‘Keep ’em peeled!’ — Shaw Taylor returns to Police 5

Taylor, who will be 90 later this year, is synonymous with the original Police 5 — which began in 1962 — and with his catchphrase, “Keep ’em peeled!”, which he would close each edition of the show with. The original series was produced by ITV and broadcast as five-minute episodes — hence its name, Police 5 — every week for thirty years. The new series is produced by Channel 5 — hence its name, Police 5! Channel 5’s Police 5 began it’s first 8-episode run last week and has been extended to fit a half-hour slot. It is presented by Joe Crowley (The One Show) and Kate McIntyre (The Big Bang), with Taylor joining them to front a slot within each episode, in which he will “set out to reunite theft victims with what’s rightfully theirs”. Speaking ahead of the launch of the new series, Channel 5’s Commissioning Executive, Jason Wells said, “Police 5 […] takes a vigilant look at how the man on the street can avoid being a victim of crime.” Of it’s original presenter, Wells said he was “delighted to welcome a felony fighter like Shaw Taylor to the channel,” and confirmed that his old catchphrase — “Keep ’em peeled!” — was back, too. Shaw Taylor was born in 1924 — on October 26 — in London and, after serving in the Royal Air Force, trained to be an actor at RADA. Before becoming a full-time TV presenter, he enjoyed a variety of acting roles in film and television, including The Vise (1957), More Than Robbery (1958), Last Summer (1977) and Premiere (1980). As well as Police 5, he presented a number of TV and radio game shows, including Dotto, The Law Game, Password, Tell the Truth and This is Your Chance. In 1972, he presented the pilot episode of Whodunnit?. However, in 1973, the actor Edward Woodward took over for its first full season before handing over himself to Jon Pertwee, best known at the time for playing the Doctor in the BBC science-fiction drama series, Doctor Who. Pertwee, who had recently relinquished the role to Tom Baker, stayed with Whodunnit? for seasons two to six (1974–8). Shaw, meanwhile, returned to the series, this time as a panel guest for “Knife in the Back” (1972). “Keep ’em peeled!” Having been one of the first continuity announcers on ATV — a British commercial regional TV station — Shaw first presented the syndicated Police 5 when the show began in 1962. He stayed with it throughout its original three-decade run and also presented Junior Police 5 (otherwise known as, JP5), the spin-off series aimed at younger viewers. Although Police 5 ended its original run in the early 1990s, Taylor returned to it in 2008 (then aged 83). This time, however, he combined his acting and presenting talents when he appeared as himself, hosting Police 5 — complete with his “Keep ’em peeled!” catchphrase — in the seventh episode of Ashes to Ashes, the popular BBC Life on Mars follo-on drama series that starred Philip Glenister (Mad Dogs) and Keeley Hawes (Line of Duty). Police 5 continues on Channel 5, Tuesdays at 7.30 p.m. (8.30 p.m. on Channel 5+1). Police 5 is made in conjunction with the support of Crimestoppers, the sole independent crime-fighting UK-registered charity. Crimestoppers operate the 0800 555 111 telephone number for people to pass on information about crime, anonymously.