Silent Witness will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer in January with two new recruits joining Dr Nikki Alexander (Emilia Fox) and Jack Hodgson (David Caves). Aki Omoshaybi (The Pursuit Of Love) joins the cast as Gabriel Folukoya, an academic, neurologist and pathologist whose career has focused on innovative research in data analysis. Rhiannon May also returns as Jack's niece Cara Connelly, who arrives unexpectedly from Belfast to announce she is starting a Criminology course.
The new series follows the show's 25th anniversary run, which launched in May 2022 and became one of the BBC's top five scripted titles of the year. Episode one of that series consolidated to 8.3 million viewers in its first 30 days, and Silent Witness is now enjoyed in 235 territories worldwide.
Emilia Fox, who has played Nikki for 18 years, said the new series opens with an epic story written by Dudi Appleton and Jim Keeble. “They wanted to write about the 'Ndrangheta,” she explained. “It's great taking the Lyell into that criminal underworld of the mafia.” Fox added that the show can explore epic stories, chamber pieces or topical news stories.
Discussing Nikki and Jack's relationship, Fox said the mafia storyline puts them under pressure, but not in the typical way of breaking up established couples. “They realise that they're each other's strength, but they're also each other's vulnerability because they care so much for each other,” she said. “The relationship has suddenly given them an Achilles heel.” Despite the intensity, Fox noted that the writers have kept the fun and communication between the characters intact.
Fox also spoke of her enduring passion for the role, saying she finds the premise “gripping” and the medical science “absolutely fascinating.” She praised the production's ethos, adding: “It cares about the standard of the show, and it also cares about the people who come and work on it.”
