BBC Withdraws Silent Witness Episodes in Response to Birmingham Tragedy
The BBC has made a last-minute decision to pull episodes of the crime drama Silent Witness from broadcast this week, following a tragic machete attack in Birmingham. The series, which recently returned for its 29th season, had been set to air a two-part story titled The Enemy Within, depicting a fatal stabbing in the city.
Schedule Changes and Replacement Episodes
Instead of the planned episodes, the BBC aired episodes five and six, named Creekwood, from later in the series. A spokesperson for the BBC confirmed that this move was directly linked to the real-life incident over the weekend, where two teenagers, aged 14 and 15, were targeted in a fatal stabbing, leading to the arrest of a 12-year-old boy.
The broadcaster stated: "Due to the attack in Birmingham over the weekend, this week's episodes of Silent Witness will not transmit as planned and instead they have been replaced with two episodes from later on in the series."
Revised Air Times and Future Broadcasts
Episodes three and four of the series have been rescheduled to air next week, but with altered timings. They will broadcast on Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 9pm on BBC One, deviating from the usual Monday and Tuesday slots. This change is due to the BBC's coverage of the FA Cup match between Hull City and Chelsea on Friday evening, which has shifted the schedule for other programs, including moving the latest episode of Death In Paradise to Monday at 9pm.
The episode schedule is expected to return to normal from Monday, February 23. Fans of the show, featuring stars like Emilia Fox and David Caves, are advised to check listings for updates.
