The Bill series 20
| The Bill | |
|---|---|
| Season 20 | |
 Series 20 DVD cover | |
| No. of episodes | 96 |
| Release | |
| Original network | ITV |
| Original release | 7 January – 30 December 2004 |
| Series chronology | |
Series 20 of British television drama The Bill was broadcast from 7 January until 30 December 2004. The series consisted of 96 episodes, and saw the conclusion of the long-running storyline involving the absconding of PC Des Taviner, who was believed to have been killed in an explosion in a Gas Tower, but managed to escape from the wreckage. This series continues to use the serialized format previously introduced by Paul Marquess during Series 18.
Storylines featured in this season include the departure of PC Cathy Bradford, after being uncovered as the murderer of Tanya Kane; the return of PC Des Taviner, who kidnaps PC Cameron Tait at gunpoint after discovering that his baby girl died whilst in Cameron's care; the departure of PC Nick Klein into witness protection after becoming the prime target of crime boss Dennis Weaver; the return of ill-fated ex-sergeant Don Beech, who concocts an elaborate plan to break out of prison and reclaim a haul of stolen diamonds; the death of PC Kerry Young at the hands of the Sun Hill sniper, who turns out to be none other than PC Gabriel Kent; and a long-running storyline involving the arrival of a crime family, the Radfords, who have history with DC Rob Thatcher - whose father died after being shot by Len Radford during a security van raid.
As a celebration of the show's 21st anniversary, a special weekend of programmes were broadcast on UKTV Gold, including a special mocku-mentary which featured cast members, past and present, mulling over their time at Sun Hill during a quiet afternoon in the custody suite; as well several 'classic' episodes, past and present. ITV marked the anniversary with a special episode, which saw DCI Jack Meadows take a week's holiday to attend former DS Ted Roach's funeral - but, after suspecting Roach may have been murdered, he teams up with former Sergeants Alec Peters (Larry Dann) and Bob Cryer (Eric Richard) to find out the truth. Another spin-off from the show, The Bill: Uncovered, was also introduced; a series of four one-off documentaries narrated by their main star, telling the story of a particular character's path or journey throughout their time at Sun Hill. Episodes broadcast during this series include "Des' Story" and "Kerry's Story".
On 16 October 2013, the complete series was released on DVD in Australia as a Region 0, playable anywhere in the world. The DVD synopsis removes all titles, and tallies the episodes by number.
Cast changes
Arrivals
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Departures
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Episodes
| # | Title | Episode notes | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Prod # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Trust Means Nothing" | Michael Melia and Doña Croll guest star. | Nigel Keen | Damian Wayling | 7 January 2004 | 181 |
| 2 | "The Apple and the Tree" | Doña Croll and Alec Linstead guest star. | Nigel Keen | Julian Perkins | 8 January 2004 | 182 |
| 3 | "Kidnap and Ransom" | TBA | Robert Del Maestro | Patrea Smallacombe | 14 January 2004 | 183 |
| 4 | "Dawn Morning Light" | Final appearance of DC Brandon Kane, departure of Cathy Bradford | Robert Del Maestro | Jake Riddell | 15 January 2004 | 184 |
| 5 | "Saving Skin" | TBA | Baz Taylor | Jaden Clark | 21 January 2004 | 185 |
| 6 | "Grave Error" | Return of PC Des Taviner | Laurence Moody | Kathrine Smith | 22 January 2004 | 186 |
| 7 | "Shaken (Part One)" | Mark Straker guest stars. | Laurence Moody | Tom Needham | 29 January 2004 | 187 |
| 8 | "Devastation & Remorse (Part Two)" | Alan Ford guest stars. | Paul Walker | Maxwell Young | 5 February 2004 | 188 |
