The BBC has confirmed the future of its long-running crime drama Silent Witness in a new shake-up. The primetime BBC One show, the longest running crime drama currently airing on TV anywhere in the world, will be put out to competitive tender. This means the BBC is inviting production companies to pitch to become the new production company, bringing new voices to the table.
Show's History and Cast
Silent Witness first aired in 1996 and follows a team of forensic pathologists helping police solve murders using clues found on the bodies of victims. The series stars Emilia Fox, Richard Lintern, David Caves and Liz Carr. In its earliest seasons, the series focused on Dr. Sam Ryan, a brilliant and fiercely independent pathologist. Following major cast departures, the focus shifted to a broader team dynamic.
Latest Series and Teaser
The latest series aired earlier this year in February, where the team relocated to Birmingham ready to solve a new set of crimes over ten episodes. Teasing the most recent instalment, Emilia Fox said: "Jack and Nikki are starting married life in Birmingham, so they have to find a new home to live in and settle into a new workspace. I think that this has quite an effect on Jack and on their relationship together. When I look back on the series there is always a theme to them and the last series was definitely about love. The theme of this series, across the stories, is trust and what we can believe in and what’s real. That crosses from stories about AI, to trust in relationships and Jack has some big storylines in this series."
BBC Statement
The BBC has put out a statement confirming the move. They said: "We’re putting the production of long-running BBC drama Silent Witness out for competition. The full invitation to tender including eligibility criteria will be published on this website in the coming weeks, with enough time for suppliers to do appropriate research and preparation. The BBC will continue to broadcast the programme and will retain all rights. This activity forms part of our commitment to making a range of commissioning opportunities available to the market."
It is something the BBC is required to do by the BBC Charter, and other TV shows have gone through the same process including beloved series Doctor Who.
Future of the Show
All episodes from the very first series to the latest are available to stream on BBC iPlayer, ahead of the next series. It has been reported that Silent Witness has been officially renewed by the BBC for its landmark 30th season, which will serve as a celebration of the long-running crime drama's 30th anniversary.
