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''Silent Witness'' is a British

crime drama Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...

television series produced by the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

...

, which focuses on a team of

forensic pathology Forensic pathology is pathology that focuses on determining the cause of death by examining a corpse. A post mortem examination is performed by a medical examiner or forensic pathologist, usually during the investigation of criminal law cases an ...

experts and their investigations into various crimes. First broadcast in 1996, the series was created by

Nigel McCrery Nigel Colin McCrery (born 30 October 1953 in London) is an English screenwriter and ex-police officer. He is the creator of the long-running crime dramas ''Silent Witness'' (1996-present) and ''New Tricks'' (2003-15). Early life Because of his fa ...

, a former murder squad detective based in

Nottingham Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...

. Twenty-five series of ''Silent Witness'' have been broadcast since 1996.

Amanda Burton Irene Amanda Burton is a Northern Irish actress. Her notable credits include Heather Haversham in the Channel 4 soap opera '' Brookside'' (1982–1986), Beth Glover in the ITV drama series ''Peak Practice'' (1993–1995), Sam Ryan in the BB ...

starred as primary character Dr. Sam Ryan before leaving the show during the eighth series. Since her departure the series has featured an

ensemble cast In a dramatic production, an ensemble cast is one that is composed of multiple principal actors and performers who are typically assigned roughly equal amounts of screen time.Random House: ensemble acting Linked 2013-07-17 Structure In contrast to ...

, which initially consisted of

William Gaminara William Gaminara (born 1956) is a Rhodesian-born British actor, screenwriter and playwright, probably best known for playing pathologist Professor Leo Dalton on the television series ''Silent Witness'', from 2002 to 2013. His plays include ''Acco ...

Tom Ward Tom Ward (born 11 January 1971) is a British film, stage and television actor. Early life Tom Ward was born in Swansea, Wales, the son of poet and academic John Powell Ward, and Sarah Ward OBE, a farmer. Ward was sent to the Dragon School i ...

and

Emilia Fox Emilia Rose Elizabeth Fox (born 31 July 1974) is an English actress and presenter whose film debut was in Roman Polanski's film '' The Pianist''. Her other films include the Italian–French–British romance-drama film '' The Soul Keeper'' (2 ...

, and later on David Caves,

Liz Carr Liz Carr is an English actress, comedian, broadcaster and international disability rights activist. Early life and education Carr was born 21 April 1972 in Port Sunlight and grew up in Bebington, Merseyside. She attended Upton Hall School FCJ i ...

and

Richard Lintern Richard Charles Lintern (born 8 October 1962) is an English stage, voice and screen actor. Early life Lintern was born in Taunton, Somerset. He studied English Literature at Durham University. He subsequently won a scholarship to the Royal ...

alongside Emilia Fox. At the end of series 23 Carr and Lintern both departed. The cast was joined by

Genesis Lynea Genesis Lynea Edwards (born 20 October 1989) is a Bermudian-born British actress, dancer and singer. She originated the role of Anna of Cleves in ''Six''. On television, she is known for her roles as in the BBC medical drama ''Casualty'' (2019 ...

from series 24. The programme is broadcast in more than 235 territories, including

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

in Australia,

Showcase Showcase or vitrine may refer to: *Cabinet (furniture) *Display case Music * ''Showcase'' (Bill Anderson album), 1964 * ''Showcase'' (Patsy Cline album), 1961 * ''Showcase'' (Buddy Holly album), 1964 * ''Showcase'' (Philly Joe Jones album), 1959 ...

and the

Knowledge Network Knowledge Network, also branded as British Columbia's Knowledge Network, is a Canadian publicly funded educational cable television network serving the province of British Columbia. It is owned by the Knowledge Network Corporation, a Crown co ...

in Canada,

KRO KRO, or (Catholic Radio Broadcasting), was a Dutch public broadcasting organization founded on 23 April 1925. Broadly Catholic in its spiritual outlook, KRO broadcast the bulk of its television output on the NPO 1 channel. KRO was also responsi ...

in the Netherlands, TV One and

Prime A prime number (or a prime) is a natural number greater than 1 that is not a product of two smaller natural numbers. A natural number greater than 1 that is not prime is called a composite number. For example, 5 is prime because the only ways ...

in New Zealand, BBC First in South Africa and

BBC America BBC America is an American basic cable network that is jointly owned by BBC Studios and AMC Networks. The channel primarily airs sci-fi and action series and films, as well as selected programs from the BBC (such as its nature documentary seri ...

in the United States. ''Silent Witness'' continues to achieve good audience ratings in the UK. In 2011, for example, Series 14 attracted an average audience of nine million viewers.

