The BEST episodes of The Bill season 5

Every episode of The Bill season 5, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Bill season 5!

The Bill follows the officers of Sun Hill, a Metropolitan Police station located in the fictional Borough of Canley in London's East End. Created in 1983 by Geoff McQueen as a one-off drama called "Woodentop", The Bill was spun off as a full series, and ran for over 26 years and 2,425 episodes. Covering both uniformed officers and CID detectives, the series is renowned for its accurate and authentic portrayal of policing in London.

Last Updated: 8/23/2024Network: ITV1Status: Ended
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9.67
3 votes

#1 - Don't Like Mondays

Season 5 - Episode 59 - Aired 7/25/1989

PC Edwards and PC Smith are called to a disturbance at a local bank, where they are surprised to find Tosh Lines' wife and children causing a commotion as there is no money left in their account. Edwards makes a discrete call to Sgt. Peters, who suggests to Tosh that he head down to the bank and sort things out. As PC Ramsey and WPC Ackland also arrive, the bank is raided by an armed gang. Tosh Lines arrives and charges towards the bank, but as PC Ramsey runs to stop him, he is shot in the chest by one of the robbers. Ch. Insp. Conway negotiates with the gang as armed PT17 officers surround the building. Sgt. Cryer offers to drive the getaway car, but disconnects the ignition when he leaves it at the bank entrance. PC Smith and the other hostages are released, but PC Edwards is taken hostage. He manages to makes a run for it and the PT17 officers open fire on the car.

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star
9.00
1 votes

#2 - Repercussions (2)

Season 5 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/21/1989

Because of a screwup, Burnside has put back community relations 30 years. Conway yells at Burnside before burnside goes to see Brownlow. Conway then goes to see Cryer who tells him what he thought the situation was. Yorkie is accused of making racist remarks while arresting one of the girls but Ramsey is the real culprit. The headmaster of the school comes to talk to Brownlow.

Directors: Brian Farnham
Writer: Tony Grounds
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star
9.00
1 votes

#3 - Conscience

Season 5 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/7/1989

Dashwood is moaning because Greig is playing his clarinet in the office. Roach is having a drink with a married woman and after she leaves, he recognises a man whose car has broken down as the ex-commander of the murder squad who roach is convinced convicted the wrong man. Meanwhile back at the station Dashwood discovers that Roach is due in court in the morning and approx 40 witnesses need to be warned.

Directors: Jeremy Summers
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star
9.00
1 votes

#4 - The One That Got Away

Season 5 - Episode 83 - Aired 10/17/1989

Brownlow is driving when he notices a driving erratically. He gives chase and catches the driver but can't reveal his location. The driver who was driving a stolen car, then nicks Brownlow's. He is the driver for an armed robbery and Roach lets him get away. Viv and June are walking the beat and are followed by a man who invites June out. They later nick him.

Directors: David Attwood
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star
8.50
2 votes

#5 - Leaving

Season 5 - Episode 65 - Aired 8/15/1989

Yorkie's last day. Ho goes to a suspected break-in at a video shop. Hollis thought he was going to Lombardy house instead. Yorkie has lost the area car but it turns out to be a prank. There is a scam concerning the video shop. Claire dresses very sexily for Yorkie's party.

Directors: Terry Marcel
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star
8.00
1 votes

#6 - Somewhere By Chance

Season 5 - Episode 48 - Aired 6/15/1989

Ramsey and Taffy investigate stolen credit cards in shopping precinct. While there a soldier says he has a bomb. The precinct is cleared and the relief check for the bomb. Taffy catches one of a pair of looters and while looking for the other looter he finds a rocket launcher in the toilet. Roach and Dashwood find a stolen car 2½ years after it was stolen. Claire goes to investigate a breakin but finds it strange that everything has been cleaned and the lady who supposedly reported it not there. Claire discovers the lady never existed and the man she saw has form for indecent assault. She also finds out how close she was to becoming a serial killer's 3rd victim.

Directors: Terry Marcel
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star
8.00
2 votes

#7 - Traffic

Season 5 - Episode 55 - Aired 7/11/1989

An artist is painting in the middle of the road while a lorry is blocking the road. The girl won't talk but doesn't appear deaf. Garfield is stopped because of a hit and run of a little girl. Later Claire notices children jumping on the roof of car that has been abandoned. Little girl dies. Grieg goes to see the owner of the car who is pregnant. Cryer is showing Turnham around the beat. When they go to arrest driver of car, Cryer is pushed down stairs and Turnham keeps hitting a suspect. Cryer is accused of being jealous.

Directors: William Brayne
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star
8.00
2 votes

#8 - Street Games And Board Games

Season 5 - Episode 66 - Aired 8/17/1989

June and Tony walk through a black community. Roach had raided a house selling intoxicating liquor. June and Tony are called to a disturbance at a house iwth white occupants. The father of the baby was nicked by Roach the night before. They are almost in a riot situation. The baby's mother is Roach's snout. Brownlow is at a role play for senior officers. It is about riots on the streets of London.

