''Silent Witness'' is a BBC thriller series focusing on a team of forensic pathology experts and their investigations into various crimes. First broadcast in 1996, the fourteenth series was broadcast beginning 3 January 2011. The series was created by Nigel McCrery, a former murder squad detective in Nottingham. He later went on to create the hit series ''New Tricks'' with Roy Mitchell. The series was based on Prof. Helen Witwell, a forensic pathologist based in Sheffield, whom McCrery had known while serving as a police officer. The series normally attracts around seven million viewers in the UK. In the United States, the show aired during 'Mystery Monday' on BBC America. It airs in Norway using the name "Tause vitner" on the Norwegian Broadcast Channel NRK, in the Netherlands by public broadcaster KRO and in Belgium on VRT channel Canvas.

''Silent Witness'' has been criticised for gruesome and harrowing scenes as well as for its failure to convey the work of forensic pathologists accurately. Nevertheless, fifteen years after its inception, it continues to achieve good audience ratings.

Overview

The programme originally followed the activities of a female pathologist, Dr Sam Ryan (who was promoted to professor part way through the series), played by Amanda Burton. However, Ryan's character departed early in the eighth series in 2004. There had been a succession of regular supporting characters, changing almost every series, but Dr Leo Dalton (William Gaminara) and Dr Harry Cunningham (Tom Ward), who were introduced in the sixth series in 2002, remained in the series and continued as lead characters following Ryan's departure, with Dalton replacing her as professor. A new character, Dr Nikki Alexander (Emilia Fox), was introduced to the team in the eighth series in 2004. She began as a forensic anthropologist, not a pathologist, and was originally enlisted by the team to help analyse bones. Alexander was later represented as having the necessary qualifications to fill the vacancy for a pathologist left by Professor Ryan, although she was initially stated to have a PhD in anthropology and not a medical qualification. She has, however, since been represented as medically qualified. Some early series were set in Cambridge, but it was later relocated to London.

The programme is typically made up of a series of two-part stories, usually with six to eight episodes per series. The theme music for Silent Witness is a song called "Silencium" by John Harle. The incidental music for Silent Witness (Series 9 - present) is written by BAFTA nominated composer Sheridan Tongue. In 1998, writer John Milne received an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for the Series 2 episode "Blood, Sweat, and Tears".

Characters

Dr. Nikki Alexander, forensic anthropologist / forensic pathologist - Emilia Fox (Series 8 – present)

Prof. Leo Dalton MBE , forensic pathologist - William Gaminara (Series 6 – present)

Dr. Harry Cunningham, forensic pathologist - Tom Ward (Series 6 – 14)

Prof. Sam Ryan, forensic pathologist - Amanda Burton (Series 1 – 8)

Supporting Cast

Zak Khan, Mortuary Technician - Arsher Ali (Series 14 - present) Professor Janet Mander, Geographical Profiler - Jaye Griffiths (Series 12 - present)

Dr. Trevor Stewart, forensic pathologist - William Armstrong (Series 1 – 3)

Episodes

Parodies

The approach of the show, portraying a pathologist as having an active role in the crime investigation, was parodied by British comedic duo French and Saunders as 'Witless Silence'.

''Dead Ringers'' also parodied ''Silent Witness'', with Sam Ryan as an overconfident pathologist who makes incredibly specific guesses about the body; for example, 'Just by looking I can tell that this was a man aged 35–37 called John, having an affair with his secretary', only to be proved wrong by one of her assistants ('no that's an onion bagel I got for your lunch'). She then refuses to accept her mistake claiming 'wrong? Oh, I'm never wrong. I'm forensics professor Sam Ryan PhD'.

