Silent Witness series 28: Connie Hyde plays pivotal role in cast of one of the most dramatic episodes ever

Silent Witness series 28: Connie Hyde plays pivotal role in cast of one of the most dramatic episodes ever

Silent Witness series 28 continues with one of the most dramatic episodes in its 29 year history - and there are some trusted guest actors in the cast.

Episodes 7 and 8 - entitled Vanishing Point Part 1 and 2 - recreates the high-stakes claustrophobia of recent hits like Red Eye and Hijack. And it combines it with Silent Witness' usual winning formula, resulting in a brilliant two-handed episode.

Nikki travels by plane from Mumbai to London after a successful conference in Mumbai. However, her "nine hours of business class bliss" soon turns into a horror show when she finds herself at the centre of a crisis...

When one of the other passengers on the plane comes down with an unknown, potentially deadly, illness - Nikki realises that the only way to discover the nature of the infection is to perform an autopsy while the passenger is still alive.

Meanwhile, the team in London investigate a similar case in India. Is it a virus, or a targeted attack using a chemical nerve agent? As Nikki battles the deadly situation on board - and faces the very real possibility of her own death - Jack is frankly losing his mind back in The Lyell.

Here's everything you need to know about the guest cast of Silent Witness series 28 episodes 7 and 8, entitled Vanishing Point Part 1 and 2.

Actress Jo Hartley guest stars as Beth Tyler in the cast of Silent Witness series 28 (Credit: BBC)

Jo Hartley plays passenger Beth Tyler in the cast of Silent Witness series 28

Lancashire-born actress Jo Hartley, 52, joins the cast of Silent Witness series 28 as flight passenger Beth Tyler.

After Life fans will know Jo from her role as June in the hugely popular Ricky Gervais Netflix series. She played the role of James' mum in all three series between 2019 and 2022.

Jo has been on our screens ever since 2004, when she played Marie in the brilliant Shane Meadows' film Dead Man's Shoes. Writer and director Shane is well known for plucking unknown actors from obscurity, including Vicky McClure, Showtrial's Michael Socha, and Thomas Turgoose.

She played Cynthia Fields in the subsequent Shane Meadows film This is England, and the following three TV series This Is England '86, This Is England '88 and This Is England '90.

Other film roles include Pauline Gray in David Brent: Life on the Road, and Tina in Sweetheart.

In 2016, Jo Hartley starred as Janette, Eddie’s mother in the film Eddie the Eagle, Caroline in Swede Caroline, and Nicola in Bank of Dave, and its sequel Bank of Dave 2: The Loan Ranger.

Jo also played the role of Bethan's mum Katrina, who suffers from bipolar disorder, in the 2018 BBC series In My Skin, which ran until 2021. More recently, she played commune-living Raya West in Death in Paradise series 12, and Linda Markel in the eerie ITV thriller Passenger.

Steve Oram, seen here in DI Ray, portrays a sickly plane passenger (Credit: ITV)

Steve Oram is passenger Tony Jenkins

Actor Steve Oram, 51, plays ill-fated Tony Jenkins in the cast of Silent Witness series 28 episodes Vanishing Point. His character becomes very ill on a flight from Mumbai to London, causing Nikki to leap into action.

Killing Eve fans might remember the actor as vicar Phil, who came to a gruesome ending at the hands of Villanelle.

The Melton Mowbray-born actor is perhaps best known for some of his more comedic roles in Sightseers, The World's End, and Code 404.

He played Joseph Williamson in Doctor Who, Phil in The End of the F***king World, and Mick in Sally4Ever.

Most recently, he's played blind Brian in the film Members Club, Duri in Dune: Prophecy, and Tony the taxi driver in the TV series Still Up.

DI Ray fans will also recognise him for playing DS Clive Bottomley in the recent 2024 series 2.

Silent Witness welcomes actress Sunetra Sarker to the cast as Fiona Mason (Credit: BBC)

Sunetra Sarker stars as Fiona Mason

Liverpool-born actress Sunetra Sarker, 51, portrays slightly shady Fiona Mason in the cast of Silent Witness series 28. Let's just say she doesn't hit it off with Jack...

Of course, Sunetra is best known for her stint on Strictly, and her roles in Casualty, No Angels, Ackley Bridge, and The Bay.

