Where are the stars of The Bill now?

The Bill's cast first set out on the beat 40 years ago, changing the face of TV police dramas.

Many of its cast served 20 years or more on the ITV series, with some instantly recognisable faces forever associated with Sun Hill police station.

Final credits rolled on The Bill in 2010, but episodes are still available to watch by devoted fans around the world, including streaming all series on free platform U.

But what did the show's stars go on to do in their lives after The Bill?

Read more:

• 10 stars who got their big break on The Bill

• How The Bill transformed UK TV

Trudie Goodwin - Sergeant June Ackland

June Ackland was the quintessential good cop, played by Trudie Goodwin from the pilot show Woodentop right through to 2005, when she chose to move on from the show.

Goodwin's main role since then has been as Emmerdale's Georgia Sharma, and she has also featured in TV series including Clink, Compulsion and Doctors.

Her daughter Elly Jackson is the lead singer of La Roux.

Mark Wingett - DC Jim Carver

Jim Carver, like June Ackland, was one of the pilot episode characters and the pair eventually married, but split under the pressure of Jim's addictions.

After leaving The Bill in 2005, Mark Wingett starred in EastEnders as Mike Swann and alongside Pauline Quirke in another detective drama, Missing, as well as legal series Ransom's Law.

He has popped up in a huge number of shows and films, including Call the Midwife, Heartbeat, and Snow White and the Huntsman.

Billy Murray - DS Don Beech

Bad cop Don Beech had a nice side hustle in corruption, but murdered a colleague who looked likely to shop him and entered into an outlandish plot that included escaping to Australia, faking his own death,. being locked up in the UK and then breaking out of prison.

After leaving the drama-filled role in 2004, actor Billy Murray landed a role in EastEnders as Johnny Allen, an Albert Square villain. He also starred in the British gangster film series Rise of the Footsoldier.

Jeff Stewart - PC Reg Hollis

As PC Reg Hollis, Jeff Stewart was one of the longest-serving members of the Sun Hill team, staying in the show from 1984 to 2008. Stewart's character was written out after Reg struggled to cope with a devastating explosion that had affected many of the Sun Hill officers.

The actor made an attempt on his life after learning of Reg's exit, later saying: "I love being an actor. My work as an actor is very important to me – it’s my life – and the thought of this suddenly changing had an extremely serious effect on me."

In the years since leaving The Bill, Stewart has made a number of TV and film cameos including many roles in short films.

Simon Rouse - DCI Jack Meadows

Jack Meadows headed up Sun Hill investigation teams for 20 years and was with the show for its 2010 finale - at the time, the longest-serving cast member left.

Following the series' end, Simon Rouse held brief roles in Coronation Street, Broadchurch and Casualty, and you might also have spotted him in The Witcher: Blood Origin and Doctors.

Alex Walkinshaw - Sergeant Dale Smith

Smithy arrived as a keen new officer, but matured over 11 years and went through some harrowing experiences - including PC Kerry Young dying in his arms.

Alex Walkinshaw had the honour of delivering the last line in the finale, and went on to find stable roles in other popular TV dramas, including as PE teacher Jez Diamond in Waterloo Road and nurse Adrian Fletcher in Casualty and Holby City.

Eric Richard - Sergeant Bob Cryer

Anyone who's watched The Bill will know that Bob Cryer was one of the most familiar faces at the station, with actor Eric Richard having spent 20 years in the show from its debut until his character was injured by an accidental shooting and had to retire.

Richard didn't find another role anywhere near as long-running in his career following the series, but has made cameos in Holby City, Casualty, EastEnders and Vera. Perhaps most unexpected was his blink-and-you'll-miss-it part in Hollywood war epic Dunkirk, where he is credited as "Man at Railway Window".

Roberta Taylor - Inspector Gina Gold

Few of the top brass at Sun Hill were quite so intimidating as Gina Gold, a chain-smoking, non-nonsense inspector whose tough exterior hid a traumatic private life.

Actor Roberta Taylor died in July 2024 at the age of 76, just months before the show's 40th anniversary. She was also known for a role in the 1990 adaptation of The Witches and for playing Irene in EastEnders, while her post-Bill career had included Luther and Shakespeare and Hathaway.

Chris Ellison - DCI Frank Burnside

Burnside was such a classic character on The Bill that the tough cop even got a spin-off show named after him in 2000.

Chris Ellison, who played him, went on to appear in the 2013 adaptation of Great Expectations as Magwitch, and in episodes of EastEnders, Casualty and Judge John Deed.

In 2022, inspired by Bruce Willis opening up on his health, Ellison revealed that he had also been suffering from aphasia after a stroke in 2020 and his wife said that his old co-star Mark Wingett had been an invaluable support in his rehabilitation.

Graham Cole - PC Tony Stamp

Committed copper Tony Stamp found his calling in the police, as evidenced by actor Graham Cole notching up 1,204 appearances in The Bill - more than any other character.

Cole has appeared in episodes of Law and Order: UK, Doctors and Holby City in recent years, and runs regular Bill reunion events for fans.

All episodes of The Bill are streaming on U.