Caroline Quentin for The Bill?

The move comes as ITV decides whether or not to re-commission the series.

Tabloid newspaper The Mirror is reporting that actress Caroline Quentin, star of a string of high profile dramas such as Life Begins and Blue Murder, is in talks to join The Bill.

The paper claims that producers of ITV’s struggling cop-drama are hoping to secure Quentin in an extended guest role on the series in an attempt to boost the show’s erratic ratings. The paper claims producers hope she’ll play the role of Sun Hill’s Borough Commander for six weeks.

“Caroline Quentin has been asked to come in to try and boost the show’s popularity. Scriptwriters have been told to write especially for her as ITV is keen to improve the ratings.” – A ‘source’ quoted in The Mirror

The article also claims that ITV bosses will decide whether or not to renew the series within the next few weeks. ITV’s contract for the drama runs out next year and so telly bosses will have to decide whether or not they want more of the series that has run for 25 years.

However, since ITV revamped the series in July, which saw several cast members axed and the theme tune scrapped, and moved the cop drama to a 9pm slot ratings have been erratic. The new-look 9pm episodes launched with 4.5 million viewers but over the following weeks ratings dropped to below 3 million.

Since then ratings have been up and down like a yoyo but have yet to top the 4.5 million the drama re-launched with.

If erratic ratings weren’t bad enough the series has also had to deal with two of its actors quitting after the revamp with former Hollyoaks stars Gary Lucy and Ali Bastian both leaving to peruse other projects – both will remain on-screen until early next year. Next week will see actor Graham Cole, the longest serving actor on the series, make his final appearance as PC Tony Stamp as producers axed him earlier in the year – to the anger of fans – as they felt the character didn’t fit into the new-look series.