Richard Lintern - Dr. Thomas Chamberlin

Richard Lintern has played Dr. Thomas Chamberlin, Head of the Lyell Centre, in BBC One’s Silent Witness since 2014.

Published: 29 December 2016
I had to dig a bullet out of someone’s shoulder and the skin I cut into looked so real I felt myself wincing. The make-up and prosthetics teams on Silent Witness do an amazing job.
— Richard Lintern

Twenty years of Silent Witness is a huge milestone. What stories can we expect from this Anniversary series of the show?

As always the writing team on Silent Witness have come up with some amazing stories for the new series. We move from the war in Syria and its consequences on the streets of London, to an amazing story set amongst the drug cartels of Mexico. We also focus on the River Thames, DNA profiling and the influence of the internet on new forms of criminology. I'm really proud of the new series and can't wait to see the stories unfold in the New Year.

What is your most memorable moment since starting on the show?

My first ever post mortem. I had to dig a bullet out of someone’s shoulder and the skin I cut into looked so real I felt myself wincing. The make-up and prosthetics teams on Silent Witness do an amazing job.

Is there one story you are really proud of this series involving Thomas?

Thomas gets out and does some investigative work in a story called Discovery and that was a real pleasure to film. It’s great to feel the character developing and stretching his wings.

What do you think is the secret to the shows continuing success?

I think it’s a great leading lady, a great technical team, and the loyal support of a great audience. We work really hard to try to make each new series fresh and exciting.

Do you think it’s important that Silent Witness continues to tackle important topical storylines?

The only way for a programme to last in the way Silent Witness has is to continually evolve, challenge itself and take nothing for granted. Our writers and producers are always searching the news for a storyline that will excite our audience, so topical storylines will always be a part of what we do. At the same time the story itself has to be combined with a human and emotional response that makes the whole thing come alive. This series will hopefully engage, challenge and most importantly entertain our viewers as we've done in the past, I hope you enjoy it!