Silent Witness's Nikki Alexander given impossible choice in season 26 premiere
"You want me to kill your father?" **Warning: This article contains spoilers for Silent Witness season 26 episode 1**
Silent Witness returned to our screens tonight (Monday 2nd January) for season 26, with Nikki Alexander, Jack Hodgson and co harnessing their brain power to solve a gripping new case.
Senior VP of a top London investment bank Anthony Drinkwater, who has links to Italian mafia clan the 'Ndrangheta, is found dead after falling from a skyscraper. And an undercover police officer named Christopher who was looking into the organised crime group is also believed to have been murdered and fed to some pigs.
During her examination of the dead swine, Nikki uncovers an SD card containing key evidence.
"Chris thought he was getting close," says National Crime Agency boss Laine Cassidy. "He thought he'd uncovered a major asset in the city, right at the top, hiding in plain sight."
While working late at the lab, Nikki receives a threatening note, handed to her by Chloe, one of her students, which reads: "Delete the files. Destroy the card. No police."
Despite the warning, Nikki takes the card and the note to the authorities in the hope that it will lead them to the wife and daughter of Stephen Ross, who is currently being held in police custody.
But it emerges that Stephen's daughter has been right under Nikki's nose for quite some time.
In the final moments of episode 1, the pathologist learns that Chloe is Stephen's daughter Serena, and like her father she is under the control of the 'Ndrangheta.
Serena tells Nikki to go to the safe house where her dad is being kept and kill him to prevent him from spilling any more of the group's secrets.
"We don't have a choice," says Serena. "Either you kill him, or they kill me and my mother. And they'll get my brother, too. It's just a matter of time.
"And then they'll come for you."
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As you'd expect, Nikki is appalled by her predicament.
"You want me to kill your father?!" she says, her horror palpable.
"It's him or us," replies Serena before she's summoned by those who control her, leaving Nikki alone in the street with her dilemma.
Silent Witness continues on Tuesday 3rd January at 9pm on BBC One. Check out more of our Drama coverage or find out what's on with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
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Authors
Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor for Radio Times, covering TV drama and comedy titles. She previously worked at Digital Spy as a TV writer, and as a content writer at Mumsnet. She possesses a postgraduate diploma and a degree in English Studies.