Sunetra played Stella Bradwell in 2021 series 2 of The Bay on ITV1, and the Sheriff of Nottingham in the first series of the excellent Sherwood.

Other notable roles include Nisha Batra in Brookside, Anji Mittel in No Angels, Sadia Shar in Informer, Deborah in Cold Feet, and Sahana Harrison in Broadchurch.

However, she is perhaps best known for her role as Zoe Hanna in Casualty. Sunetra portrayed the senior consultant from 2007 to 2018. She left because she "wanted to find something very different" to the show she was already doing. Although she DID return in 2024 for Derek Thompson's last episodes as Charlie Fairhead.

The versatile actress also played Kaneez Paracha in Ackley Bridge, between 2017 and 2022.

Strictly Come Dancing fans will remember her from the 2014 series, in which she danced with Brendan Cole. The pair made it to week nine.

In 2017, Sunetra took part in Who Do You Think You Are? on BBC One. She traced her ancestors to Bengal, where she learned about her family's involvement in the struggle for independence in India.

More recently, she's been popping up virtually everywhere! Including playing lawyer Anika Chowdhury in Playing Nice, Gail in The Responder series 2, Maiya Goswami in Professor T, Amal in G'wed, and Meena in Breeders.

Connie Hyde, seen here in Corrie, plays pilot Jodie Wright in Silent Witness (Credit: ITV)

Silent Witness series 28 cast: Connie Hyde is pilot Jodie Wright

Former soap star Connie Hyde portrays flight pilot Jodie Wright in the dramatic episodes of the forensic drama.

The Macclesfield-born actress, 55, is probably best known for playing Gina Seddon in ITV's Coronation Street. She first appeared on the cobbles in 2017, before her dramatic exit two years later in 2019.

Gina was the sister of Sally Metcalfe, who made trouble the moment she arrived. During her time in Weatherfield, she set her sights on Tim while Sally was in prison for fraud. At her sibling's trial she even turned on her and said she believed her to be guilty!

Before appearing in the ITV soap, actress Connie was perhaps most famous for playing PC Cathy Bradford in The Bill. She played the copper between 2002 and 2004.

Other notable roles include Sydnie Hully in The Lifeboat, Bev in Island, Catherine Heywood in Wing and a Prayer, and DS Janet Miller in City Central.

Cabin crew Ade Kwame is played by Gershwyn Eustache Jnr (Credit: BBC)

Gershwyn Eustache Jr plays cabin crew Ade Kwame

Gershwyn Eustache Jr portrays Ade Kwame in the cast of The Vanishing Point in Silent Witness series 28.

The actor is probably best known for playing Vitus in Brittannia, a role he played from 2017 to 2021.

He's been on our screens ever since 2012, when he starred as a Jamaican police officer in the Morgana Robinson comedy series Very Important People.

Gershwyn went on to play Dean in Redemptions End, Simon Hardy in Legends, and Tomak Bowzyk in Fortitude.

In 2020, he took on the role of Tyrone in the groundbreaking I May Destroy You, before going on to play DC Derek Reid in Stephen, about the fight for justice after the death of Stephen Lawrence.

More recently, Gershwyn has portrayed Taramyn Barcona in Andor, Dr. Robert Thomas in A Spy Among Friends, Albie in Joan, and Curtis in Get Millie Back.

Emilia Fox's Nikki Alexander finds herself in grave danger as series 28 of Silent Witness continues (Credit: BBC)

Who else stars in the cast of Silent Witness series 28 episodes 7 and 8?

Georgia Jay portrays Camilla. She is best known for playing Steph Miligan in recent episodes of Emmerdale. Stephanie 'Steph' Miligan is the daughter of Ruby Fox-Miligan, and was raised by Ruby's husband Caleb Miligan. However in January 2025, it was revealed that Ruby's father Anthony Fox was also Steph's biological father.

Georgia also played Clare Favarone in Glow & Darkness, and Diane Vickers in Girl/Haji.

Meanwhile, Paul Hilton stars as obnoxious passenger Grant Townsend. He's perhaps most famous for portraying Robert Hobden in Slow Horses series 1. Other notable roles include David Holmes in A Very English Scandal, Gary Rush in Silk, Henry Percy Dean in Casualty 1909, and Dennis Tyler in True Dare Kiss.