British television drama (and by some definitions a soap opera) that started on ITV in 1984, was axed in 2010 and is set in and around the fictional London police station of Sun Hill.

Thirteen Knightmare actors and one dungeoneer are among those known to have appeared in both Knightmare and The Bill:

Iona Kennedy (Sidriss, Greystagg, Maldame) as Sarah Waskett in 1994 (Series 10 Episode 6, Dealer Wins - pictured) & Mrs. Lee on 01/09/1999 (Series 15 Episode 55, Lola).

Alec Westwood (Folly, Gibbet) as an unnamed Barman in 1995 (Series 11).

Bill Cashmore (Honesty Bartram, Snapper-Jack, Bhal-Shebah) in various episodes between 1989 and 1994.

Cliff Barry (Lissard, Raptor, Brother Strange) in a 1996, 2002 and 2010.

John Woodnutt (Merlin, Mogdred) as Mr. Cork in Night and Day (1991) and a bank manager in Burning the Books (1985).

Lawrence Werber (Cedric, Casper) as Mr. Bryant in 1990 (Series 6 Episode 6, A Day Lost).

Adrian Neil (Ridolfo, Captain Nemanor) as a doctor in 1992 (Series 8 Episode 52, Up All Night).

Tom Karol (Olaf, Bumptious, Mrs. Grimwold) in two episodes whose names evoke Knightmare: In Chambers (1991, Series 7 Episode 14) & Spook Stuff (01/11/1988, Series 4 Episode 31).

David Verrey (Golgarach, McGrew) as Sam Bowman in Woman in Brown (1989) and Mark Bright End Of The Affair (2007).

Erin Geraghty (Mistress Goody) as Annie in Double Enmity (1993).

Richard Howse, the dungeoneer of Team 1 of Series 8 of KM, has claimed that he appeared in The Bill - in a pizza restaurant scene in May 1999 (Series 15 Episode 48), episode titled Screwdriver. This is unconfirmed.

Natasha Pope (Velda, Brangwen, Morghanna) as Kate Jordan on 30/12/2003 (Series 19), Episode 179.

Jackie Sawiris (Majida) as Maria Jolliffe in The Party's Over and Deep End (1998).

Mark Knight (Lord Fear, Sir Hugh, Ah Wok, Rothberry) in 1992 (Series 8 Episode 8, Joyride) and 1994 (Series 10 Episode 4), He Who Waits.

Here is a list by series, compiled by Lexicon author Canadanne:

Series 1 Episode 10 (Burning The Books) - John Woodnutt
Series 4 Episode 31 (Spook Stuff) - Tom Karol
Series 5 Episode 87 (Just A Little Run Around) - Bill Cashmore
Series 5 Episode 99 (Woman In Brown) - David Verrey
Series 6 Episode 6 (A Day Lost) - Lawrence Werber
Series 6 Episode 73 (Body Language) - Bill Cashmore
Series 7 Episode 12 (Night And Day) - John Woodnutt
Series 7 Episode 14 (In Chambers) - Tom Karol
Series 8 Episode 8 (Joyride) - Mark Knight
Series 8 Episode 52 (Up All Night) - Adrian Neil
Series 9 Episode 39 (Double Enmity) - Erin Geraghty
Series 10 Episode 4 (He Who Waits) - Mark Knight
Series 10 Episode 6 (Dealer Wins) - Iona Kennedy
Series 10 Episode 79 (Masquerade) - Bill Cashmore
Series 12 Episode 156 (The Right Thing) - Cliff Barry
Series 14 Episode 89 (Deep End) - Jackie Sawiris
Series 14 Episode 90 (The Party's Over) - Jackie Sawiris
Series 15 Episode 48 (Screwdriver) - dungeoneer Richard Howse (unconfirmed)
Series 15 Episode 55 (Lola) - Iona Kennedy
Series 18 Episode 13 (Loose Cannon) - Cliff Barry
Series 19 Episode 104 (The Law) - Natasha Pope
Series 23 Episode 25 (End Of The Affair) - David Verrey
Series 26 Episode 3 (Duty Calls) - Cliff Barry

In March 2001, the website now known as Knightmare.com published the observation by Daniel Lawrence that 'an episode of ITV's The Bill a few years ago showed a boy sitting at home watching the TV... and guess what was on? Yes, a scene from Knightmare Series 6 featuring the Dreadnought.' (See: Where The Heart Is)

Knightmare.com forum member KM Fan was also known online as a keen fan of The Bill. Knightmare.com staff member KaM (See: Hordriss), reacting to the cancellation of The Bill, wrote that 'It's Knightmare all over again. Knightmare finished with viewing figures approaching 5 million ... While creator Tim Child found that the improvements he wanted to make would be harder and harder to achieve, it was commissioners, ultimately, mixed with a little career politics, that pulled the plug.'

In Issue 56 of The Eye Shield fanzine, Jake Collins voiced his appreciation of the series, remarking that 'if you take something like The Bill, which has always (or almost always) run as a continuous serialised drama and, perhaps more importantly, has always concentrated on the characters as police officers rather than people with personal lives, you’ll find that it's very nearly as good today as it was twenty-five years ago!'

Dave Morris, author of the Knightmare books, wrote the second of The Bill novels Tough Love, as well as one of the later novels Junior.

Thank you to Canadanne for extra information.

[Earlier version: 2008-05-20 16:24:49]

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