Background

The main character in the original series was based on Professor Helen Whitwell, a forensic pathologist based in

Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...

, who McCrery had known while serving as a police officer. The programme followed the activities of

pathologist Pathology is the study of the causal, causes and effects of disease or injury. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when us ...

Sam Ryan, played by

, until she departed early in the eighth series. There was a succession of regular supporting characters, changing almost every series, but Dr Leo Dalton (

) and Dr Harry Cunningham (

), who were introduced in the sixth series, continued as lead characters following Ryan's departure, with Dalton replacing her as professor. A new character, Dr Nikki Alexander (

), was introduced in mid-series eight, based on Dr Brooke Magnanti, a forensic scientist based in Sheffield. While working as a forensic anthropologist, she appropriates facilities and software in the pathology department to analyse an

Iron Age The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...

find, with the belated, bemused and begrudging approval of Dalton. Dr Alexander is able to assist in a set of cases being investigated by the team, as it turns out she has "worked in forensic pathology in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...

for six months" and is certified by the Home Office to practise. She eventually overcomes Leo's reluctance and, with Harry's support, is offered and accepts a position on the team. Before the 16th series begins, Harry has left to accept a position in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. He is succeeded by forensics expert Jack Hodgson ( David Caves) and his assistant Clarissa Mullery (

). At the climax of the 16th series, Leo is killed in an explosion. His replacement, Dr Thomas Chamberlain (

), is introduced at the start of the 17th series. Although the show focuses heavily on areas of pathology, the police also have a presence in each case. During later series of the show, detectives and investigators tend to differ from episode to episode, with guest artists appearing in these roles. However, during the early years of the show several characters appeared regularly to investigate each case. The first three series were set in

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

. This changed to

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

from the start of the fourth series, following Sam as she took up an academic position in the Lyell Centre, the Pathology Department of UCL. The programme remained in an academic setting until the end of series 16 when the Lyell appeared to have become separated from the University and operated as a stand-alone institution. Each series is typically made up of a series of two-part stories. The first nine series generally featured eight episodes (four two-part stories), except that series 4 and 5 each featured just six episodes (three two-part stories); this was increased to ten episodes (five two-part stories) from the tenth series onwards, excepting series 12 and 15 which each featured 12 episodes (six two-part stories). The 25th series, broadcast in 2022, introduced a new format consisting of one story in six episodes. In 1998, the writer John Milne received an

Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America, based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards honor the bes ...

from the

Mystery Writers of America Mystery Writers of America (MWA) is an organization of mystery and crime writers, based in New York City. The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday. It presents the Edgar Award ...

for the second series episode "Blood, Sweat and Tears". In the United States the series airs during 'Mystery Monday' on

Music

The theme music from series 2 onwards is entitled ''Silencium'' and is performed by

John Harle John Harle (born 20 September 1956) is an English saxophonist, composer, educator and record producer. He is an Ivor Novello Award winner and has been the recipient of two Royal Television Society awards. Biography Harle was born in Newcastl ...

. The arrangement, for chamber orchestra and

soprano saxophone The soprano saxophone is a higher-register variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument invented in the 1840s. The soprano is the third-smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists (from smallest to largest) of the soprillo, sop ...

solo, was first performed as part of the

Canterbury Festival The Canterbury Festival is Kent's international festival of the arts. It takes place in Canterbury (England) and surrounding towns and villages (including Faversham, Whitstable and Margate) each October/November and includes performances of a vari ...

on 22 October 2011. The vocal section is performed by Sarah Leonard. The incidental music used in the series is written by the BAFTA-nominated composer

Sheridan Tongue Sheridan Tongue is aEMMY-winningand BAFTA-nominated television and film music composer from Belfast, Northern Ireland. He has written and produced soundtracks for many television series including the BBC's '' Wonders of the Universe'' and ''Won ...

