Emilia Fox doesn't mind being mistaken for her Silent Witness character
Emilia Fox has revealed that she is "happy" to be confused for Silent Witness alter ego Dr Nikki Alexander after starring in the BBC series for more than 20 years.
Emilia Fox is "happy" to be mistaken for her Silent Witness character Dr Nikki Alexander.
The 51-year-old star has played the forensic pathologist in the BBC crime drama for over 20 years and doesn't mind being confused for her alter ego.
Emilia told Best magazine: "I get called Nikki a lot, even by the crew, but also by people who have watched the show. I don't mind. I'm very happy to be thought of as a character who I admire and respect.
"I understand we're going into people's houses, so they think of me as Nikki not as Emilia."
The actress explained how she considers Nikki as "sort of a best friend" because she has been able to play the character for such a long time.
Fox said: "I know how lucky I am to have played Nikki for 21 years now. That is a rarity for an actor, to really get to know a character like that. I always say she is like a sort of best friend.
"We have lived alongside each other and no matter what I have been through she has been a constant in my life.
"I feel the stability of that, but also that we are always expected to do different things as characters within each story, so we never know what is coming next for her. So, there is a real sense of excitement and challenge in that."
Emilia explained that she is particularly proud to hear of young people going into forensics after watching Silent Witness – although she confessed she would be hopeless in her alter ego's profession.
The Signora Volpe star said: "The things I have loved hearing are when people have said they used to watch the show with their kids or their family and now have chosen to go into the profession in some way.
"I think very often people think I might have medical knowledge and would be able to do something in a real situation. I definitely wouldn't be the right person but I do know the people who are the right people to turn to."
