BILL BEAUTY AND HUNK AXED IN CULL    (17/9/01)

This is a copy of an article that appeared in today's Mirror...

FEISTY cop Kate Spears has been axed from The Bill as part of a brutal cull of SIX well-known characters.
The surprise sacking has stunned pretty Tania Emery,26, who proved a huge hit as the DC since joining the soap last year.

Hunk Matt Crompton was the longest serving star to get the bullet, after almost four years playing PC Sam Harker.

Ben Peyton (Hayward), Jane Wall (Worrell), Gary Grant (Riley) and Raji James (Singh) also get the boot.

New Executive Producer Paul Marquess ordered the clear-out last week to make way for fresh faces in the ITV police drama. It brings the total characters chopped in the last year to 15. The Bill has also switched to an hour-long format, twice weekly format to boost viewing figures, which peaked recently at nine million, taking the show to No 3 in the ratings.

But Marquess felt the 18-year-old series needed livening up still more.
An insider said: "He is desperate to bring in fresh blood and to do that he had to shift a few others. Paul felt some of the actors hadn't made the impact expected."