This Morning fans call for The Bill's return as ITV stars reminisce on show's anniversary

Oct 16, 2024 14:15

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This Morning's audience was captivated by a nostalgic segment on Wednesday as hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley chatted with three iconic actors from The Bill.

Celebrating the milestone 40th anniversary of the classic police series, the ITV duo were joined by Mark Wingett, Graham Cole, and Andrew Lancel, better known to fans as DC Jim Carver, PC Tony Stamp, and DI Neil Manson respectively.

Mark Wingett reminisced about his extensive experience on The Bill, having starred in over 700 episodes, describing his tenure as "amazing". A throwback photo flashed on the screen showing him in the pilot episode, leaving viewers astonished at how different he looked back then.

Reflecting on his character's journey, Wingett shared a light-hearted lament: "He never really rose about DC! I think right at the very end he became a sergeant."

Andrew Lancel conveyed his initial trepidation about working with Wingett, who was considered "the guru" among the cast. He recounted: "I was like, 'Ok this is who I'm acting with Mark Wingett'. I was his boss and I had to tell him off. It was quite a daunting thing to go into it!"

The Bill cast reunited on This Morning 40 years after the crime show's debut (Image: ITV)

As the interview unfolded, fans flocked to Twitter to express their fondness for The Bill and their desire for its return, reports the Mirror.

One viewer said: "Absolutely loved The Bill. Should never have ended it! #BringBackTheBill #ThisMorning."

Another tweet read: "Got to love The Bill. #ThisMorning."

One viewer commented:"We loved the Bill. They ruined it by taking the focus away from the bobby on the beat and making it about the CID. They sacked Reg Hollis. Big mistake. Hope it's coming back."

The Bill ended back in 2010 after running for 27 years (Image: ITV/SCREENSHOT)

"The Bill was a good watch #ThisMorning," chimed in another fan. While someone else urged: "#BringBackTheBill @ITV @ITVX it's time to bring it back and same with #FootballersWives bring that back too."

Amid talks of a potential comeback, Ben noted the cast's unique bond, remarking: "There is something incredibly special about you lot when you all get together because you shared this experience. We loved it from the outside but you shared it on the inside of course."

Curiosity about The Bill's global reach prompted Cat to ask if new episodes might be brewing, to which Andrew humorously responded, not with his former co-stars, as Mark cited age concerns and Graham suggested he'd only return as an elder character.

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Mark appeared in over 700 episodes of The Bill (Image: ITV) window.topArticlesScript="https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/js/dist/article-top-articles20241015.min.js"

Addressing the perennial question of revival, Andrew conceded:"In many ways, it's never gone away. It's still there, I don't know how they would reboot it, I'm sure they'd find a way."

Yet despite the fond memories and popularity, Graham adopted a more preservationist stance, telling ITV hosts: "I think sometimes just keep it, keep it as it was."

This Morning continues weekdays on ITV from 10am.

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This Morning fans call for The Bill's return as ITV stars reminisce on show's anniversary