See also

The use of ''forensic pathology'' in the investigation of crime has been the central theme of several TV mystery-suspense dramas, including:

''Wojeck'', Canada (CBC), 1966

''Quincy, M.E.'', US (NBC), 1976

''Waking the Dead'', UK (BBC), 2000

''Da Vinci's Inquest'', Canada (CBC), 1998

References

External links

''Silent Witness'' at bbc.co.uk

''Schism'' shooting script at BBC Writers Room

Title Music : '' Silencium '' by John Harle

Category:1996 in British television Category:1996 television series debuts Category:1990s British television series Category:2000s British television series Category:2010s British television series Category:BBC television dramas Category:Crime television series Category:Edgar Award winning works

de:Gerichtsmediziner Dr. Leo Dalton fr:Affaires non classées it:Silent Witness nl:Silent Witness no:Tause vitner pl:Milczący świadek sk:Tichý svedok

Coordinates	36.34°′″N43.13°′″N
name	Benedict Cumberbatch
birthname	Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch
birth date	July 19, 1976
birth place	London, England
occupation	Actor
yearsactive	2001–present
parents	Timothy CarltonWanda Ventham
spouse	}}

Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch (born 19 July 1976) is an English film, television, and theatre actor. His most acclaimed roles include: Stephen Hawking in the BBC drama ''Hawking'' (2004); William Pitt in the historical film ''Amazing Grace'' (2006); the protagonist Stephen Ezard in the miniseries thriller ''The Last Enemy'' (2008); Paul Marshall in ''Atonement'' (2007); Bernard in ''Small Island'' (2009); and Sherlock Holmes in the modern BBC adaptation series ''Sherlock'' (2010). He will also be the voices of both Smaug the Dragon and the Necromancer in ''The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey''.

Early life and education

Cumberbatch was born in London, England, the son of actors Timothy Carlton (birth name Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch) and Wanda Ventham.

Cumberbatch was educated at two independent schools, Brambletye School in West Sussex and Harrow School in northwest London, where he began performing as an actor. After school, he took a gap year to teach English in a Tibetan monastery. He then attended the University of Manchester, where he studied drama. After graduating, Cumberbatch continued his training as an actor at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

Career

Theatre

Since 2001, Cumberbatch has had major roles in a dozen classic plays at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, Almeida Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, and the National Theatre. He was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role for his performance as Tesman in ''Hedda Gabler'', a role he performed at the Almeida Theatre on 16 March 2005, as well as at the Duke of York's Theatre when it transferred to the West End on 19 May 2005.

Cumberbatch acted in ''The Children’s Monologues'', a star-studded theatrical event at London's Old Vic Theatre on 14 November 2010. The show was produced by Dramatic Need. In February 2011, he began playing, on alternate nights, both Dr Frankenstein and his creature, opposite Jonny Lee Miller, in the stage adaptation of Mary Shelley's ''Frankenstein'' at the National Theatre. ''Frankenstein'' was broadcast to cinemas as a part of National Theatre Live in March 2011. Both ''The Children’s Monologues'' and ''Frankenstein'' are directed by Danny Boyle.

Television

Cumberbatch's television roles include two separate guest roles in ''Heartbeat'' (2000, 2004), Freddy in ''Tipping the Velvet'' (2002), Edward Hand in ''Cambridge Spies'' (2003), and Rory in the ITV comedy drama series ''Fortysomething'' (2003). He was also featured in ''Spooks'' and ''Silent Witness''.

In 2004, he starred as Stephen Hawking in ''Hawking''. He was nominated for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor and won the Golden Nymph for Television Films – Best Performance by an Actor. (He later provided Hawking's voice in the first episode of the Curiosity television series.) He also appeared in the BBC miniseries Dunkirk as Lieutenant Jimmy Langley.

In 2005, Cumberbatch starred as the protagonist Edmund Talbot in the miniseries ''To The Ends of the Earth'', based on William Golding's trilogy. Director David Attwood said:

We found Benedict Cumberbatch fairly early. We needed a very good actor, someone young enough to be believable as an aristocratic, an almost slightly dislikeable character who is an adolescent in terms of his views of the world, his upbringing. But we also needed someone who could hold the screen for four and half hours, in every scene. We needed someone with experience who was not only a very good actor, but also with terrific comic timing. Benedict was the ideal answer to that.

Producer Lynn Horsford added:

Benedict was remarkable. He carried the Golding novels with him on set and constantly referred to them. We needed him every single day and he just didn't stop, nor complain. He simply became Edmund Talbot. And that commitment spread to every cast member. The process of making this film echoed the journey the characters went on in the story—we really got to know each other during our four months on location and we became very close.

He also made brief appearances in the comedy sketch show ''Broken News'' in 2005.