Critical review

An episode first broadcast in April 2012 attracted criticism for its violent and sadistic content. There were 632 complaints made about the fifteenth-series episode '' Redhill'', written by

Ed Whitmore Ed Whitmore is a British screenwriter. He has written for a number of successful British TV series such as ''Waking the Dead (TV series), Waking the Dead'' and ''Silent Witness''. Whitmore is an alumnus of Westfield College. Career In 2003 he wro ...

, which included a scene depicting a sadistic sexual and murderous attack. The BBC was censured by the editorial committee of the

BBC Trust The BBC Trust was the governing body of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) between 2007 and 2017. It was operationally independent of BBC management and external bodies, and its stated aim was to make decisions in the best interests of ...

, which said in its report: The BBC had responded to the initial criticism of the episode by saying that it took its responsibility to its audience "extremely seriously" and always tried to "strike the right balance between compelling drama without being unnecessarily graphic". It said that "The final scene was not an attempt to gratuitously shock the audience;... We acknowledge that certain scenes may have been challenging, but we filmed and presented them in such a way as to make sure that although as a viewer the implication was there, it was never actually shown." The show has also been criticised by reviewer Michael Hogan. Reviewing the first episode of series 21, he asked in the UK's ''Daily Telegraph'' how it had become the world’s longest running crime drama, writing: "In place of convincing dialogue or emotion, they instead exchanged meaningful stares" and "The leading pair were so wooden, they made the bodies on the autopsy slab look lively."

Episodes

Characters

Overview

Main

*Sam Ryan (

) – series 1–8. Sam originally lived and worked in

, but moved to London at the end of series three after she was offered the job of professor at a university. Sam departed and returned home to

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

in the second episode of series eight, " A Time To Heal" in which a member of her family became a suspect in a murder case. *Leo Dalton (

) – series 6–16. Leo first appeared in the episode " The Fall Out", where he was a doctor. However, he was promoted to professor after former professor Sam Ryan left. In the episode " Ghosts", both his wife, Theresa, and his daughter, Cassie, are killed in a car accident. He began a relationship with fellow professor Janet Mander in " Death's Door", but ended their relationship in the episode " Redhill". Leo often took a strong opinion on cases and became emotionally involved. He died in the series 16 finale " Greater Love", when he sacrificed himself to save many others from a terrorist bomb explosion. He briefly appeared in a flashback in the last episode of series 20. *Harry Cunningham (

) – series 6–15. Harry started out life as a junior doctor, who worked as an apprentice alongside Sam and Leo. However, he soon qualified as a pathologist, and has worked on equal footing with the team for a number of years. Harry was single, and lived alone, but has had several romantic relationships, including an ongoing 'will they-won't they' relationship with his colleague Nikki. Harry left the team to accept a professorship in New York at the end of series 15. As this was decided after filming was completed, and the stories were reordered, with " And Then I Fell in Love" airing last, where it was originally scheduled as the second episode, his departure was never on screen. *Nikki Alexander (

) – since series 8. Originally appearing in the episode " Nowhere Fast", Nikki was originally assigned to the Lyell Centre to defuse the tension between Harry and Leo after Sam's departure. However, Nikki soon became a permanent fixture within the team, and although she features more prominently in the series, holds a lower rank in pathology than Leo. Despite her native home being South Africa, Nikki regards the United Kingdom as her second home, as the reason for her departure from the country lies solely in the hands of her father, Victor, as explained in the episode " Double Dare". Nikki often flirted with colleague Harry, and even invited him to stay at her house after his flat blew up in an explosion. Nikki and Harry were in an ongoing 'will they-won't they' relationship until he left in series 15. As well as this, she developed a close relationship with Leo and looked up to him as a father figure. As Leo and Harry gradually left, Nikki has since become the series central character. *Jack Hodgson ( David Caves) – since series 16. Before his arrival at the Lyell Centre, Jack was a forensic scientist for the police, working on regular murder investigations. However, when he is called out to the scene of a man's suspicious death in "

Change Change or Changing may refer to: Alteration * Impermanence, a difference in a state of affairs at different points in time * Menopause, also referred to as "the change", the permanent cessation of the menstrual period * Metamorphosis, or change, ...

