The Bill's theme tune to be axed

The Bill's Tony Stamp is one of the show's most enduring characters

The title music to ITV1 police drama The Bill is being dropped as the show moves to a post-watershed slot.

But the new music will retain "subtle echoes" of the distinctive theme tune as part of an overhaul of the series.

The drama will move to a weekly slot at 2100 BST in the coming months and will "delve deeper" into its characters with more hard-hitting storylines.

The Bill, which became a regular series in 1984, will also feature incidental music for the first time.

Bafta winner

The theme tune, Overkill, has been revised over the years, but is best remembered for being accompanied by a sequence during the closing credits featuring two police officers walking on the beat.

The programme, which won best continuing drama at this year's Bafta Awards, currently has two weekly episodes broadcast at 2000 BST.

Executive producer Jonathan Young said the revamp - including the new title music - would give viewers a "more immersive experience".

But he added: "We haven't sought to totally reinvent The Bill. The heart of the show will remain the same, but will look very fresh."

The programme's makers have yet to reveal the sound of its new title music, while the repositioned show will be advertised on ITV and billboards ahead of its launch.

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