'SUN HILL GOES UP IN SMOKE' - Article from The Sun (18/12/01)

By THOMAS WHITAKER
Showbiz Reporter

THESE are the sensational scenes as Britain’s best known nick — The Bill’s Sun Hill — is FIREBOMBED.

Five characters are killed when racist thugs hurl petrol bombs at the TV show police station.

The inferno — to be screened in March — is the climax of a storyline involving riots between white and Asian youths.

New producer Paul Marquess, dubbed The Axeman, is killing off EIGHT cast members. Three will go in other storylines related to race riots.

The dramatic blaze scene was filmed on Sunday night at an industrial estate in South London. A witness said: “Youths wearing balaclavas threw petrol bombs and the station was engulfed by massive flames.”

A spokesman for the ITV series added: “Racial tension grows and Sun Hill officers lose control.”

The axed eight are Ben Roberts (Chief Insp Conway), Matthew Crompton (PC Harker), Tania Emery (DC Spears), Ben Peyton (PC Hayward), Jane Wall (WPC Worrell), Gary Grant (DC Riley), Raji James (DS Singh) and Colin Tarrant (Insp Monroe).

New stars are being hired, including former EastEnders actress Roberta Taylor. It follows a fall in viewing figures.