", both Nikki and Leo spot his potential, and looking for a senior colleague to replace Harry, decide to offer Jack a job as the centre's forensic expert. Jack is close friends with colleague Clarissa Mullery, whom he invites to work with him at the Lyell Centre, much to Leo's surprise. In his spare time, Jack is a cage fighter, and splits his home life between forensic research and training for his next fight. *Clarissa Mullery (

) – series 16–23. Clarissa is Jack's personal lab assistant, who first appears in the episode "

", when Jack invites her to work at the Lyell Centre with him, much to Leo's surprise. She is disabled by an unspecified condition and uses an electric wheelchair. She has a very cheeky side, making a quip at Leo after he fails to recognise her when she first arrives. Clarissa had clearly worked for Jack for a long period of time before his appointment at the Lyell Centre, but the exact period of time is unknown. *Thomas Chamberlain (

) – series 17–23. Thomas Chamberlain took over as head of the Lyell Centre from Leo who died at the end of series 16. He was an experienced forensic pathologist with a renowned reputation in toxicology and is described as charming, charismatic and socially shrewd. His first encounters with Jack, Nikki and Clarissa did not go well, but they gradually warmed to him. It is revealed in the last episode of his first series that his wife left him just before he started working at the Lyell Centre, taking their daughter with her. He died in the series 23 finale " The Greater Good" whilst investigating a nerve agent in the pathology suite of the Lyell Centre. *Simone Tyler (

) – series 24-25. Simone is a meticulous forensic ecologist, who makes the jump from the museum to the mortuary at the Lyell Centre. Simone leaves at the end of season 25 to look after her nieces in Trinidad after learning about her estranged sister's death.

Recurring

*Detective Chief Inspector Tom Adams (

John McGlynn John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

) – series 1. An investigator with the Cambridgeshire police force, who had an affair with Kerry Cox, before her death. *Superintendent Helen Farmer (

Clare Higgins Clare Frances Elizabeth Higgins (born 10 November 1955) is an English actress. Her film appearances include ''Hellraiser'' (1987), '' The Worst Witch'' (2017 - 2020) '' Hellbound: Hellraiser II'' (1988), ''Small Faces'' (1996) and '' The Golde ...

) – series 1. A superintendent, and Tom Adams' boss and mentor, who accompanied him on investigating several cases during his time in the force. *Trevor Stewart (William Armstrong) – series 1–3. As well as being a pathologist in his own right, Trevor was Sam's business partner, owning half of the morgue and its facilities. Trevor decided to stay in

with his friends and family when Sam accepted the professorship position at a university in London and moved away at the end of series three. *Wyn Ryan (Ruth McCabe) – series 1–3. Professor Ryan's sister who moved to Cambridge with her mother some years before Sam's arrival, and one of the reasons Sam Ryan relocated. Initially their relationship was strained, but eventually the two moved in with one another and grew close. In the first episode of series 3, it is announced Wyn returned to Ireland. Wyn makes one appearance in season three to visit Sam and announce her upcoming wedding. *Superintendent Peter Ross (

Mick Ford Mick Ford (born 1 August 1952) is a British actor, screenwriter and playwright, best known for his portrayal of intellectual convict Archer in the cinema version of '' Scum''. Early life and education Ford was born on 1 August 1952 in Croyd ...