| 9 | "Forgiveness (Part Three)" | Paul Copley and Richard Mayes guest star. | Paul Walker | Emma Goodwin | 11 February 2004 | 189 |
| 10 | "Career Ruining Secrets" | Brian Hibbard guest stars. | Andy Goddard | Julian Perkins | 12 February 2004 | 190 |
| 11 | "Betrayal" | 90 minute special, Ian Talbot guest stars | Andy Goddard & Bob Tomson | Tom Needham & Maxwell Young | 18 February 2004 | 191 |
| 12 | "Running with Scissors" | Alex Kew guest stars. | Bob Tomson | Maxwell Young | 19 February 2004 | 192 |
| 13 | "Heartstrings" | Final appearance of DCI Andrew Ross | Bob Tomson | Marc Peirson | 25 February 2004 | 193 |
| 14 | "New Year's Resolutions" | Return of Polly Page, now CAD officer | Steve Kelly | Kathrine Smith | 26 February 2004 | 194 |
| 15 | "Intrigue" | Jacqueline Leonard and Lloyd McGuire guest star. | Steve Kelly | Steve Trafford | 3 March 2004 | 195 |
| 16 | "Don't Bring Me Down" | Guest appearance by Mickey Webb | Ken Grieve | Simon McCleave | 4 March 2004 | 196 |
| 17 | "Office Politics" | First appearance of PC Andrea Dunbar, final appearance of DC Eva Sharpe, Shirin Taylor guest stars | Ken Grieve | Gerard McKenna | 10 March 2004 | 197 |
| 18 | "Return of the Damned" | Elizabeth Rider and Steve Swinscoe guest star. | Chris Richards | Matthew Leys | 11 March 2004 | 198 |
| 19 | "End of the Road" | Final appearance of PC Des Taviner, William Ilkley guest stars | Chris Richards | Nicholas McInerny | 17 March 2004 | 199 |
| 19a | "Des and Reg - Uncovered" | The Bill: Uncovered documentary | Henry Klejdys | Julie Hill | 17 March 2004 | 199A |
| 20 | "Drive on By (Part One)" | Sally Faulkner guest stars | Brett Fallis | Jaden Clark | 18 March 2004 | 200 |
| 21 | "Drive on By (Part Two)" | TBA | Brett Fallis | Tom Needham | 24 March 2004 | 201 |
| 22 | "Crocodile Tears" | Sidney Kean guest stars. | Christopher King | Simon J Ashford | 25 March 2004 | 202 |
| 23 | "Cross Wires" | TBA | Christopher King | Tom Higgins | 31 March 2004 | 203 |
| 24 | "Smoking Gun (Part One)" | Jim Carver is promoted to DC, Paul Putner guest stars | Nic Phillips | Mark Greig | 1 April 2004 | 204 |
| 25 | "Smoking Gun (Part Two)" | Paul Putner guest stars | Nic Phillips | Mark Greig | 7 April 2004 | 205 |
| 26 | "Settle the Score" | Final appearances of CAD officer Polly Page, PC Nick Klein and Cathy Bradford, Paul Putner, Harry Towb and Martin Friend guest star | Crispin Reece | Colin Wyatt | 8 April 2004 | 206 |
| 27 | "Needing a Friend" | TBA | Crispin Reece | Paul Ebbs | 14 April 2004 | 207 |
| 28 | "A Time and A Place (Part One)" | Louise Jameson guest stars | Sylvie Boden | Steve Griffiths | 15 April 2004 | 208 |
| 29 | "A Time and A Place (Part Two)" | Louise Jameson guest stars | Sylvie Boden | Maxwell Young | 21 April 2004 | 209 |
| 30 | "Rookies & Professionals" | First appearance of PC Lance Powell, Linda Lusardi guest stars | Ged Maguire | Joe Fraser | 22 April 2004 | 210 |
| 31 | "Smoking Demons" | Return of ex-DS Don Beech, Ricci Harnett and Tony Haygarth guest star. | Susan Tully | Julian Perkins | 29 April 2004 | 211 |
| 32 | "Reliable Information" | TBA | Ged Maguire | Tony McHale | 30 April 2004 | 212 |
| 33 | "The Cautious Approach" | Tony Haygarth and Shobu Kapoor guest star. | Martin Hutchings | Dawn Harrison | 6 May 2004 | 213 |
| 34 | "Rogue Tourist" | First appearance of Laura Bryant, Tony Haygarth guest stars | Martin Hutchings | Chris Webb | 7 May 2004 | 214 |
| 35 | "Robbery, Act II" | Tony Haygarth guest stars | Dermot Boyd | Nicholas McInerny | 19 May 2004 | 215 |
| 36 | "Nemesis" | Final appearance of ex-DS Don Beech, Melanie Gutteridge and Linda Lusardi guest star | Dermot Boyd | Julian Perkins | 20 May 2004 | 216 |
| 37 | "Taking Flak" | TBA | Susan Tully | Tom Needham | 27 May 2004 | 217 |
| 38 | "Game Over" | TBA | Bob Tomson | Tom Higgins | 2 June 2004 | 218 |
