The Bill, one of the best loved primetime TV shows, with more than 2,000 episodes spanning over 26 years, reached an audience of over 10 million in its peak. Now you can be part of the action once again and join a one-off unofficial reunion ‘The Bill – Legends Under House Arrest’ taking place live on Zoom on Saturday 27th March at 11am – 12:30pm. These TV greats are joining forces to raise money for leading youth homelessness charity Centrepoint.

DC Eva Sharpe
Diane Parish

‘The Bill – Legends Under House Arrest’ includes more than 25 cast members: DI Samantha Nixon (Lisa Maxwell), DC Terry Perkins (Bruce Byron), PC Tony Stamp (Graham Cole OBE), DC Jim Carver (Mark Wingett), Sgt. Phil Hunter (Scott Maslen), Abi Nixon (Georgie Tennant), Sgt. June Ackland (Trudie Goodwin), DC Viv Martella (Nula Conwell), PC Polly Page (Lisa Geoghan), DI Neil Manson (Andrew Lancel), Ch. Supt. Charles Brownlow (Peter Ellis), Supt. Tom Chandler (Steven Hartley), DC Will Fletcher (Gary Lucy), DC Mickey Webb (Chris Simmons), PC Cathy Marshall (Lynne Miller), DC Eva Sharpe (Diane Parish), Supt. Adam Okaro (Cyril Nri), DCI Kim Reid (Carolyn Pickles), DC Jacob Banks (Patrick Robinson), Sgt. Jo Masters (Sally Rogers), PC Norika Datta (Seeta Indrani), DS John Boulton (Russell Boulter), PC Kerry Young (Beth Cordingly), DS Debbie McAllister

(Natalie Roles), Sgt. Alec Peters (Larry Dann), PC Cathy Bradford (Connie Hyde), PC Cass Rickman (Suzanne Maddock), Sgt. Bob Cryer (Eric Richard) and DC Mike Dashwood (Jon Iles). Comedian, TV presenter and radio host Paul O’Grady, who played Roxanne (an informant of DS Ted Roach (Tony Scanneli) in three episodes in The Bill also joins the cast as a special guest.

It is £15 to join cast members as they reminisce about their time on set and re-enact some iconic moments, a Q&A plus a unique script reading session and an interview with Paul O’Grady. The event will be divided into five sections (focusing on the 80s, 90s and 00s), and will be hosted by the Bill super fan and BBC Radio 1 Producer Matt Fincham.

For £25 there is the opportunity to take part in a quiz by The Bill expert Oliver Crocker. Super fans will also have the chance to buy a unique restricted number of virtual Meet and Greet tickets, to take part in several group calls with their favourite The Bill legends after the event, for £100.

Tickets available here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-bill-legends-under-house-arrest-in-aid-of-centrepoint-tickets-145225191457

Centrepoint Ambassador Lisa Maxwell expressed her excitement for the event,

“This is a very rare opportunity to see so many well-loved faces from the show appear all together. I am seizing on the fact that we are all under house arrest and putting it to good use for the charity.”

Gary Lucy as PC Will Fletcher

Presenter, actor, and comedian Paul O’Grady MBE, is also looking forward to getting behind the cause,

“I’m more than happy to support Centrepoint’s Independent Living Project and I’m looking forward to talking about my time on the show, even if I did play a copper’s nark who was on the game.”

The money raised will go towards Centrepoint’s Individual Living Programme. Centrepoint’s Independent Living Programme will provide 300 young people a job and a home or apprenticeship, leading to a career and independence. The programme provides a solution to the shortage of quality affordable accommodation, frees up beds in Centrepoint’s hostels, and gives young people a future to look forward to.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, youth homelessness was already at crisis point. Centrepoint estimates that over 121,000 young people were facing homelessness last year, an increase of more than 10,000 on the previous year. Many young people have lost their jobs during this unprecedented period, and are struggling to pay their rent, increasing the amount of young people at risk of homelessness. During the first lockdown, calls to Centrepoint’s Helpline jumped by over 50%, compared to the months leading up to it.