From Yahoo Entertainment News:

New receptionist Julian Tavell - known as JT - joins The Bill crew later this month and gets mixed reactions from the staff who are clearly missing his predecessor, Marilyn.

"JT works in the station reception office and lives in Brick Lane with a mate called Marie who, like JT, has just come out of a relationship," explains actor Nick Patrick.

"We're a better looking version of Gimme, Gimme, Gimme," he laughs.

It's not the first time the actor has appeared in the hit cops and robbers drama. "I've had parts in The Bill in the past - in 1995 I played a pimp and in 2000 I was a bolshy gay character. But it didn't stop it being any less nerve wracking."

Inspector Gina Gold (Roberta Taylor) has to give his character a severe dressing down in an upcoming episode, which led to a minor problem as Nick explains. "I was blinking a lot because I was so nervous," he recalls. "The director told me not to blink so much which was great because it gave me something else to focus on other than my nerves. It went really well from there."

Nick loved playing a law enforcer but if he had to take the law into his own hands, he admits it would be a tough decision. "I would always try and help people in distress, but I've never been in the situation where a citizen's arrest was required. If push came to shove, yes I would, but I'd need to brush up on my martial arts though."

IN OTHER NEWS...

::: According to the latest newsletter from thebill.com, DC Mickey Webb is coming back for a guest spot in April. Webb last appeared on the show in March 2004, when he was on attachment from MIT.

::: Mark Wingett (aka DC Jim Carver) has hinted that his exit might not be as permanent as some had originally thought. He hinted in a recent interview in Australia that he has left the show 'for a little while'. To listen to the clip, head to the page here - the remark comes about 10 minutes into the interview.