Silent Witness gets major series 28 update as Midsomer Murders actor set to star

It's great news for Silent Witness fans as the hit BBC crime drama is returning to our screens very soon. 

The 28th season will arrive on our screens on Monday 6 January, 2025, airing on BBC One and iPlayer at 9pm. 

Fans can look forward to some fresh faces in the cast with Maggie Steed (Rivals, Midsomer Murders) set to make her debut as Lyell's new head, Harriet Maven, while Francesca Mills (The Witcher: Blood Origin) will portray Kit Brooks, a Crime Analyst who works with Jack.

© BBC Studios

They'll be joined by leading stars Emilia Fox and David Caves, who play Dr Nikki Alexander and Jack Hodgson respectively. 

The upcoming series, which will tell five new stories over ten episodes, will see Dr Nikki and Jack back at the Lyell as they tackle more intriguing cases, including the disturbing discovery of an elderly woman's body in a cave. 

© BBC Studios

It's not yet been confirmed whether Alastair Michael, Aki Omoshaybi and Rhiannon May will return as Velvy Schur, Gabriel Folukoya and Cara Connelly from season 27.

On joining the cast, Maggie said: "I was delighted to be asked to join Silent Witness. I've enjoyed it many times over the years and it's always been the most intriguing and entertaining series going, so it's been a thrill to join."

© BBC Studios

Meanwhile, Francesca said she was "thrilled" to be joining "such a long-running, much-loved series as Silent Witness and I really look forward to being a part of the stellar cast," adding: "This will be the 28th Series, and it is still going from strength to strength."

Fans will be pleased to know that the 2026 series has already been confirmed, with pre-production currently underway in Birmingham and filming scheduled to begin early next year. 

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When we last visited the Lyell, viewers watched as Jack got down on one knee and proposed to Nikki. Fans have been deeply invested in their 'will-they-won't-they' relationship over the last few seasons, which finally came to a head in series 26 when the pair confessed their feelings for each other.

Opening up about Nikki and Jack's relationship, Emilia previously told HELLO!: "What you're seeing is their friendship which has turned into a relationship and hopefully seeing a side of them which can work, [where they can] work together and love each other and then who knows what's going to happen in the future. I'm all for Jack and Nikki."