08-01)
43	"Episode 032" "Bait"	TBA	Chris Lovett	Ian Harris	6 August 2002 (2002-08-06)
44	"Episode 033" "Loggerheads"	First appearance of FDO Roberta Cryer, Nicola Stapleton guest stars	Declan O'Dwyer	John Milne	8 August 2002 (2002-08-08)
45	"Episode 034" "Protection"	Nicola Stapleton, David Walliams and Lewis Collins guest star.	Declan O'Dwyer	Eric Deacon	13 August 2002 (2002-08-13)
46	"Episode 035" "Impostors"	Nicola Stapleton and Edna Doré guest star.	Paul Marcus	Tom Needham	15 August 2002 (2002-08-15)
47	"Episode 036" "Officer Down"	Final appearance of DI Alex Cullen.	Paul Marcus	Nicholas McInerny	20 August 2002 (2002-08-20)
48	"Episode 037" "One Last Day"	DC Duncan Lennox transfers to MIT, Charles Lawson guest stars.	Jamie Payne	Lin Coghlan	22 August 2002 (2002-08-22)
49	"Episode 038" "Tactful Approach"	First appearance of DS Samantha Nixon, final appearance of recurring character Jeff Simpson, Charles Lawson guest stars.	Jamie Payne	Catrin Clarke	27 August 2002 (2002-08-27)
50	"Episode 039" "Certain Uncertainties"	Roger Lloyd-Pack guest stars.	Peter Butler	Chris Ould	28 August 2002 (2002-08-28)
51	"Episode 040" "Jeopardy"	Roger Lloyd-Pack, Tony Booth, Liz Smith and Brigit Forsyth guest star.	Peter Butler	John Milne	29 August 2002 (2002-08-29)
52	"Episode 041" "Gone Native"	Roger Lloyd-Pack, Tony Booth, Liz Smith and Brigit Forsyth guest star.	Julie Edwards	Martin Jameson	3 September 2002 (2002-09-03)
53	"Episode 042" "Requiem"	Roger Lloyd-Pack guest stars.	Julie Edwards	Henrietta Hardy	4 September 2002 (2002-09-04)
54	"Episode 043" "Quick Off The Mark"	Vincenzo Pellegrino and Roger Lloyd-Pack guest star.	Crispin Reece	Marianne Colbran	12 September 2002 (2002-09-12)
55	"Episode 044" "Access Denied"	Roger Lloyd-Pack guest stars.	Crispin Reece	Ed Jones	18 September 2002 (2002-09-18)
56	"Episode 045" "Nail In The Coffin"	Judy Holt guest stars.	Afonso Sousa	Katherine Smith	19 September 2002 (2002-09-19)
57	"Episode 046" "Improper Conduct"	John McEnery guest stars.	Afonso Sousa	Nick Saltrese	25 September 2002 (2002-09-25)
58	"Episode 047" "Deeper Waters"	First appearance of DCI Andrew Ross	Robert Knights	Julian Perkins	26 September 2002 (2002-09-26)
59	"Episode 048" "Roses Are Red"	Helen Grace guest stars.	Robert Knights	Annie Jones	2 October 2002 (2002-10-02)
60	"Episode 049" "On the Side"	Sam Aston and Helen Grace guest star.	Steve Finn	Ian Harris	3 October 2002 (2002-10-03)
61	"Episode 050" "Ready or Not"	Sam Aston and Helen Grace guest star.	Steve Finn	Maxwell Young	9 October 2002 (2002-10-09)
62	"Episode 051" "Wisdom Of The Wise"	Lois Baxter and Helen Grace guest star.	Baz Taylor	Damian Wayling	10 October 2002 (2002-10-10)
63	"Episode 052" "Saving Face"	Sally George and Hywel Bennett guest star.	Baz Taylor	Marcus Brent	16 October 2002 (2002-10-16)
64	"Episode 053" "Conflict Of Interest"	Final appearance of Superintendent. Tom Chandler, Hywel Bennett and Julie Graham guest star.	Nigel Keen	Gerard McKenna	16 October 2002 (2002-10-16)
65	"Episode 054" "Game Over"	First appearance of PC Gemma Osbourne	Nigel Keen	Annie Jones	23 October 2002 (2002-10-23)
