Emilia Fox marks 30 years of Silent Witness and talks finding the positives after a big break-up

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What’s the view from your sofa?

The sofa is positioned in front of the TV, but when my daughter, Rose, and I attempt to watch something, we usually end up seeing our dogs, Dolly and Clive, who love to climb all over us. Dolly enjoys being cuddled like a baby, and Clive wedges himself comfortably between us.

What are you watching at the moment?

I have a personal rule of not watching TV or reading while I work, as I feel I should always be practicing my lines. My daughter, Rose, convinced me to make an exception and watch a few shows – The Traitors, Strictly Come Dancing, and I’m a Celebrity. Now I’m enjoying The Hack.

Who controls the remote, you or Rose?

Rose is definitely the one who should have it. I only really use it briefly when turning off the TV – just to say ‘Okay, I’m done watching’.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the TV show Silent Witness. When it first aired in 1996 with Amanda Burton in the starring role, it was rare to see a woman leading a crime drama. Has that changed over the years?

Helen Mirren’s role as Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect was groundbreaking, but it was especially significant for Amanda to play Sam Ryan and show the challenges women faced in forensic science. Nowadays, there are many strong roles for older women, which is great because good dramas should represent the lives of people at every stage of life. As an actress in my 50s, it’s really encouraging to see.

What’s informed how you play forensic pathologist Dr Nikki Alexander?

Seeing actual postmortem examinations before I began working on Silent Witness had a huge impact on me. I believe a large part of the job involves showing respect for the deceased and carefully examining their body for clues about how they died, and how they are treated in the mortuary is crucial.

The show moved from London to Birmingham in 2024. How did you manage the commute from London?

Rose starting boarding school each week was a good thing – it really helped her be with friends her own age, which I completely get. I felt the same way at thirteen. Growing up, I was essentially an only child for years. My half-sister, Lucy, is much older, and my brother, Freddie, wasn’t born until I was fifteen, so I also longed for connection with people my age. Rose is doing really well, and it allows me to spend more time away from home, too.

Did you find it hard being away from your partner?

Jonathan Stadlen and I split up last February. Breakups are never easy, but I’ve been leaning on things that lift my spirits, like trips with my friend Rose and spending time with loved ones. It’s been almost a year, and I’m feeling good about things now.

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Considering your parents are actors Edward Fox and Joanna David, and your brother, uncle, and cousins – Freddie Fox, James Fox, Laurence and Jack – are also actors, have you ever been labeled a ‘nepo baby’?

I’d never heard that phrase before. It makes me wonder, does the term ‘nepo baby’ only apply to people in entertainment, or to those with advantages in any career? I actually didn’t grow up wanting to be an actress and didn’t have any family connections to the industry. But I fell into it when I got a temporary job during college – playing Georgiana Darcy in the 1995 ‘Pride and Prejudice’ miniseries – and realized, ‘Hey, this is a good job, and I don’t have to worry about figuring out my career path!’

You’re known for your roles in the crime series Signora Volpe, for hosting the documentary In the Footsteps of Killers, and for narrating the Crime Scenes audio series. Would you be interested in exploring a completely different type of project?

I’m not usually drawn to true crime stories, but I enjoy acting and portraying characters – especially those who are fundamentally good and striving to fix problems and achieve fairness. There’s something satisfying about that. That said, I’d be interested in playing a villain sometime. It would be a fun and interesting challenge to explore the perspective of someone with a very different mindset than my own.

Authors

Vicki Power

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2026-01-26 20:40