‘Silent Witness’: Amanda Burton Returns For 25th Anniversary
Long-running crime drama ‘Silent Witness‘ will see a familiar face return in 2022 for its 25th Anniversary season as the BBC release the first picture of Amanda Burton back on the set.
‘Silent Witness’ follows Dr Nikki Alexander (Emilia Fox) and her team of forensic pathologists as they delve in to solve various criminal cases. The cases that end up at The Lyell Centre are rarely straightforward. Initial suspicions are challenged as the evidence mounts, and Nikki and the team must work harder than ever to find the truth.
Burton first appeared in the lead role of pathologist Sam Ryan in 1996, starring in 54 episodes before leaving in 2004, when her character returned home to Northern Ireland to be with her family.
“I am so excited to be returning to Silent Witness and stepping back into Sam Ryan’s shoes – with a difference!” commented Burton. “Audiences can look forward to plenty of twists and turns as they discover what Sam’s been doing since leaving the Lyell.”
Burton’s return sees her join current cast members Emilia Fox (Nikki Alexander), David Caves (Jack Hodgson) and Genesis Lynea (Simone Tyler) for six brand new episodes which will mark the 25th Anniversary of the hugely popular prime time BBC One drama.
“It is such a delight and thrill to be working with Amanda,” adds Fox. “To have Sam Ryan back again at the heart of the show is the greatest way of all to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Silent Witness.”
The series has been through a number of cast changes over the years. Fox took over the lead role from Burton in the 8th Season, but there have been various other cast come and go throughout the run. The latest major changes saw Liz Carr and Richard Lintern exit the drama in the 23rd Season, with Simone Tyler joining the team in Season 24 to help fill the void.
“I am delighted that Amanda agreed to return to Silent Witness for its Silver Anniversary,” said Lawrence Till, Executive Producer, BBC Studios Production “Silent Witness has a large and loyal audience and remains as popular as it has ever been with audiences regularly consolidating at over six million viewers. It is fantastic to have Sam Ryan at the centre of the series again alongside our other Lyell characters for a monumental story told in six parts.”
Silent Witness is a BBC Studios production for BBC One. Executive Producers are Lawrence Till, Emilia Fox, Priscilla Parish, Caroline Levy for BBC Studios and Jo McClellan for BBC One. The BBC Commissioning Executive is Nawfal Faizullah and Nick Lambon is producer. BBC Studios handle global distribution.
“We are so excited for Amanda’s return to the show in its 25th Anniversary year and the centenary of the BBC itself,” commented Jo McClellan, Executive Producer for BBC One. “It’s a huge treat for audiences and a reminder of the legacy of this great drama over its many brilliant series and promises an exciting future for series to come.”
‘Silent Witness‘ Season 25 will premiere on BBC One in 2022. Past series of the drama are available to catch up on BBC iPlayer. If you want to keep track of this or any other shows, you can add it via our Never Miss system, and you’ll be notified when they get a UK premiere date.
