EASTENDER BURNSIDE
THE BILL STAR TO PLAY ALBERT SQ GODFATHER
The Mirror, 10th February 2001

TV tough guy Chris Ellison is joining EastEnders - after ITV bosses axed his cop series Burnside.

The 54-year-old actor is turning to the other side of the law to challenge Phil Mitchell as the hardest man in Albert Square.

Chris turned The Bill into a ratings phenomenon playing hard-drinking CID boss Detective Chief Inspector Frank Burnside for more than 10 years. And last year he was given his own series.

But ITV executives confirmed yesterday they were pulling the plug on Burnside after just six episodes. Chris blamed bad writing and graveyard scheduling.

But he revealed he is to sign a nine-month contract to play the evil boss of a protection racket in EastEnders.

Chris said: "The series finished in August and I've had no feedback from ITV at all. It went very well.

"But I wasn't happy with the scripts - they were thrown together. And I don't think we had enough money behind us.

"We got good ratings, fantastic reviews and everyone thought it was going to be a goer - and then total silence."

ITV is planning another spin-off from The Bill starring bent copper DS Don Beech, played by Billy Murray.

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