U.K. TV hit rocked by drug probe

A London newspaper, the Sunday Mirror, claimed that one of its investigative reporters purchased cocaine, marijuana, and hallucinogenic drugs from a unit production manager on the set of the hit British TV series The Bill. The newspaper said that drugs are routinely used by the show’s actors and crew, usually in portable toilets but sometimes on the set itself. The newspaper named Anthony Stagles as its apparently unwitting source, publishing remarks by Stagles that were presumably recorded with hidden microphones. In slang-filled language, Stagles remarks that some of the actors and crew members had accounts with him and other drug dealers, who included the show’s principal security boss, identified as Dean Wilmott. A spokeswoman for The Bill told the Sunday Mirror: “The powers-that-be will read your report and if action needs to be taken, it will be.”