- Roger Valentine
Infobox character
colour = #d6d6ff
name = Roger Valentine
caption = John Bowler as PC Roger Valentine
first = Episode # 257 (03/11/2004)
occupation = Police Officer
title = Police Constable
callsign = SO 275
portrayer = John BowlerPolice Constable 275 Roger Valentine is a
fictional character in the long-running ITV drama "The Bill ". He joined the series in November 2004 and is played by John Bowler. His callsign is '275'. He is a qualified advanced pursuit driver atSun Hill .Personal life and background
Roger first arrives in Sun Hill after a five-year absence from the force. Roger is faithful in the fight to uphold law and order, but he also firmly believes the Met has become too soft and politically correct. His views are usually dismissed by most of his fellow colleagues, but occasionally frowned upon by some.
The Bombastic disaster and Roger's PTSD
Roger is present amongst many other uniformed officers in policing a gig at the Bombastic night club due to the tensions between Sun Hill police and the black community. Fights broke out between the police and clubgoers outside, prompting the decision of Acting Sergeant
Yvonne Hemmingway to allow people inside the club. Due to severe overcrowding, an overhead balcony collapses, and several people are crushed to death in their attempt to escape. As Roger and his colleague PCLewis Hardy stay behind to help firefighters and paramedics with the injured, an overhead lighting rig suddenly breaks loose and falls. Roger manages to push Lewis aside but is knocked to the ground by the scaffolding.Although he physically recovers, Roger is severely traumatised by the event. Eventually he is diagnosed with
Post-traumatic stress disorder and is sent on indefinite leave. He spends several months wishing he was dead but is never able to commitsuicide .Eventually he is discovered in hospital after a drinking binge. After being discharged, he visits an off-licence, which is under-siege. Roger seizes on the opportunity to die and bars the robber's exit, taunting him to shoot him. The robber complies with his wishes; however the gun malfunctions and backfires on the robber.
Roger later breaks down after realising he did not want to die. He is slowly on the road to rehabilitation.
Racial accusations
Roger has been accused of being a racist a few times by the public and by his colleague,
Lewis Hardy , due to when Roger had to take a statement from Lewis' cousin Dominic. Dominic accuses Roger of being a racist to Lewis, who from then picks on little things Roger says and many times threatens him with official complaints about his remarks, after the Bombastic night club incident, where Roger saves Lewis' life by pushing him out of the way of the light rig, Lewis does not follow up his accusation and since then lies low on his sensitivity of the colour of his skin and seems to get on with Roger, but their professional relationship is strained.External links
* [http://www.whatsontv.co.uk/primetime/the_bill/whos_who/roger_valentine Profile of Roger Valentine] at What's on TV
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