Silent Witness series 29: Cast of Grace of God Part 1 and 2 includes Chris Coghill, Vinette Robinson, and Ben Batt
Jack gets himself in trouble – and meets some very shady characters...
Silent Witness series 29 continues with episodes 7 and 8, entitled Grace of God Part 1 and 2, and kudos to the casting agent for bagging some of the best TV talent for the guest cast.
This year, we’ve already had Adam Rayner and Mollie Winnard, as well as Phaldut Sharma, Selin Hizli, and Gerard Kearns. And this week’s two-hander (Monday and Tuesday, February 23 and 24) welcomes a soap villain, an award-winning Boiling Point actress, and a Shameless actor (by name, not by nature).
This week, fan-favourite Jack finds himself in grave danger – and meets some unsavoury characters along the way. David Cave’s character finds comfort in the bottom of a bottle after a tough day at work, but gets himself into a drunken bar brawl. And when the man he was fighting with subsequently turns up dead, he faces a dilemma. Will he involve Nikki and the Bowman team? Either way, he’s in a very sticky spot.
Here’s who plays who in the guest cast of Silent Witness series 29 Grace of God Part 1 and 2.
Chris Coghill stars as Scott Ashton
Prestwich-born Christopher ‘Chris’ Coghill stars as Scott Ashton in the cast of Silent Witness series 29. And those of you who recognise the 50-year-old actor might not be surprised to discover he’s playing a wrong’un. No offence Chris, but you do have a reputation for playing some nasty characters!
He’s played a child abuser in EastEnders, a manipulative character with a dark past in Emmerdale, and a far-right terrorist in The Walk-In.
The actor has been on our TV screens since 1998, when he made his first of many soap appearances. That year, he played a character called Vole in one episode of Corrie. Chris subsequently went on to star in TV series such as Cold Feet, and Heartbeat. But it was in 2003, he found fame portraying Carl Redmond in the Generation X drama Burn It (which is where he met his future wife Lisa Faulkner).
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What soaps has Chris Coghill been in?
Arguably his biggest role was playing the vile villain Tony King in EastEnders, a role he played from 2008 and 2009. As baddie’s go, Tony was one of the worst. A child abuser, he groomed Bianca’s step-daughter Whitney, manipulating the vulnerable young girl until she fell under his spell and had sex with him. The character eventually went to jail for his crimes.
More recently, Chris has played another soap villain. This time, Kev Townsend in Emmerdale. Kevin was Robert Sugden’s estranged husband, whom he married in prison.
Other notable roles include Stanley Farrow in Home Fires, FI Kevin Gill in Line of Duty, Chris Lythgoe in The Walk-In, Neil Murphy in The Gold, Alex Kirby in The Bay series 4, and Hobbs in Slow Horses. He’s actually been in Silent Witness before, too. In 2014, Chris portrayed Linus Skinner in the episode In a Lonely Place: Part 1.
His film roles have included Bez in 24 Hour Party People, and Uncle Hairy in Spike Island.
Silent Witness series 29 cast Grace of God: Ben Batt is Jason Macklow
Wigan-born Ben Batt stars as morally ambiguous Jason Macklow in Silent Witness this week.
The actor is probably most famous for playing Joe Pritchard in Channel 4 comedy Shameless, a role he played between 2009 and 2010. He is also known for portraying DC Kevin Lumb in Scott & Bailey opposite Suranne Jones and Leslie Sharp.
Other notable roles include Agrippa in Domina, Willmus Crabtree in Jamestown, John Cartwright in The English Game, Blue in Our Girl, and Pat Miller in Toxic Town.
Those of you who watched the underrated Maxine Peake thriller Rules of the Game in 2022 will remember him as key character Owen Jenkins.
Ben, 40, recently played the rather creepy and controlling photographer Ned Thwaite in the cast of Murder Before Evensong. Last year, he also portrayed the vile police officer Rudy in the female-heavy cast of Riot Women.
Vinette Robinson portrays DI Fiona Mahler
West Yorkshire-born Vinette Robinson, 44, portrays DI Fiona Mahler in the latest double-episode of Silent Witness on BBC One.
Fans of The A Word will know her best as Nicola Daniels, a role she played between 2016 and 2017. A GP-in-training, Nicola opted to return to the Lakes with her husband Eddie Scott.
The actress is also famous for keeping her cool as Carly in the stressful 2021 film Boiling Point, and its subsequent spin-off series in 2023.
She’s been on our screens for nearly 30 years, having started out as a child actor in TV series such as Children’s Ward, and City Central. In her early career, she popped up in episodes of Cold Feet, Between the Sheets, Party Animals, Doctors, and Hustle.
But 2009 was definitely her year. That year, she portrayed Josie Porritt in the Alex Kingston drama Hope Springs, and Helen Hopewell in Waterloo Road. Other notable roles include Amy Franks in The Archers, Sgt Sally Donovan in Sherlock, Rita in Close to the Enemy, Eva in Year Million, and Mary Cratchit in A Christmas Carol.
In the past four or five years, she’s bagged some impressive roles in the likes of Code 404, Six Four, The Lazarus Project, and The Gathering.
Joplin Sibtain is Marcus Retford
London-born Joplin Sibtain (named after the singer Janis Joplin) stars as Marcus Retford in the cast of Silent Witness Grace of God. He is also sometimes credited as Chook Sibtain.
