Emilia wants to be a real-life forensic sleuth

SILENT Witness star Emilia Fox has spent 18 years playing forensic scientist Dr Nikki Alexander — and her immersion has been so complete that she would like to do a degree in forensic science and criminology.

Ms Fox, 47, said: ‘I find the area in which my character operates absolutely fascinating and would love to acquire genuine expertise and qualifications.

‘At the moment, I am learning on the job: working with Professor David Wilson on a new series of Channel 4’s In The Footsteps

Of Killers, where we re-examine unsolved murders. But when time allows, I would be keen to study the subject more formally.’

Ms Fox has an English degree from Oxford but complains that it doesn’t help her to learn her lines. ‘Learning lines is really hard. It’s one of the most difficult parts of the job and takes me hours and hours to do.

‘I try to come up with little riddles to aid with the line learning, but the medical and scientific terminology is never less than challenging — and there’s a lot of it in the new series.’ That kicks off on May 23, with two episodes out each week, for three weeks.

Fan favourite Amanda Burton — the previous star of the series — will feature in all six episodes. She starred as pathologist Sam Ryan between 1996 and 2004, and in the show now works for a medical company, producing health passports.

She said: ‘When I got a call asking me to come back, I was blown away! I just thought: “How brilliant that they’re thinking of doing that.” I would have been mad not to do it.’