Silent Witness has returned for its 27th series on the BBC, with the team of forensic pathologists at the Lyell Centre returning once again to solve a new batch of cases.

Alongside the usual crime-drama storylines, Dr Nikki Alexander (Emilia Fox) and Jack Hodgson (David Caves) are continuing to navigate their relationship whilst working with each other.

The opening two episodes deal with a murder in a church which sparks similarities to a case that was undertaken 20 years earlier.

Meanwhile, across the rest of the series, there will be death on a university campus, a mummified corpse will be uncovered, multiple bodies are found entombed beneath a train station in a makeshift mass grave and "the Lyell is infiltrated by a malevolent force," the Radio Times reports.

Guests stars in the latest series of Silent Witness include John Hannah (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Sliding Doors, The Mummy) and Kevin McNally (Pirates of the Caribbean series).

BBC Silent Witness series 27 full cast

The regular members of the cast of Silent Witness are:

  • Emilia Fox as Dr Nikki Alexander
  • David Caves as Jack Hodgson
  • Alastair Michael as Velvy Schur
  • Aki Omoshaybi as Gabriel Folukoya
  • Rhiannon May as Cara Connelly

Guest stars for series 27 will include:

  • John Hannah as Dr Charles Beck (Episodes 1 and 2)
  • Josette Simon as DCI Ford (Episodes 1 and 2)
  • Leo Staar as Calvin Dunn (Episodes 1 and 2)
  • Kevin McNally as Professor Peter Cherry (Episodes 3 and 4)
  • John Thomson as DI Warren Bull (Episodes 3 and 4)
  • Isobel Wood as Celeste Locke (Episodes 3 and 4)
  • Nadine Marshall as DI Sarah Torres (Episodes 5 and 6)
  • Julie Graham as Elinor Shaw (Episodes 7 and 8)
  • Sean Pertwee as DI John Flynn (Episodes 7 and 8)
  • Molly Harris as May Lwin (Episodes 7 and 8)
  • Cavan Clerkin as Ian Fish (Episodes 7 and 8)
  • Hermione Norris as CS Sheila Court (Episodes 9 and 10)
  • Neil Pearson as DI Steve Tudor (Episodes 9 and 10)

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When will Silent Witness series 27 be on TV?

The first episode of series 27 of Silent Witness aired at 9pm on Monday, January 8 with the second following on tonight (Tuesday, January 9) in the same timeslot.

Following that episode 3 will air at 9pm on Monday, January 15 but due to FA Cup football airing on Tuesday, January 16 episode 4 will be pushed back to Monday, January 22.

After that, the episodes will go back to their normal schedule briefly with episodes 5 and 6 airing on Monday, January 29 and Tuesday, January 30.

Episode 7 will air at the usual time on Monday, February 5 but due to FA Cup football being aired on the BBC again episode 8 is delayed to 9pm on Wednesday, February 7.

Episodes 9 and 10 are currently scheduled to air in the regular timeslot on Monday, February 12 and Tuesday, February 13.

Alternatively, episodes 1 and 2 are available to watch on the BBC iPlayer right now, with each two-parter being available from the respective Monday at 8am on the service in the week they are set to air.