Directors: Barry Davis
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star
8.00
1 votes

#9 - A Little Knowledge

Season 5 - Episode 68 - Aired 8/24/1989

Lines sits in on a poker game at a mini cab office. Illegal gambling is suspected. They raid the wrong place. Cathy moans to Taffy about putting the cards back. she is set up by Carver and Lines. She later gets her own back. Garfield is decoy for muggings on pizza delivery boys.

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8.00
1 votes

#10 - Seen To Be Done

Season 5 - Episode 70 - Aired 8/31/1989

Penny is kicking the drunks out of the cells. One of the drunks is very relucant to go. He is later found dead by a cleaner. Hollis is getting in the way as Federation rep because he is concerned about the men who were on duty. He is right to be.

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star
8.00
1 votes

#11 - It's Not Majorca

Season 5 - Episode 73 - Aired 9/12/1989

Lay visitors are visiting the station. 30 prisoners are about to be transferred from Barton Street. Sgt. Peters processes a boy who has stolen insects from a pet shop. The lay visitors talk to Harry Thompson. Claire notices a foriegn policeman in Brownlow's car. The man attacked her and in the process of trying to help her, Peters knocks into the female lay visitor breaking her leg. Dashwood and Carver are talked to by Harry Thompson's brother who sprays the undercover van with graffiti with his mates as well as mugging a postman.

Directors: Niall Leonard
Writer: Julian Jones
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star
8.00
1 votes

#12 - Mending Fences

Season 5 - Episode 74 - Aired 9/14/1989

After being raked over the coals by Brownlow for the accident in the custody suite. Sgt. Peters mows Mrs Gunn's lawn before taking her to the vicar's fete. Taffy talks to Thompson Jnr. and the rest of his gang. The gang later vandalises the school. Tony and Reg give chase into a car scrapyard where a car falls onto Thompson Jnr.

Directors: Niall Leonard
Writer: Julian Jones
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star
8.00
1 votes

#13 - That Old Malarkey

Season 5 - Episode 76 - Aired 9/21/1989

Stamp calls on a lady who complains her neighbour is making noises. She has security bars on her door and loses the key. Tony calls the fire brigade to cut the bars and then she starts a fire. She is on medication.

Directors: Barry Davis
Writer: Julian Jones
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star
8.00
1 votes

#14 - A Matter of Trust

Season 5 - Episode 81 - Aired 10/10/1989

Burnside and Carver are doing a joint observation with Robbery Squad on a security van. Info seems to be incorrect as to time of holdup. Conway is on warpath. Burnside's snout is not prepared to him the correct time until her husband is safely out of the way. While trailing the husband, Greig is accosted by a man who recognises him as 'old bill' so he loses him. Viv and Melvin trail him from a pub and sets it up so he hits Viv with a car.

Directors: Derek Lister
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star
8.00
1 votes

#15 - Tourist Trap

Season 5 - Episode 82 - Aired 10/12/1989

Dashwood and Ackland are on a tour in a graveyard. Garfield and Carver are in the hotel waiting to catch a thief. Greig is in the linen cupboard. Stamp is there also and is approached by a prostitute. The tour guide tells the thief who is on the tour so he can raid their rooms. Norika deals with a lady who won't pay for her meal and gets Insp. Frazer wound up when she won't respond. She had a shock and doesn't recognize her husband. Reg and Melvin notice a lady in a phone booth because of her small son. They later call to see her about a t.v. scam to gain entry to her flat. A large sum is stolen. Taffy and Suzanne have a similar case to deal with. Both ladies had big wins at a bookies

Directors: Diana Patrick
star
8.00
1 votes

#16 - Found Offending

Season 5 - Episode 84 - Aired 10/19/1989

Stamp is near an underpass when he spots a girl begging. He brings her in to the station where it turns out that she was abused by her father. Lady outside a cafe is worried about cafe worker being terrorised by workmen from a building site. Taffy is called to deal. Reg goes to see a man who's neighbour is trying to knock down the new fence.

Directors: Eva Kolouchova
Writer: John Kershaw
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8.00
1 votes

#17 - A Fair Appraisal

Season 5 - Episode 88 - Aired 11/2/1989

Taffy is up for APA and is wound up by Tony. Taffy goes to deal with an alarm at a warehouse. Turns out to be an actual break in instead of a fault with the alarm. He refuses to anyone about his problems. Roach and Carver nick a couple for possesion of drugs. The man gives Burnside the name of the man who gave them to him and Conway pulls the men off the job before they can blow aCustoms and Excise operation.

