The Bill The Bill The Bill is a British police procedural television series, first broadcast on ITV from 16 October 1984 until 31 August 2010. The programme originated from a one-off drama, "Woodentop", broadcast in August 1983. In its final year on air, "The Bill" was broadcast once a week, usually on Tuesdays or Thursdays, in a one-hour format. The programme focused on the lives and work of one shift of police officers, rather than on any particular aspect of police work. "The Bill" was the longest-running police procedural television series in the United Kingdom, and among the longest running of any
British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series programmes screened in 1991. Prior to this, drama series had been included in a joint "Best Drama Series or Serial" category with serials. From 1992 onwards, they were split in two, with a separate Best Drama Serial category also established. "Inspector Morse", "Cracker", "The Cops", "The Street" and "Happy Valley" have all won the category twice, all of them in successive years. The following television series have won the British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series multiple times: 2 awards The following television series have been nominated for the British Academy Television Award for Best Drama Series multiple times: