'Bill' pair marry at last
The best-known police couple in soapland have tied the knot at a secret location, it was confirmed today.
Pc Jim Carver has finally wed his on-off lover on The Bill, Sgt June Ackland, after a turbulent relationship spanning 21 years.
Scenes of their long-awaited nuptials were being filmed over the last four days at an undisclosed rural spot but will not be shown on the ITV police drama until later in the summer.
The Sun Hill sweethearts’ wedding was followed by a reception attended by their colleagues who ditched their uniforms and dressed up for the occasion.
Final party scenes in what was described as “an all-singing, all-dancing glitzy bash” were being shot today at a five-star hotel in the West Sussex countryside, programme chiefs confirmed.
Sgt Ackland, played by actress Trudie Goodwin, 49, wore a stunning white bridal gown with a sequinned and embroidered corset-style bodice and a full “fairytale” skirt, while her groom, played by Mark Wingett, 50, wore a traditional suit.
But a spokeswoman for the show said there may be more surprises in store for the couple: “Behind the smiles on the day – as with all good soap weddings - nothing goes according to plan.”
Fans of the gritty series will be overjoyed that one of the longest relationships in soap history has ended in happiness.
The two characters were attracted to each other on the very first episode of The Bill in 1983 when Sgt Ackland “puppy-walked” Pc Carver on his first day on the beat to show him the ropes.
Since then their affair has been a constant rollercoaster, leaving viewers wondering if they would ever stay together.
Pc Carver has battled past problems with alcohol and had a short-lived marriage to another woman he was helping in his role as family liaison officer after a break-up with Sgt Ackland.
Meanwhile, Sgt Ackland is still getting over the heartache of her torrid affair with Gabriel Kent, played by Todd Carty, who tried to wreck her life by seducing her and then claiming he was her biological son after they had slept together – a claim which Pc Carver later proved to be untrue.
The Bill pulls in seven to eight million viewers per show and was nominated for a Bafta award in the UK for the first time this year.
