SILENT Witness is set to return to our screen for its TWENTY-SIXTH series tonight after a long-awaited return.
The BBC crime drama first aired back in 1996 and has been a fan favourite ever since.
Silent Witness has returned to our screensCredit: Alamy
Over the past 27 years a number of famous faces have landed roles in the much-loved show.
Emilia Fox is back as Dr Nikki Alexander in the show where she will be assisted by the National Crime Agency to delve into this season’s stories.
During this series, Dr Nikki and Jack Hodgson (David Caves) will find themselves involved with a notorious mafia group known as the Ndrangheta.
The show debuts tonight with the first part of the opening episode, before the second half airs tomorrow night on BBC One.
A synopsis for the hotly-anticipated premiere reads: “When a man is thrown from a high-rise building, the team are propelled into the criminal underworld of a notorious mafia group, the Ndrangheta.
“Aided by the National Crime Agency, Nikki and her team set about uncovering the truth.”
The twenty-sixth series airs across 10 episodes with fans able to watch two a week.
But have you ever wondered where the original cast of Silent Witness are now?
Let’s take a look…
Amanda Burton (Sam Ryan)
Amanda played Sam Ryan from 1996 to 2004Credit: Alamy
She recently played Karen Fisher in MarcellaCredit: Alamy
Amanda, 64, played Dr Sam Ryan for a whopping eight series from 1996 to 2004.
She took on the role of the protagonist for a total of 54 episodes, who was a forensic pathologist.
During her time on the show she also starred in Forgotten, Little Bird and Pollyanna.
After her stint on Silent Witness she starred in BBC’s Waterloo Road as Karen Fisher, ITV’s Marcella as Karen Fisher and Carole Latimer in Midsomer Murders.
Amanda made a return to the show last year for the twenty-fifth series after a number of years away.
William Armstrong (Trevor Stewart)
William played Dr Sam Ryan’s colleague TrevorCredit: Alamy
The actor is from Canada and has played roles in various other showsCredit: Sourced
The Canadian actor, 67, starred in Silent Witness as Sam Ryan’s colleague Trevor from 1996 to 1998.
William has kept himself out of the limelight since, but has taken part in a number of impressive films.
In 2005 he starred in horror film A Sound Of Thunder, two years later he landed a role in La Vie En Rose and in 2008 he was in The Dark Knight.
Sam Parks (Fred Dale)
Sam’s character didn’t say much in Silent WitnessCredit: BBC IPLAYER
Sam Parks has kept a low profile since his stint on the showCredit: IDMB
Sam’s alter-ego Fred was Dr Sam Ryan’s main assistant who helped her at post mortems, identified DNA and helped her solve the crime.
He never spoke on the show and left after season three.
Sam went on to star in Les Miserables in 2012 and most recently Last Night in Soho.
Ruth McCabe (Wyn Ryan)
Ruth McCabe played Wyn from 1996 to 1998Credit: IDMB
Ruth pictured at the Irish Film and Television Awards in 2011Credit: Getty
Irish actress Ruth took on the role of Sam Ryan’s older sister Wyn from season one to three.
Her alter-ego also had a son called Ricky.
Four years after her stint on the BBC1 show she played Margaret McCutcheon in Any Time Now, Ma Braden in Breakfast on Pluto and Mother Barbara in Philomena.
Ruth Gemmel (Kerry Cox)
Ruth’s character was a trainee police officer
Ruth returned to Silent witness as two different characters after playing KerryCredit: Getty
Ruth – who has Utopia, Casualty and Midsomer Murders – played trainee copper Kerry Cox.
After the first series she was killed off.
In 2006 she returned as DI Beth Ashdown in the second episode of Terminus, and again in 2014 as Ellie Brooke.
The actress has gone on to star in a huge list of TV programmes and films.
Some include The Bill, Holby City, the Tracy Beaker franchise and Netflix’s Bridgerton.
Matthew Steer (Ricky Ryan)
Matthew played teen Ricky RyanCredit: IMDB
Actor and writer Matthew, 43, played teenager Ricky Ryan – the nephew of protagonist Sam.
He’s also been in Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part one, Hamlet, Afer Ever After and Siblings.
Other credits include The Crown, Cinderella and Les Misérables.
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