| Episode No. | Series | |
| 1235 | 1997x118 |
Free To Speak? is the 1234th episode of The Bill.
It's PC Nick Slater's final day at Sun Hill before his transfer to SO10. He and WPC Debbie Keane fall out when he stops her broadcasting the address of an individual who has caused a car accident in the presence of an aggrieved party. PCs Steve Loxton and Dave Quinnan are also annoyed with Nick because his departure means their requests for leave have been turned down by Inspector Monroe. Nick asks Debbie out to dinner that evening and she accepts. PC George Garfield bets Quinnan that Nick will get Debbie into bed that night. However, Quinnan, Loxton and DC Skase resolve to disrupt the evening, so Quinnan and Loxton visit the restaurant posing as undercover detectives and inform the manager that Nick is a known criminal who will try to flee without paying the bill.
That evening Nick apologises to Debbie for his actions earlier and asks if they can remain friends after he leaves. Debbie becomes suspicious of the restaurant staff's behaviour towards them and when Rod calls Nick (as part of the prank) asking Nick to come outside to identify a person, at which he point he will be "apprehended", she tells Nick to call the station; DC Liz Rawton confirms that Rod is off duty. Realising their scam has been blown, Rod drives off and Dave flees the restaurant. Outside waiting for their cab, Debbie spots Dave, George, Steve and Rod watching them from a nearby pub and snogs Nick. Back at the Section House, she invites Nick into her room....
Final appearance of P.C. Nick Slater (Alan Westaway).
Episode cast[]
- Police Officers
- Others
- Maitre D' (Christopher Lang)
- Trevor (Gus Brown)
- Boyfriend (Nicholas Lopez)