BBC Silent Witness – all of the stars who have quit and reasons behind exit

Silent Witness fans were delighted when the long-running BBC crime drama returned for another series in January. However, there were a few stars viewers were gutted to see missing from the 28th season's storylines. One of them was Amanda Burton, who audiences were previously pleasantly surprised by when she made a comeback as Dr Sam Ryan for the show's 20th anniversary in 2022.

Amanda first played the pioneering forensic pathologist when the show launched in 1996, but she originally left Silent Witness after eight seasons, saying that it was "time to move on". Sadly, she was one of the big names who was missing from this year's line up, in addition to Liz Carr and other recent absentees. Here is a list of all the Silent Witness stars who have quit or been axed over the years, and the reasons why.

Amanda Burton - Dr Sam Ryan

Although Amanda publicly said her exit was down to it being time for new roles, there were reports of tensions between her and crew members on set at the time. However, these were never confirmed.

Liz Carr – Clarissa Mullery

Liz Carr joined Silent Witness as the brilliant forensic examiner Clarissa in 2013. After eight years on the show, she announced her departure in 2020. Her character explained her decision to leave by saying she wanted to "focus less on the dead and more on the living". In real life, Liz echoed that sentiment, adding: "Silent Witness has given me such an amazing opportunity to develop as an actor but I know this is the right time to take a leap of faith, leaving what I know and seeing what other opportunities await."

She later revealed that the demanding filming schedule for the BBC show previously meant she had to turn down other projects. In the years since leaving the crime drama, she has gone on to star in The Witcher, Loki, and Good Omens. Liz also continues to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities.

Richard Lintern – Thomas Chamberlain

Richard Lintern played the head of the Lyell Centre from series 17 until series 23. His final episode where Thomas died from a case involving a deadly nerve agent came as a shock to fans.

The BBC never confirmed whether Lintern chose to leave the show or if his character's death was a purely creative decision on the part of the show's writers.

Tom Ward – Harry Cunningham

Tom Ward was a fixture on Silent Witness for over a decade. His character started off as a trainee under Sam Ryan and went on to develop an on and off relationship with Nikki Alexander (Emilia Fox). On-screen, Harry left to accept a professorship in New York. Off-screen, Tom simply felt it was "the right time" to leave.

At the time the show's writer, Tim Prager, said: "When Tom Ward decided it was time for him to leave Silent Witness, he left with the gratitude of everyone involved in the show for the contribution he had made to its success."

William Gaminara – Leo Dalton

William Gaminara’s Leo Dalton joined the drama in 2002 and spent 11 seasons as a cornerstone of the Lyell team. In 2013, he too decided to move on, saying: "I have had a fantastic time on the show but feel now is the appropriate time to move on – hopefully to other ventures." His departure broke up the trio made up of William Gaminara (Leo Dalton), Tom Ward (Harry Cunningham), and Emilia Fox (Nikki Alexander) that defined the show’s golden era.

Ruth McCabe – Wyn Ryan

Ruth McCabe played Wyn Ryan, Sam’s sister, who had a pivotal role in the show's earlier seasons. Her character's move to Ireland was given as one of the reasons behind Sam Ryan's eventual exit. Ruth left during series three, and went on to appear in Catastrophe, My Left Foot, and Women on the Verge.

John McGlynn – Tom Adams

Detective Chief Inspector Tom Adams, who was played by John McGlynn, was part of the original cast but only for the show’s debut season. Since leaving Silent Witness McGlynn has been featured in productions such as Taggart, Heartbeat, and White Lines.

Clare Higgins – Helen Farm / Professor Katherine Dukes

Clare Higgins came aboard the crime drama in the role of Tom’s mentor Helen Farm during the first series. Her early departure left fans wondering why she left, though no reason was ever made public. In a shock twist, Clare returned to Silent Witness in 2020 as a completely new character – Professor Katherine Dukes.

Jaye Griffiths – DI Jayne Hurst / Janet Mander

Jaye Griffiths played several different roles in Silent Witness. Her first stint on the drama was as DI Jayne Hurst, before she returned as Janet Mander in multiple episodes. She last appeared in 2012, and hasn’t made a comeback since.

Ruth Gemmell – Kerry Cox / Beth Ashdown / Ellie Brooke

Ruth Gemmell has played three different characters on Silent Witness. The most notable one was DC Kerry Cox, whose tragic on-screen death in a freak accident stunned viewers watching the first series. In 2006, she returned as DI Beth Ashdown, and again in 2014 as Ellie Brooke. Now she is best recognised as Lady Violet from Bridgerton.