Silent Witness was recommissioned for a seventeenth series earlier this year. February’s Series 16 finale saw Gaminara exit the show, having played Professor Leo Dalton since 2002.

Lintern (Spies of Warsaw, White Heat) will play Dr Thomas Chamberlain, “a talented and experienced forensic pathologist, with a renowned reputation for specialising in toxicology”.

The character is described as “a charismatic and shrewd social player and his effortless humour and political nose make him a good choice to lead the Lyell Centre after the death of Leo Dalton”.

Series 17 begins filming this month and will air early next year, with Emilia Fox returning as Forensic Pathologist Dr Nikki Alexander, alongside David Caves as Forensic Scientist Jack Hodges and Lizz Carr as Forensic Lab Scientist Clarissa Mullery.

Lintern comments: “I am delighted to be joining the cast of Silent Witness. My character Thomas Chamberlain seems destined to ruffle a few feathers, and I very much look forward to seeing how his story develops. I have enjoyed watching the show for some time now, so it is a real pleasure to be joining the production team.”

Kate Harwood, Head of Drama, England add: “I am very happy to welcome Richard Lintern to the Lyell Centre – I feel certain that Thomas Chamberlain is going to be an intelligent, charming and authoritative addition to the team and that the audience will love meeting him in Tim Prager’s bravura opening episode ‘Commodity’.”

Are you looking forward to Series 17? Let us know below…

> Buy the Series 13-14 DVD boxset on Amazon.

Watch the Series 15 trailer…