Silent Witness star Emilia Fox pays heartfelt tribute to 'kind' Nigel McCrery
'Silent Witness' star Emilia Fox has paid an emotional tribute to the show's creator Nigel McCrery.
Emilia Fox has paid tribute to the "kind" and "warm" Nigel McCrery.
The creator of the long-running BBC forensic crime drama 'Silent Witness' - which stars the 50-year-old actress as Doctor Nikki Alexander - died on February 4 aged 71 after battling a terminal illness since October 2024.
Now, Emilia has praised the novelist - who was a Nottingham-based police officer and served with the murder squad before his TV career - for bringing "something special" to people with the show.
She shared a tribute to her Instagram followers on Monday (10.02.25), which read: "I am so sorry to hear the terribly sad news about the passing of Nigel McCrery.
"In creating 'Silent Witness', he brought something special to so many audiences around the world, and to those of us lucky enough to work on the show.
"Its success and longevity are testament to Nigel and his brilliant idea in the first place - and, of course, many other shows too.
"I was hugely fond of him personally."
Emilia - who has been in the award-winning show for over two decades - also praised Nigel for being such a devoted family man.
She added: "He was always kind and warm, and spoke devotedly of his own family as an extremely proud parent and grandparent.
"I am grateful that he remained connected to the show ongoingly and always wanted to know what plans there were for it."
The show - which has aired for 28 seasons since its debut in 1996 - lost the inspiration behind Amanda Burton's character Sam Ryan, Helen Whitwell, in July 2024.
Emilia said: "His great friend, the forensic pathologist Helen Whitwell, who inspired the Sam Ryan character played by Amanda Burton, also sadly passed away recently.
"They will both live on through 'Silent Witness', and we will do our best to make them proud."
She concluded her tribute with: "He will be missed by so many, and my thoughts are with his family."
Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, added in her own statement: "We are deeply saddened to hear of Nigel McCrery's death, and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.
"Nigel was behind some of UK television's most loved dramas, and his skill for creating brilliant stories with beautifully drawn characters shone for all to see.
"The enduring success of 'Silent Witness', still entertaining millions of viewers after almost 30 years, is a testament to his incredible talent and he will be sorely missed."