) – series 2. A superintendent, and an ex-boyfriend of Sam's, who believed in a strong relationship between the police and the pathology lab. *Detective Chief Inspector Michael Connor ( Nick Reding) – Series 3–4. A detective chief inspector, and old friend of Sam's, whom she met during her junior years at university. He makes one appearance for the third story of the fourth season. *Detective Sergeant Rob Bradley (

Mark Letheren Mark Vincent Letheren (born 6 February 1971) is an English actor. He is best known for his roles as journalist Simon Kitson in ITV's drama ''The Bill'', as Ben Harding in the BBC One drama ''Casualty'' and for his recurring role as DS Kevin Geo ...

) – series 3. A detective sergeant, who as Connor's junior officer, accompanied him with the investigating in the cases which he was assigned to. *Fred Dale (Sam Parks) – series 1–3. Fred was Sam's main assistant during post mortems and on visits to crime scenes, often identifying DNA samples at the scene of the crime, and linking them to those responsible. He was also notable for not having many speaking lines, and regularly appearing without speaking. His fate at the end of series 3 was not revealed. *Detective Constable Kerry Cox (

Ruth Gemmell Ruth Katrin Gemmell (born October 1967) is an English actress. She starred in the film ''Fever Pitch'' in 1997 which was followed by supporting roles in television series ''EastEnders'', '' Casualty'', '' Home Fires'' and '' Penny Dreadful.'' ...

) – series 1. A junior trainee detective who had an affair with Tom Adams, but was later killed in a freak accident in a hospital basement. *Detective Constable Marcia Evans (Janice Acquah) – series 1. A fellow junior trainee detective for the Cambridgeshire police force, who resigned after Kerry Cox's death. *Detective Chief Inspector Rachel Selway (Nicola Redmond) – Series 2. Tom Adams' replacement, following his resignation from the force. She joined the team alongside junior sergeant Tony Speed. *Detective Sergeant Tony Speed (Richard Huw) – series 2. A junior sergeant, who joined the team alongside his superior officer, Rachel Selway. He knew Peter Ross from a previous posting. *Janet Mander (

Jaye Griffiths Jaye Griffiths (born 24 September 1963) is a British stage, television and voice-over actress. After playing Ros Henderson in the BBC series '' Bugs'' and D.I. Sally Johnson in the ITV procedural drama ''The Bill'', she landed the role of E ...

) – series 12–15. Janet is a psychological profiler who assists the police in cases of serial offences. She began a relationship with Leo in the episode " Death's Door", and they lived together as partners until Leo ended the relationship in " Redhill". She recurringly worked alongside the team to provide them with information in order to get an idea of the suspect they are looking for. Janet decided to move away from London after Leo ended their relationship. *Charlie Gibbs (

Wunmi Mosaku Oluwunmi Mosaku (born 1986) is a Nigerian-born British actress. She is known for her roles as Joy in the BBC Two miniseries ''Moses Jones'' (2009) and Holly Lawson in the ITV series ''Vera'' (2011–2012). She won the BAFTA TV Award for Best S ...

) – series 13. A junior doctor and lab technician, who was appointed to work with the team by Professor Dalton. *Zak Khan (Arsher Ali) – series 14. A junior doctor who worked his forensic science apprenticeship with the team, to learn the ropes of the profession. *Ricky Ryan (

Matthew Steer Matthew Steer (born 24 April 1978) is an English actor and writer. He made his stage debut in 1989 and is known for his roles as Ricky Ryan in '' Silent Witness'', Matt Lindsay in '' EastEnders'' and Albert Pemberton in '' Partners in Crime''. ...

) – series 1. Wyn's son and Sam's nephew, who regularly got into trouble and was expelled from school for very poor behaviour. *Rosemary Mason (

Jane Hazlegrove Sarah Jane Hazlegrove (born 17 July 1968) is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Kathleen "Dixie" Dixon in the BBC medical drama '' Casualty''. She has also appeared as Rosie in ''Making Out'', Rosemary Mason in ''Silent Witn ...

) – series 6–7. The main receptionist at the Lyell Centre, before the change in focus from university department to purely commercial pathology. *Max Thorndyke (

Daniel Weyman Daniel Weyman (born 1977) is an English actor known for his role as the Stranger in '' The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power''. Theatre He has appeared in stage productions such as Samuel West's Sheffield Crucible production of '' As Yo ...