Cumberbatch next starred alongside Tom Hardy in the television adaptation of the book ''Stuart: A Life Backwards'', which aired on the BBC in September 2007. In 2008, he starred in the BBC miniseries drama ''The Last Enemy'', for which he was nominated for a Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Film.

In 2009, Cumberbatch starred in ''Marple: Murder Is Easy'' as Luke Fitzwilliam. Also in 2009, he played Bernard in the TV adaptation of ''Small Island''; the performance earned him a nomination for BAFTA Television Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Cumberbatch narrated the 6-part series ''South Pacific'' (U.S. title: ''Wild Pacific''), which aired May to June 2009 on BBC 2.

Cumberbatch, a fan of long-running British science fiction show ''Doctor Who'', suggested in a July 2010 interview that he would be interested in appearing as a main or recurring character on the show, run by ''Sherlock'' producer and personal friend Steven Moffat. In 2008 he had discussed with David Tennant taking over the part of The Doctor but had decided not to try for the role.

In 2010, Cumberbatch portrayed Vincent van Gogh in ''Van Gogh: Painted with Words''. ''The Telegraph'' called his performance "[a] treat ... vividly bringing Van Gogh to impassioned, blue-eyed life." Also in 2010, Cumberbatch began playing Sherlock Holmes in the first series of the BBC television programme ''Sherlock'', to critical acclaim.

Film

In 2006, Cumberbatch played William Pitt in ''Amazing Grace''. The film is the story of William Wilberforce's intense and lengthy political fight in the late 18th century to eliminate slave trade in the British Empire. Pitt was Wilberforce's closest friend and staunchest political ally, and became Prime Minister at an early age. The role garnered Cumberbatch a nomination for the London Film Critics Circle British Breakthrough Acting Award.

Cumberbatch subsequently appeared in major roles in ''Atonement'' (2007) and ''The Other Boleyn Girl'' (2008). In 2009, he appeared in the Darwin bio-pic ''Creation'' as Darwin's friend Joseph Hooker. In 2010, he appeared in ''The Whistleblower''.

He is scheduled to appear in Steven Spielberg's ''War Horse'' (2011). He is also slated to play Peter Guillam in the 2012 adaptation of the John le Carré novel ''Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy'', directed by Tomas Alfredson, also starring Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and Tom Hardy. He will also voice the roles of Smaug the Dragon and the Necromancer in ''The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey'' in 2012.

Radio

In May 2009, BBC Radio 4 broadcast an adaptation of John Mortimer's novel ''Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders''. Cumberbatch played the "young Rumpole", and Timothy West took the part of the "old Rumpole". Cumberbatch plays Capt Martin Crieff in the BBC's Cabin Pressure.

Personal life

Cumberbatch was in a romantic relationship with actress Olivia Poulet, whom he met at university, for over 12 years. They separated in March 2011.

List of credits

Film credits

! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes, awards and nominations
2002		The Man
2003	''To Kill a King''	Royalist
2006		Patrick Watts
2006		William Pitt the Younger
2007	''Inseparable'' (short)	Joe/Charlie
2007		Paul Marshall
2008
2008	''Burlesque Fairytales''	Henry Clark
2009
2010	''Four Lions''	Ed
2010	''Third Star''	James
2010	''The Whistleblower''	Nick Kaufman
2010	''Wreckers''	David
2011		Major Stewart	Post-production
2011		Peter Guillam	Post-production
2012-2013		Sauron (voice)Smaug (voice)	Filming

