ITV police drama 'The Bill' is to be relaunched in a post-watershed slot to allow grittier storylines.
For the first time on British television, ITV will run a drama all year round in the 9pm slot. No date has yet been set for the changes to the show's current twice weekly run.
The police drama celebrated its 25th anniversary last year and continues to deliver peak audiences of more than six million.
In announcing the move ITV said it will enable the series to build upon its strengths.
Peter Fincham, ITV's director of television said: "I'm delighted to announce The Bill's transition to a weekly 9pm drama on ITV1.
"It's a fantastic opportunity to take the series to another level, marking a new era for one of the most established brands on British television."
