Skip to main contentSkip to footer

Silent Witness viewers asking same question as show returns for 26th season

The show returned with new episodes this week


silent witness s6 emilia david© Photo: BBC
Nicky Morris
TV and film writer
January 4, 2023
Share this:

Silent Witness is back with its 26th season and while fans are delighted to have Dr Nikki Alexander and Jack Hodgson back on their screens, they couldn't help but question the whereabouts of one fan favourite character. 

MORE: Silent Witness fans seriously divided over new episode

The latest episode, which aired on Tuesday night, saw the Lyell team continue to get drawn into the criminal underworld of a notorious mafia group, the Ndrangheta, after a man was thrown from a high-rise building in the series premiere.  

WATCH: Are you enjoying series 26 so far? 

Viewers took to Twitter to question what happened to Simone Tyler, played by Genesis Lynea. The forensic ecologist, who was introduced in season 24 and played a major role in the drama's 25th anniversary, was last seen in the final episode of the previous series.  

One fan wrote: "What is going on and what happened to Simone?" while another added: "It is great to have #SilentWitness back, liking the new guys but what happened to Simone?" 

A third viewer commented: "What happened to Simone Tyler?

MORE: Emilia Fox's real-life Silent Witness moment revealed

READ: Exclusive: Emilia Fox opens up about her future on Silent Witness and reveals the very different career path she could have taken 

When we last saw Simone she was grappling with some personal issues after learning that her long-lost sister Aliya, who had blamed her for her mother's death in childbirth, had died in a boating accident while living in Trinidad with her two children. 

Genesis Lynea as Simone Tyler© Photo: BBC

Simone left the UK at the end of season 25

After great consideration, Simone decided to leave the UK to look after her niece and nephew. 

So, will Simone ever return? The answer is: we don't know. However, given Genesis' character has simply left the country rather than been killed off, there's certainly room for her to make a comeback in future series. 

While some fans were sad to see Simone missing from the new season, many took to Twitter to praise the opening episodes. 

One person wrote: "The storyline was good this week #SilentWitness. Bring on next week," while another added: "Bravo for kicking off the new series of Silent Witness with a bang. Incredible work from everyone involved."

Like this story? Sign up to our What to Watch newsletter to get other stories like this delivered straight to your inbox.

Sign up to Off Camera for all the gossip and goings-on from the wonderful world of TV and film

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.

More TV and Film

See more