Will there be another season of Silent Witness and is Emilia Fox leaving the BBC drama before its 30th anniversary?
The Silent Witness season 28 finale introduced an intriguing opportunity for Emilia Fox's Nikki Alexander and it's got us asking questions

Will there be another season of Silent Witness and is Emilia Fox leaving the show? You might be wondering as season 28 draws to an emotional close.
January might mean bleak weather and dark days but it also traditionally marks the start of a new season of Silent Witness and that’s enough to lift the spirits of any crime drama fan. This year’s series has been especially gripping, giving us a brilliant mix of thought-provoking storylines and personal developments for our favourite characters. After getting engaged in season 27, we’ve been patiently waiting for the wedding bells to ring for Dr Nikki Alexander (Emilia Fox) and forensic scientist Jack Hogdson (David Caves) in Silent Witness season 28.
With only the last two episodes, I Believe In Love… Parts 1 and 2, to go we were looking forward to what lay ahead, whilst also starting to wonder about the future of the BBC drama as Nikki was given an enticing offer. Here we reveal whether there’ll be another season of Silent Witness and if Emilia Fox is leaving the show after the season 28 finale…
*Warning: Spoilers for I Believe In Love Parts 1 and 2 Ahead*
Will there be another season of Silent Witness and is Emilia Fox leaving?
It’s a natural fear when a finale airs that a much-loved show won’t return to our screens, but thankfully Silent Witness isn’t ending and there will be another season. As reported by RadioTimes.com, the BBC confirmed in January that Silent Witness season 29 will be happening. This news will be met with relief and excitement from fans, especially as 2026 will mark the 30th anniversary of Silent Witness and no-one would want to miss that! It’s not known when it will be released but if it follows the pattern of previous seasons, it could air in January next year.
A post shared by Emilia Fox (@emiliarosefox)
A photo posted by on
The announcement that Silent Witness will be getting another season is only one part of the great news associated with the show, though. Emilia Fox and David Caves are both said to be returning in Silent Witness season 29, which is expected to show them balancing life as newlyweds (yes, Nikki and Jack did tie the knot in the season 28 finale) with the varied and intense demands of their work. Emilia Fox has played Nikki Alexander since 2004 and the determined pathologist has given us a few scares over the years - including in the latest series which left us briefly wondering if Nikki dies in Silent Witness.
However, an unexpected twist in the Silent Witness season 28 finale looked like it could take Nikki away from the Lyell Centre for a very different reason. From the moment Nikki arrives in the office in I Believe In Love… Part 1 it was clear that she was keeping something close to her chest after a meeting at the Home Office.
Sign up for the woman&home newsletter
Sign up to our free daily email for the latest royal and entertainment news, interesting opinion, expert advice on styling and beauty trends, and no-nonsense guides to the health and wellness questions you want answered.
When Jack, who, after all, is her fiancé and the person she trusts the most, asks her about it later she tells him that she doesn’t want to discuss it at work. This understandably piqued his interest - and that of fans’ - even more, especially after Lyell Centre boss Harriet Maven knowingly tells Nikki that she’s "not the only one who speaks to the Home Office" and that working with her has "meant more" than she thinks the pathologist can imagine.
At home that night Nikki finally unburdens herself to Jack and explains that she was being sounded out about setting up a new forensic centre of excellence. The forensic scientist questions whether they were interested in focusing on just pathology or science and pathology, wondering if his partner wanted to be "excellent all on [her] own".
Dr Alexander reveals that they also asked about Jack, how well she knew him and whether he could be persuaded to get on board with the new centre too. His response was keen even after she added that the centre would be based at The Bowman Laboratory at Birmingham General Hospital, meaning they’d have to relocate from London.
The only catch was the Home Office’s requirement: that Nikki would take the job at the expense of Harriet’s job as she would be forced to retire. This was a no-go for the pathologist who made her loyalty to her team clear.
"I would love to make it work, I really would. But I can’t. I’m sorry. We’re a team and a very good team. Why would you want to break that up? I’ll only do it if Harriet Maven is in charge," she said.
We never saw them give her an answer but we suspect that they accepted Nikki’s terms as both Harriet and crime analyst Kit Brooks received an email in the closing stages of I Believe In Love… Part 2. As Nikki and Jack walked down the steps after their wedding, their colleagues received an email alert regarding the Sir William Bowman Centre of Excellence in Birmingham.
Harriet said, "Well I think you’re excellent, Kit," and the analyst replied, "I think you’re excellent", before the Lyell Centre boss added, "What are we going to do?"
It’s up in the air whether Harriet and Kit will return for Silent Witness season 29. A lot of the time departing characters aren’t given a specific exit storyline, like when Velvy and Gabriel’s absence in season 28 was explained via dialogue. At least it seems like the door is open should actors Maggie Steed and Francesca Mills want to come back as their characters have been invited to join the centre in Birmingham.
Either way, it will be exciting to see how the show might change if Nikki and Jack move to Birmingham and Silent Witness’s production has moved to the West Midlands already, so making the location part of the show would make sense.
All episodes of Silent Witness are available to watch now via BBC iPlayer.
Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. She specialises in the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the latest royal outing or unmissable show to add to your to-watch list, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!
-
Sienna Miller relies on this cult classic treatment to banish dry, chapped lips
This fan-favourite buy is the answer to a soft, hydrated pout all winter long
By Sennen Prickett Published
-
I never expected Le Creuset to step out of the kitchen - their new launch is full of sustainable surprises
The new Le Creuset On The Go Collection covers lunch boxes through to food flasks: a colourful, sustainable, and stylish solution to food on the go
By Laura Honey Published
-
Does Dr Nikki Alexander die in Silent Witness?
We can't imagine Silent Witness without Nikki Alexander and here's why we were concerned about her in the new series
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Who was Professor Helen Whitwell and why were the opening episodes of Silent Witness season 28 dedicated to her?
Silent Witness Exodus 20:17 Parts 1 and 2 were in memory of Helen Whitwell and some people might be wondering who she was
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
When does the new series of Silent Witness start and how can you watch season 28?
The new series of Silent Witness is sure to make those grey winter evenings so much more thrilling and here's how and when it watch it
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Emilia Fox's Silent Witness kitchen with soothing pistachio shades and bauble lights makes us want to move in with Dr Nikki Alexander
Nikki's kitchen in Silent Witness is one of the most beautiful ones on TV right now and Emilia Fox's character has proved green is the way to go
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Will there be another season of Silent Witness, has the forensic drama finished and who could return in season 28?
Another season of Silent Witness is something all fans will be hoping for and here's all the details about whether it's definitely happening
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
Did Nikki and Jack get engaged in Silent Witness and how long have they been together? Season 27 finale takes turn for the unexpected
Did Nikki and Jack get engaged in Silent Witness? The season 27 finale Kings Cross certainly marks a change in relationship...
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
How to watch Happy Valley in the US so you don’t miss a single moment of the intense Sarah Lancashire drama
If you’ve been wondering how to watch Happy Valley in the US you’re probably not alone as the season 3 finale finished in shocking style…
By Emma Shacklock Published
-
What happened in the Silent Witness Southbay ending, are Nikki and Jack still a couple and will there be another season of the intense BBC drama?
The Silent Witness Southbay ending brought the new season to a high-octane conclusion as multiple crimes were solved by the Lyell team
By Emma Shacklock Published