SIMON Rouse is known to most of us for his role as DCI Jack Meadows after debuting in The Bill nearly 30 years ago – and he looks unrecognisable these days.
With a staggering 842 episodes to his name, Simon, 70, is certainly one of the longest-serving actors on the former ITV soap.
He first appeared on The Bill as Jack in a recurring role with thirteen guest appearances in 1990 and 1991.
The character of Meadows became a regular between 1992 and 2010.
Although his overcommitment to his job caused a huge strain on him and his wife’s relationship, Meadows was an exemplary superintendent and lead the team all the way to the very end of the show’s run.
Although casual fans will associate him mostly with Jack, Rouse has proven over the years that he has many other strings to his bow.
After a series of stage roles in productions such as When We Are Married and The Bomb, Rouse appeared in Coronation Street as Rita’s ex-lover Rusty and as journalist Len Danvers in Broadchurch.
The same year he toured the UK in a stage production of Simon Beaufoy’s 1997 comedy-drama film The Full Monty, in which he plays the role of Gerald.
The Bill ended in 2010 after a whopping 2,425 episodes, with fans so devastated they even created a petition to try to force ITV to bring it back.
During 27 years on our screens, the police drama became a staple on the TV schedule, moving to post-watershed when storylines became even darker and more violent.
And a plethora of famous faces began their careers on the show, with cameos from Keira Knightley, Russell Brand, Sean Bean, Hugh Laurie, Emma Bunton and Martin Freeman to name a few.
Despite being axed a decade ago, The Bill made a much-welcomed comeback to UKTV Play last year, with the channel airing classic episodes from the early years.
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