| 39 | "The Tunnel (Part One)" | First appearance of S019 Sgt. Marc Rollins, Lenora Crichlow guest stars | Bob Tomson | Tony McHale | 3 June 2004 | 219 |
| 40 | "The Tunnel (Part Two)" | Lenora Crichlow guest stars | Christopher King | Graham Mitchell | 9 June 2004 | 220 |
| 41 | "Twisting the Truth" | TBA | Christopher King | Steve Trafford | 10 June 2004 | 221 |
| 42 | "Insensitivity (Part One)" | Tony Selby and Bhasker Patel guest star | N G Bristow | Tom Needham | 17 June 2004 | 222 |
| 43 | "Insensitivity (Part Two)" | Sgt. Sheelagh Murphy is demoted to a PC, Tony Selby, Lynda Bellingham, Bhasker Patel and Philip McGough guest star | N G Bristow | Tom Needham | 24 June 2004 | 223 |
| 44 | "The Start of a Problem" | First appearance of PC Steve Hunter, Lynda Bellingham guest stars | David Holroyd | Tony McHale | 30 June 2004 | 224 |
| 45 | "Puppywalking" | TBA | David Holroyd | Nick Saltrese | 7 July 2004 | 225 |
| 46 | "Second Strike (Part One)" | Maurice Roëves and Sebastian Abineri guest star | Sylvie Boden | Jake Riddell | 8 July 2004 | 226 |
| 47 | "Second Strike (Part Two)" | Maurice Roëves guest stars | Sylvie Boden | Jake Riddell | 14 July 2004 | 227 |
| 48 | "Jigsaw Puzzle" | TBA | Laurence Moody | Matthew Leys | 15 July 2004 | 228 |
| 49 | "Blind Detection" | Lynda Bellingham guest stars | Laurence Moody | Damian Wayling | 21 July 2004 | 229 |
| 50 | "The Rapture" | Final appearance of PC Cameron Tait | Brett Fallis | Jaden Clark | 22 July 2004 | 230 |
| 51 | "Cause and Effect" | TBA | Brett Fallis | Nicholas McInerny | 28 July 2004 | 231 |
| 52 | "Bite the Bullet (Part One)" | PC Gary Best is promoted to Acting DC, Freema Agyeman and Lynda Bellingham guest star | Menhaj Juda | Julian Perkins | 29 July 2004 | 232 |
| 53 | "Bite the Bullet (Part Two)" | Tim Plester guest stars. | Menhaj Juda | Steve Griffiths | 4 August 2004 | 233 |
| 54 | "On the Wrong Side of the Fence" | Ian Talbot guest stars. | Nigel Keen | James Stevenson | 5 August 2004 | 234 |
| 55 | "A Solemn Song" | TBA | Nigel Keen | Jake Riddell | 11 August 2004 | 235 |
| 56 | "Hope" | Adjoa Andoh guest stars. | Julie Edwards | Stuart Blackburn | 12 August 2004 | 236 |
| AN1 | "The Bill @ 21 Weekend (Part One)" | TBA | Henry Klejdys | Julie Hill | 14 August 2004 | AN1 |
| AN2 | "The Bill @ 21 Weekend (Part Two)" | TBA | Henry Klejdys | Julie Hill | 15 August 2004 | AN2 |
| 57 | "Happily Ever After" | Lynda Bellingham guest stars | Julie Edwards | Kate Wood | 18 August 2004 | 237 |
| 58 | "In Too Deep" | Lynda Bellingham guest stars | Susan Tully | Graham Mitchell | 19 August 2004 | 238 |
| 59 | "Only Fools and Coppers" | Lynda Bellingham and Sakuntala Ramanee guest star | Susan Tully | John Milne | 26 August 2004 | 239 |
| 60 | "Luck of the Draw" | Lynda Bellingham guest stars | Nic Phillips | Oliver Brown | 27 August 2004 | 240 |
| 61 | "Desperation" | Lenora Crichlow and Lisa Hogg guest star. | Nic Phillips | Ray Brooking | 2 September 2004 | 241 |
| 62 | "Suicidal Thoughts" | Lenora Crichlow, Sarah Hadland and Zig Byfield guest star. | Adrian Vitoria | Scott Cherry | 8 September 2004 | 242 |
| 63 | "Transcendence" | Lynda Bellingham, Sam Callis and Zig Byfield guest star. | Adrian Vitoria | Tom Needham | 9 September 2004 | 243 |
| 64 | "An Eye for an Eye" | First appearance of DI Rowanne Morell, Lenora Crichlow guest stars | David Holroyd | Dawn Harrison | 15 September 2004 | 244 |
| 65 | "Acting with Caution" | Geraldine Alexander guest stars | David Holroyd | Emma Goodwin | 16 September 2004 | 245 |
| 66 | "The Pocket Cop" | First appearance of DC Suzie Sim | Martin Hutchings | Kathrine Smith | 22 September 2004 | 246 |
| 67 | "Some Brighter Days" | Sam Callis guest stars. | Martin Hutchings | Sue Mooney | 23 September 2004 | 247 |
| 68 | "Last Orders" | Guest appearances of Bob Cryer and Alec Peters, Paul Alexander guest stars | Audrey Cooke | Peter J. Hammond | 30 September 2004 | 248 |