Television credits

! Year	! Title	! Role	! Notes	Awards and nominations
2002	''Fields of Gold''	Jeremy	TV film
2002		Freddy	Drama serial
2002	''Silent Witness''	Warren Reid	Drama series; 2 episodes
2003	''Cambridge Spies''	Edward Hand	Drama serial; 1 episode
2003	''Spooks''	Jim North	Drama series; 1 episode
2003		Rory	Comedy drama
2004		Lt. Jimmy Langley	Docu-drama
2004		Stephen Hawking	TV film	Festival de Télévision de Monte-Carlo
2005	''[[To the Ends of the Earth''	Edmund Talbot	Drama serial
2005	''Broken News''	Will Parker	Comedy series; 3 episodes
2005	''Nathan Barley''	Robin	Comedy series; 2 episodes
2007	''Stuart: A Life Backwards''	Alexander Masters	TV film
2008		Stephen Ezard	Drama serial
2009		Luke Fitzwilliam	TV film
2009		Bernard Bligh	Drama serial
2010	''Van Gogh: Painted with Words''	Vincent van Gogh	Docudrama
2010	''Have I Got News For You''	Guest host	Panel show
2010–			Drama series	Crime Thriller Awards – Best Actor (Won)National Television Awards – Outstanding Drama Performance (Nominated)Broadcasting Press Guild Awards – Best Actor (Won)BAFTA Television Award – Best Leading Actor (Nominated)	TV Choice>TV Choice Awards 2011 - Best Actor (Pending)
2011	''The Rattigan Enigma by Benedict Cumberbatch''	Presenter	Documentary
2012	''Parade's End''	Christopher Tietjens	Drama series

Theatre credits

! Year	! Title	! Role	Venue	Awards and nominations
2001	''Love's Labour's Lost''	Ferdinand	Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park
2001	''A Midsummer Night's Dream''	Demetrius	Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park
2002	''As You Like It''		Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park
2002	''Romeo and Juliet''	Benvolio	Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park
2002	''Oh, What a Lovely War!''		Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park
2004	''The Lady from the Sea''	Lyngstrand	Almeida Theatre
2005	''Hedda Gabler''	Tesman	Almeida TheatreDuke of York's Theatre
2006	''Period of Adjustment''	George	Almeida Theatre
2007		Bérenger	Royal Court Theatre
2007		Eisenring	Royal Court Theatre
2008	''The City''	Chris	Royal Court Theatre
2010		David Scott-Fowler
2011		The Creature/Victor Frankenstein

Voice credits

! Year	! Title	! Role	Format	Awards and nominations
2004	''The Raj Quartet''	Nigel Rowan	BBC Radio 4 series
2008	''Casanova''	Narrator	Audiobook
2008	''Death in a White Tie''	Narrator	Audiobook
2008–		Capt. Martin Crieff	BBC Radio 4 comedy series
2009		Narrator	TV documentary
2009	''Rumpole and the Penge Bungalow Murders''	Young Rumpole	BBC Radio 4 series
2009	''Metamorphosis''	Narrator	BBC Radio 7
2010		Narrator	Discovery Channel/Channel 4 series
2010	Sherlock Holmes: The Rediscovered Railway and Other Stories	Narrator	Audiobook
2011	Tom and Viv	TS Eliot	BBC Radio 7
2011	''The Nightjar''	Narrator	Video game

References

External links

Benedict Cumberbatch unofficial website

Benedict Cumberbatch Online

Category:Living people Category:1976 births Category:English stage actors Category:English film actors Category:English television actors Category:English radio actors Category:English voice actors Category:Audio book narrators Category:Shakespearean actors Category:Alumni of the Victoria University of Manchester Category:People associated with the University of Manchester Category:Alumni of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art Category:Old Harrovians

cs:Benedict Cumberbatch de:Benedict Cumberbatch eu:Benedict Cumberbatch fr:Benedict Cumberbatch it:Benedict Cumberbatch nl:Benedict Cumberbatch ja:ベネディクト・カンバーバッチ pl:Benedict Cumberbatch pt:Benedict Cumberbatch ru:Камбербэтч, Бенедикт fi:Benedict Cumberbatch sv:Benedict Cumberbatch zh:班奈狄克·康柏拜區

William Gaminara is an English actor and screenwriter, best known for playing pathologist Professor Leo Dalton on the television series ''Silent Witness'' (2002–present). His other television credits include Will Newman in ''Attachments'' and Dr Andrew Bower in ''Casualty''.

Gaminara voiced Dr Richard Locke in the long-running radio soap opera, ''The Archers''. Away from acting, he wrote the screenplay for the BBC adaptation of Rachel Morris's novel, ''Ella and the Mothers''.

External links

BBC profile

Category:British actors Category:British screenwriters Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Alumni of Lincoln College, Oxford

de:William Gaminara nl:William Gaminara