) – series 20–22 Max is Clarissa's husband, a forensic data analyst originally called in by the Lyell team to help solve a case in series 20 but returning in 2 further episodes in series 21. *Adam Yuen (

Jason Wong Jason Wong is a British actor, known for his role as Kai in the 2018 ITV series ''Strangers''. Career In 2012, Wong was cast on the American Broadcasting Company series ''Missing''. In 2014, he co-starred the feature film '' Jarhead 2: Fi ...

) – series 24. Adam is a confident, bright and keen pathologist who joins Nikki and Jack at the Lyell Centre. He dies midway through series 24, after being hit by a car, whilst investigating a suspect.

Guest appearances

A number of notable actors have made appearances in the show, such as

Shaun Dooley Shaun Dooley (born 29 March 1974) is an English actor, narrator and voice-over artist. Early life Dooley was born in Barnsley in Yorkshire. He studied at the Arden School of Theatre in Manchester between 1992 and 1995. Career Dooley's f ...

John McEnery John McEnery (1 November 1943 – 12 April 2019) was an English actor and writer. Born in Birmingham, he trained (1962–1964) at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, playing, among others, Mosca in Ben Jonson's ''Volpone'' and Gaveston ...

Anastasia Hille Anastasia Hille (born 1965) is an English film, television and theatre actress, and ceramicist. Born in London, she was a student at London's Drama Centre and won second prize at the Ian Charleson Awards in 1994 (the first prize was awarded to ...

Nikki Amuka-Bird Nikki Amuka-Bird (born 27 February 1976) is a Nigerian-born British actress of the stage, television, and film. Early life Amuka-Bird was born in Delta State, Nigeria, where her father still lives. She left there as a young child with her mo ...

, Phil Davis,

Deborah Findlay Deborah Findlay (born 23 December 1947) is an English actress. She joined a theatre company while studying English at the University of Leeds. Career Findlay has worked primarily on stage and appeared in numerous productions, including the origi ...

, Duncan Preston,

Emily Mortimer Emily Kathleen Anne Mortimer (born 6 October 1971) is a British-American actress. She began acting in stage productions and has since appeared in several film and television roles. In 2003, she won an Independent Spirit Award for her performanc ...

Philip Glenister Philip Haywood Glenister (born 10 February 1963) is an English actor. He is best known for his role as DCI Gene Hunt in the BBC series ''Life on Mars'' (2006–2007) and its sequel '' Ashes to Ashes'' (2008–2010). He also played DCI William ...

Ken Stott Kenneth Campbell Stott (born 19 October 1954) is a Scottish stage, television and film actor who won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in 1995 in the play '' Broken Glass'' at Royal National Theatre. He portrayed th ...

Brendan Coyle David "Brendan" Coyle (born 2 December 1962) is an English-Irish actor. He won the Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role for ''The Weir'' in 1999. He also played Nicholas Higgins in the miniseries '' North & South'', Robert T ...

Colin Salmon Colin Salmon (born ) is a British actor. He is known for playing Charles Robinson in three James Bond films and James "One" Shade in the ''Resident Evil'' film series. He has had roles on many television series such as ''Doctor Who'', ''Merli ...

Idris Elba Idrissa Akuna Elba (; born 6 September 1972) is an English actor.

Roberta Taylor Roberta Alexandra Mary Taylor (''née'' Roberts; born 26 February 1948) is an English actress and author. She is known for her roles of Irene Raymond in ''EastEnders'' (1997–2000), and Inspector Gina Gold in ''The Bill'' (2002–2008). Career ...

Adrian Lester Adrian Anthony Lester (born Anthony Harvey; 14 August 1968) is a British actor, director and writer. He is the recipient of a Laurence Olivier Award, an Evening Standard Theatre Award and a Critics' Circle Theatre Award for his work on the ...