| 69 | "Ulterior Motive" | Lynda Bellingham guest stars | Audrey Cooke | Simon McCleave | 6 October 2004 | 249 |
| 70 | "Heartless" | Lynda Bellingham and Liz May Brice guest star | Sven Arnstein | Christopher Reason | 7 October 2004 | 250 |
| 71 | "What Goes Around..." | Lynda Bellingham and Liz May Brice guest star | Sven Arnstein | Andrew Taft | 13 October 2004 | 251 |
| 72 | "Going Native" | Lynda Bellingham guest stars | Christopher King | Mark Greig | 14 October 2004 | 252 |
| 73 | "Friendly Fire (Part One)" | Rick Warden guest stars. | Christopher King | Matthew Leys | 20 October 2004 | 253 |
| 74 | "Friendly Fire (Part Two)" | Final appearance of PC Kerry Young, Lynda Bellingham guest stars | Nigel Keen | Cris Cole | 21 October 2004 | 254 |
| 75 | "The Starting Grid" | Lenora Crichlow and Barbara Wilshere guest star. | Nigel Keen | Tom Needham | 27 October 2004 | 255 |
| 76 | "Long Overdue" | Geoffrey Beevers guest stars | Richard Standeven | Nick Saltrese | 28 October 2004 | 256 |
| 77 | "Old Timer" | First appearance of PC Roger Valentine, Sara Griffiths and Lenora Crichlow guest star | Richard Standeven | Nicholas McInerny | 3 November 2004 | 257 |
| 78 | "Playing with Fire" | Geoffrey Hutchings guest stars | Philip John | Tom Needham | 4 November 2004 | 258 |
| 78a | "Kerry's Story: Uncovered" | The Bill: Uncovered documentary | Henry Klejdys | Julie Hill | 4 November 2004 | 258A |
| 79 | "Where Loyalties Lie" | Final appearance of DS Debbie McAllister | Philip John | Steve Griffiths | 10 November 2004 | 259 |
| 80 | "Not the Real Thing" | Lenora Crichlow guest stars | Nic Phillips | Simon Moss | 11 November 2004 | 260 |
| 81 | "Long Buried Secrets" | Lynda Bellingham, Sam Callis and Anthony Jackson guest star. | Nic Phillips | Harold Jordan | 17 November 2004 | 261 |
| 82 | "Mexican Stand-Off" | Lynda Bellingham, Sam Callis, Lois Baxter and David Simeon guest star. | Laurence Moody | Harold Jordan | 18 November 2004 | 262 |
| 83 | "Closer to Home" | Hywel Bennett guest stars | Laurence Moody | Graham Mitchell | 24 November 2004 | 263 |
| 84 | "Beginner's Luck" | First appearance of PC Amber Johannsen, Annabelle Apsion guesr stars | Rob Evans | Harold Jordan | 1 December 2004 | 264 |
| 85 | "Closing the Book" | Annabelle Apsion guest stars | Rob Evans | Stuart Blackburn | 8 December 2004 | 265 |
| 86 | "Salvation" | Departure of Sgt. June Ackland, Lenora Crichlow, Patrick Monckton and Freddie Cunliffe guest star. | Brett Fallis | Mark Johnson | 9 December 2004 | 266 |
| 87 | "A Different Kind of Justice" | Lenora Crichlow and James Ellis guest star. | Brett Fallis | Scott Cherry | 14 December 2004 | 267 |
| 88 | "The Perfect Alibi" | First appearance of PC Leela Kapoor | Peter Butler | Harold Jordan | 15 December 2004 | 268 |
| 89 | "Anything for a Dime" | TBA | Peter Butler | John Milne | 16 December 2004 | 269 |
| 90 | "An Unwanted Death" | Lenora Crichlow guest stars | Alan MacMillan | Maxwell Young | 21 December 2004 | 270 |
| 91 | "One Rule for One" | Lynda Bellingham and Lenora Crichlow guest star | Alan MacMillan | Harold Jordan | 22 December 2004 | 271 |
| 92 | "Bust" | Lynda Bellingham, Pip Torrens and Chrissie Cotterill guest star | Robert Bierman | Emma Goodwin | 23 December 2004 | 272 |
| 93 | "Return of the Gang Queen" | Final appearance of DC Rob Thatcher, Lynda Bellingham and Ruth Sheen guest star | Robert Bierman | Christopher Reason | 29 December 2004 | 273 |
| 94 | "The Cold Winter Blues" | Colm Ó Maonlaí, Ruth Sheen and Elliott Jordan guest star. | Jo Johnson | Martin McCardie | 30 December 2004 | 274 |
| Series | |
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| Notable episodes |
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| Spin-offs |
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| Characters | |
| Lists | |
