SUN
Hill drug thug Ron Gregory is to be exposed as a paedophile in TV’s The Bill.
Evil Ron — actor Jesse Birdsall — will be part of a ring smashed after a girl of eight goes missing. This is revealed to be Eva Sharpe's daughter - Ed
The storyline, to be screened next month comes amid the real-life Operation Ore crackdown on internet child porn.
But last night it was disclosed that actor Jesse, 39, originally objected to the new twist and nearly refused to film it.
A source said: “There was a row. He joined the show to play a gangster.
“Letters passed between his agent and Bill chiefs. But after some persuasion he agreed to it.”
Producer Paul Marquess said: “It’s our hardest-hitting story ever. Jesse’s brave to play this part.”
Yet more cast departures
The Sun can also reveal that three characters are leaving the ITV1 show — DC Mickey Webb (Chris Simmons), DC Danny Glaze (Karl Collins) and PC Des Taviner (Paul Usher).
And veteran comic Eric Sykes is to make a guest appearance as a crime victim in a one-off special.
In other news...
Eric Richard (Sergeant Bob Cryer) is apparently due to return to the show in a guest capacity for two episodes- firstly attending the funeral of an 'old friend' and then again to help niece Robbie solve a case (Do FDO's really help solve cases? I thought their job was to operate the front desk?! - Ed) & Sergeant Craig Gilmore apparently leaves in # 088 after he is beaten up whilst protecting a witness. He apparently requests a transfer to another station.
Well, we'll wait for official confirmation that these actors are leaving the show. One wonders whether they're going of their own accord, or are being axed. At any rate, characters from Sun Hill seem to be dropping like flies at the moment. Let's hope they're not going to be 'killed off', making a return possible. - Ed