66	"Episode 055" "Honeytrap"	Aired as 90-minute episode, separated into two episodes on DVD release. Anna Karen guest stars.	Susan Tully	Steve Hughes	24 October 2002 (2002-10-24)
67	"Episode 056" "Risky Behaviour"	Aired as 90-minute episode, separated into two episodes on DVD release. Hywel Bennett guest stars.	Susan Tully	Jaden Clark	24 October 2002 (2002-10-24)
68	"Episode 057" "Heaven's Callin"	Hywel Bennett guest stars.	Michael Morris	Phillip Gladwin	30 October 2002 (2002-10-30)
69	"Episode 058" "Rogue Victim"	John Bowler, Bhasker Patel and Julie Graham guest star.	Michael Morris	Helen Childs	31 October 2002 (2002-10-31)
70	"Episode 059" "Lock and Load Part 1"	Julie Graham guest stars.	Robert Maestro	Patrick Melanaphy	6 November 2002 (2002-11-06)
71	"Episode 060" "Lock and Load Part 2"	First appearance of Superintendent Adam Okaro, Julie Graham guest stars.	Robert Maestro	Maxwell Young	7 November 2002 (2002-11-07)
72	"Episode 061" "Lock and Load Part 3"	Glen Murphy and Julie Graham guest star.	Jamie Payne	Matthew Leys	13 November 2002 (2002-11-13)
73	"Episode 062" "First Day Blues"	First appearance of PC Ruby Buxton, Julie Graham and Glen Murphy guest star.	Jamie Payne	Patrea Smallacombe	14 November 2002 (2002-11-14)
74	"Episode 063" "A Cry For Help"	Aired as 90-minute episode, separated into two episodes on DVD release.. Sarah Hadland guest stars.	Michael Offer	Maxwell Young	20 November 2002 (2002-11-20)
75	"The Full Guided Tour" "Episode 064"	Aired as 90-minute episode, separated into two episodes on DVD release.	Michael Offer	Tom Needham	20 November 2002 (2002-11-20)
76	"Episode 065" "Close To Home"	TBA	Peter Butler	Simon Ashford	21 November 2002 (2002-11-21)
77	"Episode 066" "Walk In The Park"	Helen Blatch guest stars.	Peter Butler	Steve Griffiths	27 November 2002 (2002-11-27)
78	"Episode 067" "All In A Day's Work"	Ellen Thomas guest stars.	Crispin Reece	Clive Dawson	28 November 2002 (2002-11-28)
79	"Episode 068" "Clouded Judgement"	Russell Tovey and Richard Hope guest stars.	Crispin Reece	John Milne	4 December 2002 (2002-12-04)
80	"Episode 069" "Cop Idol Part 1"	TBA	John Davies	Nicholas McInerny	5 December 2002 (2002-12-05)
81	"Episode 070" "Cop Idol Part 2"	Tim Barlow guest stars.	John Davies	Julian Perkins	11 December 2002 (2002-12-11)
82	"Episode 071" "Falling"	Final Appearance of PC Cass Rickman, Edna Doré guest stars	Nigel Keen	Tom Needham	12 December 2002 (2002-12-12)
83	"Episode 072" "Code Of Conduct Part 1"	Jaime Murray, JoAnne Good and Georgina Hale guest star.	Nigel Keen	Sally Garland	18 December 2002 (2002-12-18)
84	"Episode 073" "Seeing Red Part 2"	Jaime Murray, JoAnne Good and Georgina Hale guest-star.	Steve Finn	Steve Hughes	19 December 2002 (2002-12-19)
85	"Episode 074" "Little White Lies Part 3"	Jaime Murray, JoAnne Good and Georgina Hale guest star.	Steve Finn	Jake Riddell	23 December 2002 (2002-12-23)
86	"Episode 075" "Countdown"	Jesse Birdsall guest star	Penelope Shales	Tom Needham	31 December 2002 (2002-12-31)