Joe Absolom Joe Absolom (born 16 December 1978) is an English actor known for his roles as Matthew Rose in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' and Al Large in the ITV comedy drama '' Doc Martin''. Early life Absolom was born in Lewisham, London. A former ...

Kevin Doyle Kevin Edward Doyle (born 18 September 1983) is an Irish former professional footballer who played as a forward. He played for Wexford F.C. (formerly Wexford Youths), St Patrick's Athletic, and Cork City in his homeland before he moved to Eng ...

Nicholas Hoult Nicholas Caradoc Hoult (born 7 December 1989) is an English actor. His List of roles and awards of Nicholas Hoult, body of work includes supporting work in big-budget mainstream productions and starring roles in Independent film, independent p ...

, Adam James,

Jesse Birdsall Jesse Birdsall (born 13 February 1963) is an English actor, known for his roles as Marcus Tandy in the BBC1 soap opera '' Eldorado'', Nick Beckett in the adventure series '' Bugs'' (1995–1999), football manager Roger Webb in ''Footballers' Wiv ...

Lesley Manville Lesley Ann Manville (born 12 March 1956) is an English actress known for her frequent collaborations with Mike Leigh, appearing in the films ''Grown-Ups'' (1980), '' High Hopes'' (1988), '' Secrets & Lies'' (1996), ''Topsy-Turvy'' (1999), '' A ...

Josette Simon Josette Patricia Simon is a British actress. She trained for the stage at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, and played the part of Dayna Mellanby in the third and fourth series of the television sci-fi series ''Blake's 7'' fro ...

Neil Stuke Neil Robert Stuke (born 22 February 1966 in Deal, Kent) is an English actor best known for his role of Matthew in the TV sitcom '' Game On'' and more recently for playing Billy Lamb in the BBC legal drama ''Silk''. Career Stuke played Matthew ...

Stuart McQuarrie Stuart McQuarrie (born 19 March 1963) is a Scottish actor who has starred in several acclaimed films, including '' Trainspotting'' and ''28 Days Later''. Besides numerous film and TV appearances McQuarrie has performed extensively in theatre th ...

Paul Copley Paul Mackriell Copley (born 25 November 1944) is an English actor and voiceover artist. From 2011 to 2015 he appeared as Mr. Mason, father of William Mason, in 16 episodes of ''Downton Abbey'', and from 2020 to 2021, he appeared in the ITV soa ...

Robert Pugh Robert Pugh (born 11 October 1950) is a Welsh actor, known for his many television appearances, including the role of Craster in the HBO series ''Game of Thrones''. Life and career Pugh was born in the Tynte, Mountain Ash and grew up in Cilf ...

Melanie Hill Melanie Jane Hill (born 11 January 1962) is a British actress, known for playing Hazel Redfern in '' Auf Wiedersehen, Pet'' (1985–1986), Aveline in ''Bread'' (1986–1991), Rita Dolan in Kay Mellor drama '' Playing the Field'' (1998–2002), ...

, Chris Walker,

Jack Dee James Andrew Innes Dee (born 24 September 1961), known professionally as Jack Dee, is an English stand-up comedian, actor, presenter and writer known for his sarcasm, irony and deadpan humour. He wrote and starred in the sitcom ''Lead Balloon'' ...

, Christopher Colquhoun,

Ace Bhatti Ahsen Rafiq "Ace" Bhatti (born 13 September 1969) is a British actor who trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He has appeared in numerous television series, including ''Cardiac Arrest'', '' Holding On'', '' NCS: Manhunt'', '' ...

Richard Todd Richard Andrew Palethorpe-Todd (11 June 19193 December 2009) was an Irish-British actor known for his leading man roles of the 1950s. He received a Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Male, and an Academy Award for Best Actor n ...

Andrew Sachs Andreas Siegfried Sachs (7 April 1930 – 23 November 2016), known professionally as Andrew Sachs, was a German-born British actor and writer. He made his name on British television and found his greatest fame for his portrayal of the comical Sp ...

