Silent Witness season 28 cast: Meet the characters

"Nikki’s a little bit in denial about it, like the organisation of wedding preparation and what kind of wedding they’re going to have at this stage in their lives, which I think is a really interesting thing."

Fox added: "[They're] two people who have been great friends and have loved each other and supported each other in different ways. Then they’ve admitted their love for each other and come together, and then seeing whether they can work together and have a relationship together.

"Then this is this next stage of commitment and what that means. And so, Harriet and Kit coming in also give those eyes on how they’re both doing with that and with the preparations.

"There's lovely little insights – there’s three females with Jack … so there’s real fun with that."

Alongside that, some new faces have joined the Lyell, which you can read all about below.

Silent Witness season 28 cast

The main cast of Silent Witness is as follows:

• Emilia Fox plays Nikki Alexander
• David Caves plays Jack Hodgson
• Maggie Steed plays Harriet Maven
• Francesca Mills plays Kit Brooks

For more about the major players in Silent Witness season 28, read on...

Emilia Fox plays Nikki Alexander

Who is Nikki Alexander? Brought up in South Africa, Nikki chose to stay in England following her parents' death and joined the Lyell team all the way back in 2004.

Curious and open-minded, she can be impetuous, but always rises to the challenge when she's up against it. Since first joining the team, Nikki has grown into a skilled and confident pathologist – and she has dealt with a lot of extremely challenging situations, including saving Jack's life in season 16.

After sharing a kiss with Jack at the end of season 24 and their relationship growing in seasons 25, 26 and 27, the pair are now engaged.

"The reaction of fans to the proposal at the end of the last series was amazing," said Fox. "It's the best, most wonderful feeling when the audience really like something and feel that they've got what they wanted.

"The relationship between Jack and Nikki has been running over such a long period of time, and the expectation has been so great about what would or wouldn't happen, that we wanted that to be rewarded in the way that the proposal took place. There was a surprise element to it, but it reflected into what they do as well. The proposal had all of that."

What else has Emilia Fox been in? Fox first rose to prominence following her turn in Roman Polanski's 2002 film The Pianist and went on to land a number of big-screen roles including The Soul Keeper, 3 Blind Mice and The Republic of Love. Small-screen credits in addition to her long-running Silent Witness stint include roles on Merlin, Delicious and The Trial of Christine Keeler.

David Caves plays Jack Hodgson

Who is Jack Hodgson? Straight-talking and quick-witted, Jack is the Lyell Centre's talented and head-strong lead forensic scientist. Guided by his instincts, he relishes a challenge and is confident in his own ability. He possesses the humility to admit his mistakes, but isn't afraid to ruffle a few feathers when necessary.

In the season 27 finale, Jack finally proposed to Nikki and is now hyper-focused on organising the perfect wedding.

"The series is about balancing," said Caves. "How do you organise a wedding when you're doing this job? It doesn't feel like it's the most conducive job to romance!

"But the people I’ve met who do these jobs have lives, they're married, they have children, they have a great take on life because they know what the other side is like. Jack and Nikki’s great strength has been finding that love in each other and letting that flourish. In this series, we definitely see that blossom."

What else has David Caves been in? Although best known for his role as Jack – who he has played since 2013 – Caves has also appeared in the film Jackie, and has a number of theatre credits to his name, including a critically-acclaimed turn as Petruchio for the Royal Shakespeare Company's The Taming of the Shrew in 2011.

Maggie Steed plays Harriet Maven

Who is Harriet Maven? The new head of The Lyell Centre.

"She's a very bright woman," said Steed. "She doesn't suffer fools gladly and has a highly developed sense of humour. She values loyalty and skill and honesty, and she's got a light touch. She can mess up, so she's not holier than thou. She's also done lots of other things in her life. She's had the corners knocked off her over the years. There are big, rich knots there to untangle, which is marvellous.

"What Harriet does in the series reflects her character. She is not a cipher. I also very much like the fact that she would protect Nikki and Jack come hell or high water and has enormous respect for their work. They're very bold, and they sometimes push the envelope, but she would always protect their right to do so."

What else has Maggie Steed been in? You might have watched her in EastEnders, Shine on Hervey Moon, Pie in the Sky, Born and Bred, Chewing Gum and Ten Percent.

Francesca Mills plays Kit Brooks

Who is Kit Brooks? A crime analyst who joins the Lyell shortly after Harriet.

"She's bright-eyed, very eager, and very clever," said Mills. "She has got a brain that I think works faster than her. Things are coming out of her mouth, live, as they are processing."

What else has Francesca Mills been in? You might know her from Harlots, Worzel Gummidge, Pistol and The Witcher: Blood Origin.

Silent Witness season 28 guest stars

Episodes 1 and 2 - Exodus 20:17

• Sean Pertwee (Gotham, The Night Caller) as DI John Flynn.
• David Hargreaves (Albion Market, Merseybeat) as Benjamin Dawson.
• Charlie Rix (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) as Matthew Harris.
• Sam Gittins (The Bastard Son & the Devil Himself) as Thomas Mayhew.
• Jason Callender (Malory Towers, 4 O'Clock Club) as Gary Baxter.
• Kate Okello as Lauren Baxter.
• Amy Booth-Steel (Nolly) as PC Greenwood.

Silent Witness season 28 will begin airing on Monday 6th January 2025 at 9pm on BBC One, with the second episode set to air on Tuesday 7th January at 9pm.

All 27 seasons of Silent Witness are available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.

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