Interview with Richard Lintern

What stories can we expect from this series of Silent Witness?
This year’s Silent Witness has an amazing range of exciting stories which will take us into the minds of some highly dangerous individuals, malevolent organisations and even into the exalted arena of the American Embassy in London. Families will be torn apart, a care home appears to offer danger instead of refuge, and a highly complex data theft leads to deception and ultimately murder. As always, the body in post mortem at the Lyell speaks volumes and leads the police investigation in thrilling and unexpected ways.

We see Thomas’s daughter appear for the first time, what can you tell us about her?
Rosie is a teenage girl whose parents have separated. She comes with all the complex emotional baggage that any teenager has, and then some more on top. She’s difficult, loving, vulnerable and hard as nails all at the same time. She’s a great character who bursts unexpectedly into life at the Lyell, which challenges Thomas to cope with an emotional firestorm in addition to his work on a complex investigation. Behind all her actions is a young girl looking to her dad for his love and attention.

Do you think it’s important that Silent Witness continues to portray topical storylines?
Silent Witness goes wherever the great stories are hiding. Sometimes that takes us into the mind of a serial killer, sometimes into the heart of a social issue. The vital thing for us is how the team at the Lyell react to the forensic discoveries that they make, and how they assist the police in bringing the criminals to justice. However, the show has never shied away from dealing with topical storylines and this year is certainly no exception.

Is Thomas surprised to see Nikki back at the Lyell so soon after Mexico?
Thomas is delighted to see Nikki alive and well and back in England. Like the rest of the team, he’s concerned that her professionalism and sense of duty have brought her back to work too early after the trauma of Mexico. However, he’s wise enough to know that she doesn’t respond well to being told what to do!

What qualities do you think each member of the team each brings to the Lyell?
All great teams add up to more than the sum of their parts and the Lyell centre is no exception. Thomas is in charge, and when necessary can lead from the front with assurance and power. Clarissa is a genius for looking sideways at forensic detail and coming up with ideas no-one else had considered. She is unflappable and tough, and combines her forensic expertise with a dark wit. Clarissa and Thomas carry out a lot of the forensic study at the Lyell Centre itself. Mostly, their role is to facilitate and analyse Nikki and Jack’s investigative forensic work and to coordinate the police response from a forensic standpoint.

Nikki and Jack can be relied on for persistence, their pursuit of the facts and their second-to-none forensic experience. Jack has a fearless approach to the darker side of police investigations and Nikki combines a similar strength with an understanding of the emotional impact of the crimes being looked into.

Episode synopses

Moment Of Surrender (episodes one and two)
Written by Ed Whitmore, Directed by Charles Palmer
When Nikki’s (Emilia Fox) pathologist friend Sally Vaughn (Emma Fielding) disappears, suspicion falls on her colleague, David Cannon (Julian Rhind-Tutt), who is invited to work at the Lyell while police investigate Sally’s disappearance. Nikki is tasked with keeping close watch over his movements as his behaviour becomes increasingly erratic.

Duty Of Candour (episodes three and four)
Written by Matthew Arlidge, Directed by Destiny Ekaragha
A series of tragic events are linked to the hacking of a hospital database and the subsequent blackmailing of patients in return for silence over their guilty secrets.

A Special Relationship (episodes five and six)
Written by Graham Mitchell, Directed by Diarmuid Goggins
A US Diplomat is shot dead in a central London square, forcing Nikki (Emilia Fox), Jack (David Caves), Clarissa (Liz Carr) and Thomas (Richard Lintern) to work closely with the Embassy and the FBI to overcome jurisdictional hurdles.

One Day (episodes seven and eight)
Written by Timothy Prager, Directed by Thaddeus O’Sullivan
A road traffic accident leads to the Lyell team uncovering a large number of abuse cases in a group of homes providing assisted living to those with disabilities. The team - Clarissa in particular - has to fight not only for justice but against prejudice and discrimination.

Family (episodes nine and ten)
Written by Michael Crompton, Directed by Colin Teague
It's Christmas morning and Nikki, Jack, Thomas and Clarissa are just settling down for their respective festive celebrations when they are interrupted by a call-out to a family home - and the horrific aftermath of a shooting spree.