Suzanne Bertish Suzanne Bertish (born 7 August 1951, Hammersmith, London) is an English actress. Educated at Woldingham School, Bertish joined the Royal Shakespeare Company and appeared in many of its productions, including its marathon eight-and-a-half-ho ...

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, Stephen Moore,

Anthony Head Anthony Stewart Head (born 20 February 1954) is an English actor and singer. Primarily a performer in musical theatre, he rose to fame in the UK in the 1980s following his role in the Gold Blend couple television advertisements for Nescafé, w ...

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Sean Chapman Sean, also spelled Seán or Séan in Irish English, is a male given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish versions of the Biblical Hebrew name ''Yohanan'' (), Seán (anglicized as '' Shaun/Shawn/ Shon'') and Séan (Ulster variant; anglic ...

, Bjørn Floberg,

Marian McLoughlin Marian McLoughlin is a British actress, known for her role as Marina Bonnaire in the BBC soap opera '' Doctors''. She also played the role of Brenda Jacks in the BBC series ''Home Time'' in 2009 and Julia in ''Fast Freddie, The Widow and Me'' in ...

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, Richard Graham,

Prunella Scales Prunella Margaret Rumney West Scales (''née'' Illingworth; born 22 June 1932) is an English former actress, best known for playing Sybil Fawlty, wife of Basil Fawlty (John Cleese), in the BBC comedy '' Fawlty Towers'', her nomination for a ...

, Matthew Marsh, Philip Jackson,

Paterson Joseph Paterson D. Joseph (born 22 June 1964) is a British actor. He appeared in the Royal Shakespeare Company productions of ''King Lear'' and ''Love's Labour's Lost'' in 1990. On television he is best known for his roles in ''Casualty (TV series), Cas ...

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Neil Jackson Neil Jackson (born 5 March 1976) is an English actor, singer, musician and writer who has appeared in several television series and films, but is probably best known for his role as Marcus on '' Blade: The Series'' and Sasha on ''Make It or Brea ...

Ron Donachie Ronald Eaglesham Porter (born 26 April 1956), known professionally as Ron Donachie, is a Scottish actor. He is known for starring as DI John Rebus in the BBC Radio 4 dramatisations of the Ian Rankin "Rebus" detective novels and for his supporti ...

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, Tim Healy,

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, and

Kathy Kiera Clarke Kathy Kiera Clarke (possibly Keira) is a Northern Irish actress. She is best known for her role as Aunt Sarah in ''Derry Girls''. Career Film and television Clarke's first television role was as Bernadette Brennan in '' Head over Heels'' in ...

Home media

Australasia

In Australia (Region 4), series 1 through 23 have been released on DVD through Roadshow Entertainment, starting with series 1 on 7 September 2006 through to series 21 on 28 May 2018. Universal then took over the releases beginning with series 22 on 20 November 2019, and have re-released some earlier seasons this time as individual seasons rather than 2 season editions.

United Kingdom

As of June 2022, the first 24 series have been released on DVD, whilst all episodes from all 25 series have been made available on the

BBC iPlayer BBC iPlayer (stylised as iPLAYER or BBC iPLAYER) is a video on demand service from the BBC. The service is available on a wide range of devices, including mobile phones and tablets, personal computers and smart televisions. iPlayer services del ...

Novels

During the early years of the show, series creator McCrery wrote and published four tie-in novels relating to the series, following Sam Ryan (

), Trevor Stewart (William Armstrong) and Superintendent Tom Adams (

), and brand new character DS Stanley Sharman, with Burton generally appearing on the front cover of each novel. A fifth novel, "In Search of Evil", was due to be released in 2003, but its publication was cancelled.

References

External links

* * *{{epguides, SilentWitness, Silent Witness 1996 British television series debuts 1990s British crime drama television series 1990s British mystery television series 2000s British crime drama television series 2000s British mystery television series 2010s British crime drama television series 2010s British mystery television series 2020s British crime drama television series 2020s British mystery television series BBC crime television shows BBC high definition shows BBC television dramas Edgar Award-winning works English-language television shows Television shows about death Television shows set in the United Kingdom British crime television series Television series by BBC Studios