Silent Witness adds 2 new cast members ahead of season 26 in January

The Pursuit of Love star Aki Omoshaybi (pictured below) joins the show as neurologist and pathologist Gabriel Folukoya, who has particular expertise around innovations in the field of data analysis.

Omoshaybi said: “I couldn’t be more excited to be joining such a long-running and much-loved series. Gabriel has much less practical experience than Nikki and prefers to computer model an autopsy than slice a body open, but deep-down Gabriel knows he needs people like Nikki and Jack.

"He’s at a juncture in his life where he needs to make changes, to open up more, to allow himself to be more vulnerable.”

Meanwhile, Alastair Michael (Ridley Road) will portray Velvy Schur, a trainee Anatomical Pathology Technologist (or APT), who has recently left an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community to find his own path in life – but still keeps his faith close to his heart.

Michael said: “I’m delighted to be joining the cast of Silent Witness. We meet my character Velvy as he is on a really interesting journey from within an Orthodox community into a wide secular society.

"He is still acclimatising to the change and conflicted about the life he left behind, but he is eager for new knowledge, new experiences, and new friendships.

"This curiosity can sometimes get the better of him and it might even ruffle some people's feathers. So, it'll be fun to see how that plays out in the Lyell."

Silent Witness also announced that Rhiannon May would be reprising the role of Cara Connelly – Jack's niece, who she has previously portrayed in seasons 24 and 25 – in a "more regular" capacity.

She'll return from Belfast to unexpectedly announce she is starting a university degree in Criminology and all but forces her uncle to let her stay with him.

May added: "I’m really excited to see my character Cara develop over this series as she starts her criminology degree in London.

"After leaving her overprotective mum in Belfast, she is determined to discover her own independence and find her feet in a new city. She’s hoping to spread her wings and experience the world for herself."

Silent Witness returns to BBC One and iPlayer in January 2023. Check out more of our Drama coverage or find out what's on with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.

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