Silent Witness series 28: Guest cast of Broken Part One and Two includes soap favourite Tamzin Outhwaite
By Helen Fear | Mon Jan 20 2025Silent Witness series 28 continues on BBC One this week and, like previous weeks, there are some great guest stars in the cast of Broken Part One and Two.
Episodes five and six of the long-running forensic drama see the Lyell team called to investigate when a woman's hand is found in the canal. As they attempt to find the rest of her body, Nikki and Jack wonder who could have made a cut with such precision - could it have been a surgeon, vet or butcher? Dare they even consider it could be one of their own - a pathologist?
When an ear turns up, the team face the gruesome task of discovering whether it comes from the same corpse...
It's a grisly story, made slightly less sinister with some actors we're very familiar with... Here's a run down of the guest cast in Silent Witness series 28 episodes 5 and 6, entitled Broken Part One and Two.
Tamzin Outhwaite plays Sally in the cast of Silent Witness series 28
Popular actress Tamzin Outhwaite, 54, guest stars as Sally in the cast of Silent Witness as series 28 continues. Super fans of the forensic drama may remember that Tamzin has popped up in the show before. In 2012, she portrayed Beth Gilston in series 15's Fear Part One and Two.
London-born Tamzin became a household name after portraying Mel Owen in EastEnders on and off between 1998 and 2019. During her time on the show, her character Mel married Ian Beale and Steve Owen. She was also kidnapped by ex-lover Dan Sullivan.
Her first run on the soap continued until 2006, before she returned again in early 2018. This time around, Mel was involved in a shoot-out and later died in a vehicle accident in 2019.
After her success in the BBC One soap, Tamzin went on to lead the cast of several popular TV series. She played Sgt. Jo McDonagh in Red Cap, Rhoda Bradley in Vital Signs, Rebecca Mitchell in Hotel Babylon, and Rose Chamberlain in The Fixer.
In 2013, she took over the lead role in New Tricks, portraying Detective Chief Inspector Sasha Miller. She played the role for two seasons before the show was cancelled.
Other notable roles include DI Rebecca Flint in The Fixer, Indie Hendricks in Dun' Breedin', Barbara Watson in Ridley Road, and Cathy Teel in Tower series 2.
More recently, Tamzin portrayed divorcee Sylvie Morgan in Channel 5 thriller The Wives. She's no stranger to shiny floor shows either, having taken part in 2024's Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special, and ITV's first season of The Masked Dancer in 2021. She performed as Scarecrow, and came 4th in the final. In 2022, she bravely took part in Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof.
Kerrie Hayes portrays Faith
Liverpool-born actress Kerrie Hayes, 37, joins the cast as Faith. Those who watched the most recent series of Showtrial - and you really should have - will recognise her straight away.
She played PC Becky Hollis in the second series of the superb court drama, which aired in 2024.
Kerrie has actually been on our screens since 2008, when she played Ruby Moss in the coming-of-age period drama Lillies. She went on to play Poppy Taylor in several episodes of Doctors, before portraying Amanda Morgan in the revenge thriller Good Cop alongside Ten Pound Poms star Warren Brown.
Between 2013 and 2014, Kerrie starred as Esther Price in The Mill, a series about the hard labour of cotton mill workers and the abuse they endured.
Other notable roles include Gwen Pearce in The Living and the Dead, Sandra Oxley in Little Boy Blue, DC Nina Prentiss in Three Girls, and Queenie in The Frankenstein Chronicles.
More recently, Kerrie has secured roles in some top TV series. She played Doris Platt in The English Game, DI Sara Lunt in Tin Star, Jenny Whitlow in Criminal Record, and Ellie Mullen in The Responder.
Anneika Rose portrays Lucy
Scottish actress Anneika Rose joins the cast of Silent Witness series 28 as Lucy. And it's certainly not the first time she's appeared in a crime drama.
Line of Duty fans will know her for playing PS Farida Jatri between 2017 and 2021. Anneika's character appeared in series 4 and 6 - including the last ever episode.
Coincidentally, Anneika's first ever TV role was playing a copper. She portrayed DS Jones in detective drama Above Suspicion in 2009, before going on to play DS Mita Rahim in Taggart in 2010.
Like Tamzin, Anneika has also popped up in Silent Witness before. The actress starred as DS Karen Wretzy in 2017's series 20, episodes Discovery Part One and Two.
That same year, she portrayed Lila Shariff in Ackley Bridge. Other notable roles include Jean-Louise Talbot in The Cry, DC Nicola Bowman in Guilt, Natalie in The Feed, Nicky Earlham in Deadwater Fell, and Amrita Chohhan in The Midwich Cuckoos.
More recently, she's portrayed Maggie Kean in Shetland, Abhi in Crossfire, Francesca in Best Interests, and Rowena Hayes in ITV thriller Payback.
