The gloves are off for investigators
AT THE end of the last series, Nikki (Emilia Fox) escaped being buried alive by a Mexican drug cartel and, when the show returned for its 21st run last week, she and Jack (David Caves) were dealing with the fallout in very different ways. He is down in the gym again tonight, boxing with his sparring partner DCI Naomi Silva (Kiza Deen), and the physical aspect of the role is a winner with Northern Irishman Caves.
“Actors generally love the physical stuff because it’s immediately dynamic and you have a very strong, simple action to play,” he explains.
“For example, my fist must connect with this punch bag, or I must get this series of moves right with my partner in the scene. It’s always great to film.
“Plus, it’s so integral to who Jack is. Fighters have a very particular mindset and discipline that I love to get into when playing the part. He’s a doer and I like that he gets stuff done.”
However, Jack’s time in the gym is cut short when he is called to a crime scene.
While Nikki is busy examining the body of Karen Sawyers (Belinda McGinley), Jack is surprised to find the senior investigating officer on the case is, in fact, Naomi.
The first prime suspect, Karen’s husband Pete (Jamie Michie), is found covered in blood and clearly suffering.
The forensic evidence then leads the team to a cosmetic clinic, where a pregnant Karen had been receiving various treatments seemingly free of charge.
Nikki and Silva become frustrated when Simon Laing (Nitin Ganatra), the chief executive of Hamilton Ashe hospital, blocks their access to Karen’s medical records.
However, when a second body is discovered and all evidence leads back to Hamilton Ashe, Laing has no option but to help the team.
According to Fox, who has played Nikki for almost 14 years, this second two-part story shown over two consecutive evenings, is typical of the show in that it follows a narrative thread and also deals with a very topical issue.
“While the Silent Witness stories normally stand alone in a series, we do have some continuity for the regulars to follow (dealing with the events that happened in Mexico),” she says. “Each crime story still takes the regulars into a different world.
“The second episode explores an extremely topical subject – the tragic events linked to the hacking of a hospital database and subsequent blackmailing of the patients.”
As well as dealing with this major crime tonight, Thomas (Richard Lintern) has to adjust to a more complex role - being a father – when his daughter Rosie (Julia Hawarth) unexpectedly turns up at the Lyell.