Gary Lucy to quit The Bill

Gary Lucy has decided to leave The Bill, it has been confirmed. Gary plans to quit his role as Detective Constable Will Fletcher after four years to pursue other interests. He will appear in in the ITV1 police drama until December. A spokesperson for The Bill said: "Gary Lucy has decided not to renew his contract when it comes up for renewal in September. After four years, he is taking a break from The Bill to explore other projects." In a bid to raise his profile, Gary, who previously appeared in Hollyoaks and Footballers' Wives, is rumoured to be considering competing in the next series of Dancing on Ice, which would mean he would start training this winter. An ITV source told The Mirror: "Gary has been seen on the ice recently, so it looks like he is prepared to go from the boys in blue to a man in sequins and pink leotards." While it is not yet known how Gary's character will be written out of The Bill, show bosses are keen to keep the door open. The spokesperson said: "There is always an opportunity for him to return." The Bill recently moved to its new post-watershed time-slot of 9pm.

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Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix.

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.