Anneika also voiced Anisha Jayakoday in the podcast series The Archers, from 2016 to 2018.
Cal MacAninch is David Whitely in the cast of Silent Witness
Scottish actor Cal MacAninch, 61, guest stars in Silent Witness as David Whitely. But, like co-stars Tamzin Outhwaite and Anneika Rose, it's not the first time he's appeared in the BBC One drama.
In 2003's series 7, he starred as Michael Patterson in the episodes Fatal Error. Ten years later, in 2013, he portrayed David Loader in The Legacy Part One and Two.
Cal is perhaps most famous for playing DI John Keenan in Holby Blue opposite Grantchester's Kacey Ainsworth. He starred in the cop drama between 2007 and 2008.
He's also famous for portraying Rowan Collins in ITV's Wild at Heart, and Mr. Thackeray in Katherine Kelly drama Mr Selfridge. Other notable roles include Declan in The Riff Raff Element, Ben Craig in Rockface, Henry Lang in Downton Abbey, and Sergeant Timmins in Banished.
Cal has popped up in some hugely popular dramas in the past five years, including Time series 1, where he played P.O. Galbraith. In Vigil series 1, he starred as Ben Oakley and, a year later, he played Inspector Lee Robins in Trigger Point.
More recently, he's portrayed Michael Seaborne in The Essex Serpent, and Tibbs in the TV adaptation of the book Mayflies.
Lisa Palfrey plays DI Fisher
Welsh actress Lisa Palfrey joins the cast of Silent Witness as DI Fisher. Now 57, she's been on our screens since she was 20 when she played Jane Sanderson in one episode of period drama The District Nurse.
For years, she worked as a jobbing actress, popping up in series such as Soldier Soldier, Armadillo, The Bench, and Casualty (where she played Melanie Collier).
In 2016, Lisa portrayed Insp Tracey McAndrew in Line of Duty, before going on to play Cynthia in Sex Education. Other notable roles include Pam Green in Chloe, Nina in The Light in the Hall, and Beth in The Pact.
More recently, she's probably best known for playing Eleanor James in COBRA, opposite The Crow Girl's Victoria Hamilton.
Her multitude of film roles include Teresa Rigby in Men Up, Sister Euphemia in horror Prey for the Devil, Maureen Barry in Pride, Gwenny in House of America, and Mrs. Nice in Guest House Paradiso.
Who else stars in Silent Witness Broken Part One and Two?
Of course, the big ensemble cast of Silent Witness episodes 5 and 6 are led by show faves Emilia Fox, and David Caves, you play Dr Nikki Alexander and Jack Hodgson respectively. In series 28, they are joined by Maggie Steed as Harriet, and Francesca Mills as Kit.
Actress Gloria Obianyo guest stars as DS Blake. She's best known for playing Uriel in Good Omens, and Mercy Woodcock in Outlander.
Raj Ghatak - aka Ackley Bridge's Asif Akhtar- is Dev Shah KC. He's also known for playing Grayson in Dead Set, Dr. Vikram Suresh in EastEnders, and Aashiq Sawney in Doctors.
Silent Witness series 28 episodes 5 and 6 - Broken Part One and Two - full cast list:
Emilia Fox returns as Dr Nikki Alexander.
David Caves stars as Jack Hodgson.
Maggie Steed is Harriet.
Francesca Mills portrays Kit.
Tamzin Outhwaite stars as Sally.
Kerrie Hayes plays Faith.
Anneika Rose portrays Lucy.
Cal MacAninch is David Whitely.
Gloria Obianyo guest stars as DS Blake.
Lisa Palfrey plays DI Fisher.
Raj Ghatak is Dev Shah KC.
The Devil's Hour star David Angland is Liam.
The Crown's Abdul Sulaiman portrays Dylan.
Ruby Speaking actress Nicky Goldie stars as Judge Gibbs.
Boiling Point's Phil Deguara portrays Gavin Rose.
Kim Durham - who voices Matt Crawford in The Archers - stars as Kenneth Rose.
Anay Kamble plays Josh.
The Gentleman's Preslav Shipkaliev guest stars as Stefan.
Anton Valensi - who played Adolf Hitler in Adolf & Eva: Love & War - guests as Perry.
Generation Z's Ava Hinds-Jones portrays Amber.
Pennyworth's Faye Barker stars as the news anchor.
Midnight at the Pera Palace's James Chalmers is prosecution barrister.
After Hour's James Tarpey plays Stefan's neighbour.
Coronation Street's Neil Bell plays Matty Boyce.
Jane Steel portrays the Radio 4 Newsreader.
Read more: Inside Silent Witness series 28, including who's been axed and who's new