The actor has been on our screens since 1996 when he first popped up as a character called Charlie in the Amanda Redman missing persons drama Beck. He went on to play Jack Robbins in EastEnders in between 2000 and 2001. Jack was a former police colleague of Beppe di Marco and a former lover of Beppe’s wife, Sandra di Marco. He arrived in Albert Square to try to win Sandra back…
As a jobbing actor, Joplin has appeared in dramas such as Footballer’s Wives, Where the Heart Is, The Bill, Bad Girls, Holby City, Doctors, and Doctor Who.
He portrayed Sgt Keith Pankani in comedy No Offence, DS Herbie Sarafian in Hard Sun, and Neil Chahal in Harlan Coben‘s Safe. Most recently, he’s played Brasso in sci-fi drama Andor.
Film buffs might recognise him from his role as Billy Bufford in The Strangers: Chapter 1 and 2, but he’s also well known on the theatre circuit.
Who else appears in the guest cast of Silent Witness series 29 Grace of God?
Rebecca Charles plays Dr Walker in the forensic crime drama. She’s an actress with more than 35 years under her belt, but is perhaps most famous for portraying Rhiannon Heaton in The Bill, and Francine Ford in the underrated Eve Myles crime drama We Hunt Together.
Clint Gordon portrays Kyle Boyle. He’s best known for playing Matty in Coronation Street in 2022, and Tiny in Emmerdale in 2024.
Jack Pierce stars as Prison Officer Barnes. His biggest roles to date have been Cash Brown in Footballers Wive$: Extra Time between 2005 and 2006, and PC Heathcote in EastEnders, a role he’s played on and off between 2003 and 2015.
Sunjay Midda plays DS Begum. Doctors fans will know him as Shakib ‘Shak’ Hanif, a role he played from 2015 to 2021.
Anthony Lewis stars as Prison Officer Altman. Soap fans will recognise him as teenager Marc Reynolds in Emmerdale. He played the character between 1999 and 2007. More recently, he played DS Ibbotson in Better.
Another former soap star, Caroline Berry stars as Brenda Cates. As well as playing Valerie Phelan in Corrie, the veteran jobbing actress has appeared in Ragdolly Anna (portraying the titular character), Caroline Evans in Jack of Hearts, Jo Sutton in Mayday, and Pat Cooper in The Pembrokeshire Murders.
Lastly, Barry Aird stars as Charlie Jarvis in Silent Witness. As a jobbing actor, he’s popped up in dozens of shows over the course of his 35 year career. Most notably, Jonty Dunmore in Corrie, Ketil Blakstvedt in icy thriller Fortitude, and DI Daniel in Dalgliesh. More recently, he’s appeared in Three Little Birds, Lynley, and Patience.
Full guest cast list for Silent Witness series 29 cast Grace of God:
Christopher Coghill stars as Scott Ashton.
Vinette Robinson portrays DI Fiona Mahler.
Ben Batt is Jason Macklow.
Joplin Sibtain is Marcus Retford.
Rebecca Charles plays Dr Walker.
Clint Gordon portrays Kyle Boyle.
Jack Pierce stars as Prison Officer Barnes.
Sunjay Midda plays DS Begum.
Anthony Lewis stars as Prison Officer Altman.
Caroline Berry stars as Brenda Cates.
Barry Aird plays Charlie Jarvis.
Just Act Normal’s Ciaran Duce portrays Prison Officer Mason.
The English Game’s John Askew is Prison Officer Morris.
Cradle to Grave’s Luke Higgins plays Delf.
Kenton Thomas – aka PC Ramsay in Emmerdale – is OSG Wells.
Da Vinci’s Demons’ Paul Westwood plays a football player.
Timeline of Nikki and Jack's relationship in Silent Witness
2013: Jack Hodgson first met Dr Nikki Alexander when he joined The Lyell Centre in series 16. It wasn't love at first sight, but they became close colleagues and later good friends.
2017: Fans will know one of their most momentous scenes in the early days was when Jack had to race against the clock to save Nikki from being buried alive at the end of series 20.
2018: Despite her growing feelings for Jack, Nikki dated dishy American Matt, played by Michael Landes, during series 21, 22 and 23.
2021: After nine series of will-they-won’t-they lingering looks, the pair finally gave in to their feelings for each other at the end of series 24 in 2021. The pair first shared an emotionally-charged kiss roughly halfway into the 10th and final episode. Both of them had flirted with romance elsewhere in the series – Jack with a friend of Simone, and Nikki with student Ollie. But they could no longer deny the chemistry between them.
2022: Following years of close friendship, their relationship deepened significantly in series 25. They enjoyed their first date, and Nikki was there for Jack when his dad died.
2024: The couple got closer and more committed during series 27. Jack declared his love for Nikki at the end of Death By A Thousand Hits (in a cemetery!). In the season finale, the loved-up pair made the ultimate commitment to each other. They got engaged during very sweet scenes. Handing her an engagement ring (cunningly disguised in an evidence bag), Jack told her: "I can't imagine a day without you. Will you marry me, Nikki? Will you?" And, naturally, Nikki (Emilia Fox) said yes. After a big smooch, of course.
2025: They married in a small, intimate ceremony during the season 28 finale.
2026: Jack and Nikki are now husband and wife, and have started a new life in Birmingham.
