It wouldn’t be January without a new series of Silent Witness, and this time Four Weddings and a Funeral legend John Hannah joins the cast of the episode Effective Range.
The longest-running TV crime drama series is back with series 27. And, as usual, there are some pretty impressive guest stars appearing in the series… Watch out for Hermione Norris, who pops up later in the run.
But first, episode 1 and 2, which go out on Monday, January 08, and Tuesday, January 09, at 9pm on BBC One. The first two-hander of 10 episodes sees Nikki and Jack investigate a murder bearing all the hallmarks of a notorious serial killer…
When Nikki meets the pathologist who conducted the original post-mortems, she discovers his wife was the suspected fifth victim of the serial killer, but nobody believed him when he claimed to know where to find her body.
Here’s everything you need to know about the guest stars who appear in Silent Witness episode Effective Range.
Silent Witness Effective Range cast: John Hannah guest stars as Dr Charles Beck
In Effective Range, Nikki and Jack investigate a crime that is reminiscent of a cold case… Their victim has been throttled with a washing line cord before being dumped at an altar in an Ealing church – and the murder matches one committed 20 years ago.
At that time, the prime suspect was a man called Calvin Dunn, who subsequently vanished. Has he resurfaced two decades later to continue his killing spree? Or is the new murder a copycat killing?
John Hannah plays Dr Charles Beck, the pathologist who conducted the original post-mortems. Nikki soon discovers that his wife was the suspected fifth victim of the serial killer. However, nobody believed him when he claimed to know where to find her body.
Of course, film fans will know 61-year-old John best as Matthew in the classic Richard Curtis flick Four Weddings and a Funeral. He was deservedly nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. His reading of WH Auden’s Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone broke our hearts at Gareth’s funeral.
Scottish-born John went on to star in the 1998 film Sliding Doors, as well as The Mummy franchise. He’s appeared in dozens more films, including The Hurricane, The Intruder, Circus, and The Words.
He’s also well known for his TV roles, most notably playing Dr Iain McCallum in McCallum, and DI John Rebus in Rebus. He’a also appeared in New Street Law, Cold Blood, Spartacus, A Touch of Cloth, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Most recently, John starred as Richard King in the latest series of Black Mirror, and Dr Neuman in the award-winning The Last of Us. Fans of the HBO series will know that Dr Neuman was the scientist/epidemiologist who appeared on a talk show segment in 1968. On the show, he discussed how fungus was the greatest threat to mankind.
Josette Simon plays DCI Ford in Silent Witness Effective Range cast
Leicester-born actress Josette Simon OBE guest stars as DCI Ford in Silent Witness series 27 episode Effective Force. But it’s not the first time she’s popped up in the crime drama!
In fact, Josette has appeared in the series twice before. In 1998, she played DCI Jo Hoskins in the series three episode Divided Loyalties. She returned to play a different character – Mrs Ferris – in series 14 episode First Casualty.
This time, her character DCI Ford works alongside Nikki and Jack in an attempt to find the sick killer at the heart of the drama. Josette is a well known face from theatre, film and TV.
Sci-fi fans might know her best for playing the part of Dayna Mellanby in the third and fourth series of TV series Blake’s 7 from 1980 to 1981. In 1993, she starred alongside Brenda Fricker in the two-part television series Seekers, written by Lynda La Plante.
More recently, Josette Simon starred as Angela Regan in the Netflix series Anatomy of Scandal. She also played Maya in BBC One series The Split, alongside Nicola Walker and Stephen Mangan.
She also played Miriam in the cast of Crossfire, opposite Keelay Hawes. The actress was famously the first black woman to appear in a Royal Shakespeare Company play when she first featured in 1982.
Who else stars in Silent Witness series 27 episode Effective Force?
Of course, the lead roles of Dr Nikki Alexander and Jack Hodgson are played by Emilia Fox and David Caves.
Aki Omoshaybi returns as Professor Gabriel Folukoya, while Alastair Michael stars as Velvy Schur. Rhiannon May portrays Jack’s niece Cara Connelly.
Meanwhile, the not-ugly Leo Staar portrays the prime suspect in the original murder case, Calvin Dunn. TV viewers will recognise the actor from playing Alec Jesmond in Call the Midwife series 2 and 3. Leo also portrayed Inspector LaPointe in Maigret, and Denning in Summer of Rockets.
Elsewhere, Doctors’ Joanna Burnett stars as PC Patel, relative newcomer Charlie Beck is PC Spencer, and Clean Sweep actor Trevor Kaneswaran is DC Leo Naziri. Guilt star Anders Hayward portrays Lee Dunn, and Emily John stars as Mia Dunn. Emily recently played Ceinwyn in The Winter King.
Doctors fans will recognise Laura White, who plays Aysha Marsh. Laura starred as Dr. Princess Buchanan in the medical soap from 2022 to 2023.
In the second part of the two-hander, Humans’ Paul Keating stars as Dominic Johnson, Christopher Hatherall – who played DCS John Domaille in The Long Shadow – is Pat, and Halo’s Casper Knopf is a young Lee Dunn.
Read more: Silent Witness fans beg BBC to save show with Clarissa comeback
Silent Witness series 27 starts on Monday, January 08, 2024 at 9pm on BBC One.
Are you glad Silent Witness is back? Who would you like to see guest star in the series? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.