IN NUMBERS: Silent Witness

As the new, 21st series of the forensics drama continues (9pm, BBC1), we look at some facts and figures relating to the show, which first went on air back in 1996…

9 The number of years series creator Nigel McCrery worked as a police officer in Nottinghamshire, before retiring in 1987 because of a back injury. Silent Witness was only McCrery’s second TV creation, after the short-lived Backup (1995-97); he later created New Tricks (2003-15), too, and has written several crime novels. 2 The number of ‘leading ladies’ the show has had. Original pathologist Sam Ryan was played by Amanda Burton for seven full series, leaving the show early in season eight. Sam was replaced by Nikki Alexander, played by Emilia

Fox (centre), in late 2004. 3 The number of National Television Awards the show has won – all of them in the Most Popular Actress category, with Amanda Burton (right) taking the prize in 1998, 1999 and 2001. 12 The number of years special effects artist Paul McGuinness worked on Silent Witness. Known as The Body Man, Paul is renowned for his grisly corpses, and he is credited with creating the first realistic autopsy on British television, in the 1995 BBC drama Degrees Of Error. He recently worked on blockbuster movies Wonder Woman and Justice League. 6 The number of people, in millions, who regularly tune in – although

Silent Witness has, in the past, attracted a remarkable nine million viewers.