FOR TV fans who are left craving ITV’s famous police drama The Bill – they might have to look no further than a trip to Walford for their fix of familiar faces at Sun Hill.
EastEnders has signed up a former star of the hit drama – adding to its ever-growing list of former Bill stars taking up residence on Albert Square.
Alex Walkinshaw (right) has joined the cast of EastEnders as Vicki Fowler’s partner[/caption]
He is best known for The Bill[/caption]
It now means that a total of eight stars who appeared in The Bill are now currently at the top of their game in EastEnders.
At the weekend, it was revealed that Vicki Fowler would be returning to Albert Square after 21 years to attend the funeral of her uncle, Martin.
However, some EastEnders fans were more excited to learn that a popular The Bill star will be joining as Vicki’s new partner, Ross.
Ross will be played by Alex Walkinshaw, who is best known to TV viewers as Dale ‘Smithy’ Smith in The Bill.
The Bill first began airing in 1984 before drawing to a close for good in 2010.
Alex joined the show in a regular role in 1998 having previously made three guest appearances earlier in the 90s.
But just who else in Walford made a name for themselves in The Bill?
Seven current stars of the soap have enjoyed roles in The Bill with five of them playing series regulars.
Heather Pearce and Jessie Wallace both enjoyed guest stints in the programme but which show stars found fame both in Walford and down Sun Hill Police Station?
But do you remember the other five? Have a think and then scroll down to see if you got them all correct.
Diane Parish
Diane is an EastEnders legend[/caption]
Diane might be best known for playing one of EastEnders’ most famous characters in Denise Fox but she was a major TV star away from the soap in the 15 years before she joined the cast in 2006.
And one of those roles just so happened to be in The Bill.
Between 2002 and 2004, she found fame for her role as Eva Sharpe in three series of the programme.
After proving to be one of the show’s most-loved characters ever, she was chosen to appear in the show’s spin-off programme.
She continued in the role of Eva for MIT: Murder Investigation Team in 2005, a year after leaving the main show and a year before being cast as Denise.
Scott Maslen
Before playing Jack, he played Phil[/caption]
But it is Jack that fans are obsessed with[/caption]
Hunky model-turned-actor Scott had his first break at fame in The Bill too.
And whilst he is now best known as Jack Branning, fans of the drama will remember him as Phil Hunter.
Scott played Phil for 240 episodes of the show between 2002 and 2007.
He even acted alongside Diane before they became a couple in Walford as Jack and Denise.
Louisa Lytton
Louisa has done three stints as Ruby Allen[/caption]
But she was a star signing for The Bill back in 2007[/caption]
Whilst Louisa initially rose to fame as Ruby Allen in EastEnders, she actually appeared in The Bill both before AND after her first stint in Walford for two separate roles.
Louisa’s first ever TV acting role was a one-off appearance in The Bill as Natalie Shepherd in 1997.
The budding actress would have been just eight years old and would not be until 2002 that she rose to stardom as Ruby on the BBC soap.
Eventually, she left the programme after three years in 2005 but soon signed back up to The Bill for a series lead role.
She played Beth Green for three years on the programme and was one of the show’s star signings for its final years on air.
Louisa went on to appear in EastEnders again for a further three years from 2018 and then made a further comeback towards the end of last year.
Micah Balfour
Before becoming Junior Knight. Micah had two stints in The Bill[/caption]
These days he is hopping into bed with Cindy Beale[/caption]
Micah appeared in The Bill between 2005 and 2010 but actually played TWO characters during his five-year stint.
His first two years on the show saw him appear in a recurring capacity as Asher Campbell before in 2007 he was signed up as a series regular but playing someone else.
He held the role of PC Benjamin Gayle until the show’s ending – appearing right up until its cancellation in 2010.
Micah then went up North for a stint in the Dales as Jermaine Bailey but later found himself back in London for EastEnders as Junior Knight – Cindy Beale’s step-son lover.
Gillian Taylforth
During Gillian’s 15-year absence from EastEnders as Kathy between 2000 and 2015, she bagged herself some of TV drama’s top roles.
Footballer’s Wives to Casualty to Hollyoaks, Gillian took part in them all.
But it was her time in The Bill that fans loved the most.
She played Sgt. Nikki Wright between 2006 and 2008.
