ITV has today announced that for the first time on British television it will be running a drama all year round in the 9pm slot as The Bill is repositioned as a weekly show at the heart of the ITV1 schedule.  

Later this year the multi-award winning programme will be re-launched in a post watershed slot allowing for a grittier, action filled series in a more traditional home for terrestrial drama. As the format changes from its current twice weekly run viewers will have an appointment to view each week in a dedicated slot.

The police drama celebrated its 25th anniversary last year, continuing to deliver intelligent, compelling and topical drama to peak audiences of over 6 million.  The move to 9pm will enable the series to build on its strengths.  Unique in always telling the narrative from the police point of view, The Bill will maintain its reputation for telling stories with integrity about its blue collar heroes and the challenges they face, digging deeper than ever before into the reality of policing the streets of modern Britain.

Peter Fincham, ITV’s Director of Television said "I’m delighted to announce The Bill’s transition to weekly 9pm drama on ITV1. It’s a fantastic opportunity to take the series to another level, marking a new era for one of the most established brands on British television."

Lorraine Heggessey, CEO, added: “This is a huge vote of confidence from ITV in the show and is a genuine first on UK television. We are incredibly proud of the show and we look forward to embracing the new opportunities this will bring.”