Entertainment

Silent Witness star Liz Carr explains why show should reach 25th series

The programme is returning for its 23rd series in the new year.
The programme is returning for its 23rd series in the new year. The programme is returning for its 23rd series in the new year.

Silent Witness star Liz Carr has said the BBC would be “ridiculous” if it did not allow the programme to reach 25 series.

The hit show about a team of forensic pathologists was launched in 1996 and returns for its 23rd series in the new year.

The disabled actress, who portrays scientist Clarissa Mullery, said the show should continue until viewers became bored.

Skate at Somerset House
Skate at Somerset House Emilia Fox has been at the heart of the crime drama since 2004 (Jonathan Brady/PA)

She said: “I think, for what it’s worth, I think the BBC would be ridiculous not to at least go to 25.

“We like landmarks, don’t we? But I say that, I think it’s at least that, because audiences don’t seem to be getting bored of it.

“Sometimes they do, and you can see a review going ‘oh, it’s the same old … ’. But actually it’s that same old, which is saying it’s never the same.

“But I think one of the things people love about it is the familiarity of it – it’s January, it’s cold, we’re going to hunker down with a hot drink and watch something scary and feel scared.

“So many people are like, ‘love it, love it in January because I know it’s coming round’, it’s kind of reassuring.”

Emilia Fox has been at the heart of the long-running crime drama since 2004.

She said the show’s ongoing success was down to its episodes feeling meaningful to viewers.

She said: “And not all episodes – you can’t have it always that all episodes work, but you know that there will be another episode in the series that hopefully will mean something to someone in the same way that they do for us as the actors.

“Some of the episodes mean we invest in them as much as we can, all of us I think are pretty passionate about the show.”

The new series will begin with a private plane crashing in woodland outside of London.

Pathologist Dr Nikki Alexander (Fox) is called to the scene and discovers that among the dead is the US Ambassador Jonathan Kraft.

Thomas Chamberlain (Richard Lintern) is called to investigate the apparent suicide of a businessman but ends up uncovering an unexpected connection to the crash.