Silent Witness continues its legacy of disabled representation with Kit Brooks
The introduction of the Lyell's new crime analyst is a masterclass in authentic disability representation.
For nearly three decades, Silent Witness has remained a cornerstone of British television, enthralling viewers with carefully woven narratives of wild crime stories rooted in real life. And in its latest instalment, the show again proves why it remains essential viewing: it prioritises authentic representation of our society, particularly for disabled people.
Season 28 introduces Kit Brooks, played by Francesca Mills, the Lyell's latest crime analyst. Mills has achondroplasia, a common form of dwarfism, but so far the show has avoided any dreaded tokenism of her or her disability, allowing Kit to make a mark for all of the right reasons: her witticisms, vast intelligence, laser focus on the job and captivating facial expressions.
When we first meet the analyst via a video call interview conducted by Jack Hodgson (David Caves), there is no attempt to clumsily inform the audience of her disability, or over-the-top writing that is more focused on Kit's disability than who she is as a person and what skills she brings to the table.
Instead, her introduction is solely focused on presenting her as a three-dimensional character and not someone who is defined or tokenised through disability.
In fact, the only nod to her disability is a reference to the iconic Dr Clarissa Mullery (Liz Carr), who inspired Kit to get into the field after attending one of her lectures.
It's a fun callback, but it's also about giving disabled excellence the opportunity to recognise disabled excellence, which is something we rarely see on our screens.
That reference also highlights the significance of seeing yourself reflected in positions of power and how that can influence people to go above and beyond what they think is possible in their own lives. For those from marginalised groups, seeing others lead the way, both in real-world jobs and on-screen, makes us believe that we can follow suit, just as Kit's introduction into the world of pathology is made possible by her own determination and by Dr Mullery's trailblazing.
Silent Witness also succeeds in depicting professional environments where disabled characters thrive in roles of expertise and authority, in turn dispelling stereotypes and reinforcing that disability is not a limitation when society makes work and life more accessible.
The only references to Kit's achondroplasia are subtle nods to how she adapts to working at the Lyell, such as the scene when she walks up to Jack's desk holding a stall to sit on so that they can discuss a case. Rather than delivering a dramatic showing of accessibility accommodations that all workplaces should consider, it simply includes them as a part of Kit's routine.
That small but vital moment also demonstrates just how easily disability can be included in all work environments, something all managers and business owners watching the show should understand and implement in their own workplaces.
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While the show may choose to interweave aspects of Kit's disability into her storyline as the season progresses, so far the writers appear to be focused on developing her character as she finds her place on the team.
So far, there has been no misguided attempt to legitimise her presence by holding a big neon arrow over her head while shouting "disabled" every time she appears on screen. And while that might sound dramatic to those without disabilities, it can often feel that way if you are, courtesy of watching the sheer number of disabled roles which are cheapened by tokenistic spotlighting and unimaginative writing to prove a show or film's "inclusivity".
In an era where the entertainment industry is often criticised for superficial inclusivity, Silent Witness has managed to set itself apart through its collaboration with disabled talent. Sure, it's not perfect, and few shows are, but sincere efforts to level the playing field matter.
All we really want is for disabled people to exist on screen without being undermined or stereotyped. All we have ever wanted is an accurate representation of our UK population, which amounts to 24%. But while we're still some way off achieving that – disabled people made up about 8.3% of all contributions to UK TV in 2021 – Silent Witness's contributions represent a significant milestone.
Dr Clarissa Mullery's sardonic wit entertained audiences for years, and in 2018 the show centred an important issue within the disabled community, abuse within care homes, with brilliant disabled actors including Toby Sams-Friedman and Rosie Jones representing an often forgotten portion of our population.
And Silent Witness is continuing its long history of authentic disability representation with the introduction of Mills, the timing of which feels especially vital given that disabled people continue to be demonised as "benefit scroungers" by the mainstream press and politicians alike.
Our presence on screens and in daily life should be the norm, not an anomaly, and Kit is flying the flag for all of us. Not only is the character delightful to watch in her own right, she also demands that society's misguided stereotypes of disabled people be relegated to ancient history.
Read more:
- Silent Witness's Emilia Fox: 'Nikki is sort of paralysed by the wedding'
- Silent Witness's Emilia Fox teases new dynamics: 'Everything changes again'
Silent Witness season 28 continues on Monday 27th January on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
