There has been speculation this week that a reboot of classic police show The Bill is in the works at UKTV – with tabloid reports claiming that a new version of the series could air as early as 2023.
But RadioTimes.com understands that these claims are currently wide of the mark, and talk of an imminent comeback is still premature.
A revival of the series was previously said to be in development in April 2021 with former stars Graham Cole, Trudie Goodwin, and Mark Wingett all tipped for a return, but no further news has emerged since – and it appears nothing has been greenlit as yet.
At the time, it was said that Simon Sansome would be writing the new series and that it would be titled Sun Hill, after the police station from the original run.
Writing at the time on Twitter, Sansome said: “Hi all, I want to thank everyone for their enthusiasm to the The Bill spin off Sun Hill.
“I’ve had over 12,000 messages directly and indirectly about people offering their expertise, classic car and auditions. We’re a long way from these stages but will post updates when possible.”
Of course, it’s still very possible that the series could return, but as yet there is nothing concrete to report.
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The long-running series originally aired for 27 years between 1983 and 2010, with ITV citing “changing tastes” of viewers as the reason for its cancellation a decade ago.
Throughout its run, the show picked up an array of awards including two BAFTAs, two NTAs and seven Inside Soap Awards.
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