'The Bill' moves to Thursdays at 9pm

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'The Bill' moves to Thursdays at 9pm
ITV's flagship police drama The Bill is to make its move to 9pm on Thursday, July 23, it has been confirmed.

The long-running show, which first broadcast in 1983, will begin airing in a post-watershed timeslot for the first time since its inception.

As part of the revamp, producers have opted to axe the iconic theme for a new sound, while the title sequence will now feature a lone police car on a journey through the streets of London.

The new-look episodes will also contain a specially composed musical score throughout.

Speaking of the reimaging of the show, executive producer Johnathan Young said: "We haven't sought to totally reinvent The Bill, but we have wanted to create a more immersive experience for our viewers. We're digging deeper into characters to tell stronger and more challenging stories which really examine the true causes and effects of crime."

He continued: "The later timeslot allows us to produce darker, grittier and more hard-hitting drama, through the eyes of our existing characters. The heart of the show will remain the same, but it will look very fresh."

At the beginning of the month, the programme also began airing in high definition.

Earlier this week, Scottish TV network STV announced its decision to axe The Bill from its schedules ahead of the first 9pm instalment.

> How to watch 'The Bill' in Scotland
> ITV unveils new Thursday drama schedule
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