Writer: Garry Lyons
star
8.00
2 votes

#18 - Loving Care

Season 5 - Episode 45 - Aired 6/6/1989

Carver investigates a burglary and finds an unconsious girl at the bottom of the garden with the stolen property. Jim accuses home owner of lying about exactly what was taken. Girl is mentally handicapped and been missing from hostel for 2 months but staying with man with form for fencing. Jim finds where the girl was being held. Dashwood investigates theft from a club. Less money then was reported missing is found on the suspect (barman).Suspect's girlfriend turns up at the front desk but she is also the girlfriend of assistant manager from the club. Assistant manager admits to stealing rest of money.

Writer: Al Hunter
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star
8.00
2 votes

#19 - Fort Apache - Sun Hill

Season 5 - Episode 42 - Aired 5/25/1989

Industrial dispute by prison officers put pressure on the holding cells. Roache is not happy that a murder suspect is mixing with other prisoners. The prisoners in one of the cells are caught smoking grass smuggled in a cup of coffee. A prisoner in another cell alledges rape. Roache's suspect punches him and tries to make his escape after tying Roache up. Melvin lets in a Chief Super from the Yard so he can check the books and the collator's office, upseting Reg in the process. Turns out to be bogus and there to spring Roache's suspect. Ramsey and yorkie are watching two suspects who change their car. Yorkie doesn't think they can handle it on their own but Ramsey thinks he is still in the CID and can. Egg smuggling of Peregine Falcons is what is going on.

Directors: Antonia Bird
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star
8.00
2 votes

#20 - Out To Lunch

Season 5 - Episode 33 - Aired 4/25/1989

Ramsey picks up Burnside, Carver and Lines just as they are leaving a resturant but before they get going, a lady (Mrs Mancini) comes along and says there are people in her car having sex. It is her husband. The other lady wants Carver to get her clothes out of the car. As the CID officers walk away talking about the other woman, they hear a scream and find her on the pavement. As Tosh and Carver go up the stairs, they are pushed back down by a group of Italians who have a punch up. They carry on the fight at the hospital where Mancini ends up being attacked. The officers pull a practical joke on Claire and leave her in a mortuary drawer.

Directors: Brian Parker
Writer: Julian Jones
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star
8.00
1 votes

#21 - Fool's Gold

Season 5 - Episode 29 - Aired 4/11/1989

Carver, Yorkie and Ramsey bring in a suspect with a shooter. Suspect is tied in with Post Office jobs and cuts a deal with Burnside. A D.I. from Serious Crime comes to talk to suspect. Viv brings a boy who has been shoplifting condoms. His mum has been gone 3 days.

Directors: Keith Washington
Writer: David Squire
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star
8.00
1 votes

#22 - No Strings

Season 5 - Episode 28 - Aired 4/6/1989

Roxanne is helping Roach and Viv catch bag snatchers at a disco. They get barracaded in the ladies loo with the suspects. Lines investigates a break-in at a medium's who has lost both her crystal balls. She warns him to be careful on the stairs.

Directors: Brian Farnham
Writer: Kevin Clarke
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star
8.00
1 votes

#23 - Suspicious Minds

Season 5 - Episode 23 - Aired 3/21/1989

Sun Hill C.I.D. and the Vice Squad raid six flats to catch a pornography ring. All the flats are clean except one, and it is suspected that the targets were tipped off. D.C. Dashwood saw D.I. Burnside making a phone call just before the raid, and shares his suspicions with D.S. Roach who wants nothing to do with it. Dashwood informs Ch. Insp. Conway, who calls Burnside in. Burnside insists he was calling his travel agent, and Conway checks up on it. P.C. Smith and W.P.C. Ackland pull over a car for dangerous driving, and the driver is one of the suspects in the raid. He helps Burnside catch the head man, Collins, who puts Sun Hill in the clear for the tip-off, but Burnside warns Roach he'll find out who grassed him up. Smith and Ackland stop a man from filling another man's skip with rubbish. When the dumper fails to collect his rubbish, the skip owner dumps it outside the station.

Directors: Terry Green
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star
8.00
1 votes

#24 - Climate

Season 5 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/14/1989

June has been seeing a married man. Bob is worried about having his tires slashed during the night. Sgt. Peters has his own troubles and doesn't want to listen to Bob's. Roache talks to June about a witness in a case similar to two murders in Essex. The witness came forward with information about an attack on a young girl. His attitude when spoken to by Roache and Lines put their backs up as well as June's. They are only able to get further information out of the witness when they push him. Yorkie gets hit by an old lady.

Directors: Brian Parker
Writer: P.J. Hammond
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star
8.00
1 votes

#25 - Sunday, Sunday

Season 5 - Episode 20 - Aired 3/9/1989

Taffy and Viv are in a Sunday market when they are attacked by a group of white supremists. Viv is then teamed up with Haynes and investigates a broken window. A Black vicar talks to Frazer about racist threats to his parishioners. June is sent to a sudden death due to intestinal cancer. Her sons says he killed her.

Directors: Terry Marcel
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