The Bill’s no-nonsense copper
TONY Scannell was only supposed to appear in two episodes of The Bill in 1984 but so impressed ITV producers he remained in the role of DS Ted Roach nine years later.
The hard-drinking detective Scannell played was a man of old school ways – staunchly un-PC and unapologetic.
Speaking about his character, Scannell once said: “He looked after himself, old people and the very young.The rest had better beware – that’s how I played him.”
The Irish actor’s other big role came early in his career in the cult classic Flash Gordon, in which he was an officer of Ming The Merciless, played by Max von Sydow.
Scannell later joked the experience of standing next to such a great talent “scared the pants” off him.
But his biggest test by far was withstanding the pressures of being on such a high-profile TV show at a time when viewing figures reached 12 million. He coped by way of a decade of hell-raising, womanising and partying.
“I loved all the limousines they sent to collect me and the parties and the awards parties,” he reflected of that time.
“It happened for me later in life and I wanted to enjoy it. But I couldn’t handle it. I lived and paid later, or rather I forgot about paying later.”
Scannell was forced to file for bankruptcy in 2002 owing the Inland Revenue more than £42,000.
He was born in Kinsale, just south of Cork, one of five children to Peggy and Tom Scannell, a
goalkeeper who played for the Republic of Ireland.
Prior to his acting career, Scannell spent five years in the RAF on guard duty.
He died of unknown causes and is survived by his long-term partner Agnes Lillis and three grown-up children.