The Bill Podcast

The Bill Podcast's Oliver Crocker appeared on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire on 10 June 2026 to discuss the autobiography of former Flying Squad detective and legendary The Bill police advisor and scriptwriter Barry Appleton. Oliver was delighted to chat to producer and presenter Sue Dougan live in the studio.

Twentieth Century Cop is out now from Pen and Sword Books
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Twentieth-Century-Cop-Hardback/p/57380

Also available on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Twentieth-Century-Cop-Flying-Detective/dp/1036199517/

Barry Appleton investigated some of the most notable crimes of the twentieth century, from multi-million pound robberies to cold-blooded killings that shook the world. Walking the beat of the crime-ridden East End under the rule of the Krays, Barry went toe-to-toe with the underworld, earning multiple commendations for his courage. Following a series of high-profile murder cases, he was assigned to the Flying Squad and went undercover to investigate the assassination of Martin Luther King. Life in the ‘Sweeney’ was dangerous and the detective’s dedication to the job saw him injured in the line of duty, pushing him and his family to the limit. After 20 years’ exemplary service with the Met, Barry’s crimefighting adventures continued when he achieved overnight success as the lead scriptwriter of The Bill, adding gritty realism to 50 episodes of the groundbreaking drama. Now Barry has taken on one final case to unravel his own incredible life story. How did a boy from the Welsh valleys end up in a shootout on the streets of London? What made a hard-nosed cop swap his snub-nosed Smith & Wesson for a second-hand typewriter? And who was the angel always by his side? Featuring dramatic flashback sequences and never-before-told behind-the-scenes stories from Britain’s longest-running police procedural drama, Twentieth Century Cop is an extraordinary true crime memoir that vividly captures life as an old school copper, on the streets and on the screen.

Mark Spalding returns for an extended finale, where Rob Cook asks the big question we've all been wondering about the fate of Chief Inspector Stritch.

As well as more "The Bill" discussion throughout this interview, Mark shares gold-dust from his time working on the James Bond movie "Tomorrow Never Dies" and Tim Burton's "Sleepy Hollow", plus his recent work in corporate video and theatre.

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Its 1998 and as football fever grips the nation, DI Deakin and an unlikely trio of uniform cops head out to Brockwell Park for this self-contained story which falls under the microscope of Ben and Becca as they hunt down lidos, mobile phones and receding hairlines...

After you've sampled this extended clip, why not unlock the full Obbocast along with over 300 hours of exclusive content by supporting our Patreon channel

For just £2.99 you'll instantly unlock Season 1 of The Bill Obbocast, along with hundreds of reaction videos, sample editions of the weekly Evidence Room series featuring rare behind-the-scenes paperwork, cast reunion highlights, Billgrimage location videos and you'll be able to share comments with fellow fans.

The higher your rank, the more content you'll unlock - and there's 7 years worth to investigate

Find out more at patreon.com/thebillpodcast

The Bill Podcast is brought to you in proud association with georgefairbrother.com shop.saturdaymorningpress.co.uk vanguardcomics.co.uk gibconsultancy.co.uk mcr-seo.com and donspillane.com

Chief Inspector Paul Stritch IS BACK!

The mighty Mark Spalding finally makes his much-requested debut on the podcast, as Rob Cook brings us the first of a two-part feature length interview with this extremely charming man.

Mark discusses his early days in theatre and television, including memorable roles in "Prime Suspect" and "Seaforth" - along with a chance encounter with an acting legend.

Rob then takes Mark through a deep dive of his time at Sun Hill, including his two guest appearances. This interview is PACKED with gold-dust!

You can support The Bill Podcast and unlock over 300 hours of exclusive content by joining our Patreon channel

For just £2.99 you'll instantly unlock Season 1 of The Bill Obbocast, along with hundreds of reaction videos, sample editions of the weekly Evidence Room series featuring rare behind-the-scenes paperwork, cast reunion highlights, Billgrimage location videos and you'll be able to share comments with fellow fans.

The Bill Podcast is brought to you in proud association with georgefairbrother.com shop.saturdaymorningpress,co.uk vanguardcomics.co.uk gibconsultancy.co.uk mcr-seo.com and donspillane.com

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Move over Operation Bumblebee, we have our own ongoing case to crack!

Join your new hosts Ben Adams (who came up with this terrific new format) and Rebecca Deeprose for this remarkable deep dive into a selection of episodes that largely took place away from Sun Hill.

Enjoy this clip from the first extended edition, where the dynamic duo investigate 1989's User Friendly, where Ackland and Melvin are on the road, and 1991's hour-long special Breakout, which features the return of Yorkie Smith!

Patrick will return to The Bill Obbocast once he has finished his writing commitments, along with Ben and Becca, who are here to stay. Please join me in wishing them a warm welcome to the presenting team - they've gone the extra mile on this (literally!) We'll also have some special guests joining them later in the year as they make their way back to Sun Hill.

You can unlock the full Obbocast along with over 300 hours of exclusive content by supporting our Patreon channel

For just £2.99 you'll instantly unlock Season 1 of The Bill Obbocast, along with hundreds of reaction videos, sample editions of the weekly Evidence Room series featuring rare behind-the-scenes paperwork, cast reunion highlights, Billgrimage location videos and you'll be able to share comments with fellow fans.

The higher your rank, the more content you'll unlock - and there's 7 years worth to investigate

Find out more at patreon.com/thebillpodcast

The Bill Podcast is brought to you in proud association with georgefairbrother.com shop.saturdaymorningpress.co.uk vanguardcomics.co.uk gibconsultancy.co.uk mcr-seo.com and donspillane.com