Silent Witness star Emilia Fox has shared a moving tribute following the "terribly sad news" that the show's creator Nigel McCrery has died.
Sharing a statement with BBC News today, McCrery's agent announced that the writer had died after being diagnosed with a terminal illness in October.
Taking to Instagram, Fox shared a heartfelt statement about McCrery, saying she was "hugely fond" of him, calling him "kind" and "warm".
Related: Silent Witness fans beg for next season after 'perfect' finale leaves them in tears
"I am so sorry to hear the terribly sad news about the passing of Nigel McCrery. In creating Silent Witness he brought something special to so many audiences around the world, and to those of us lucky enough to work on the show. Its success and longevity are testament to Nigel and his brilliant idea in the first place – and of course many other shows too," her statement read.
She continued: "I was hugely fond of him personally. He was always kind and warm and spoke devotedly of his own family as an extremely proud parent and grandparent. I am grateful that he remained connected to the show ongoingly and always wanted to know what plans there were for it.
What to Read Next
"His great friend the forensic pathologist Helen Whitwell, who inspired the Sam Ryan character played by Amanda Burton, also sadly passed away recently. They will both live on through Silent Witness and we will do our best to make them proud. He will be missed by so many and my thoughts are with his family."
Related: Silent Witness' new cast additions this week include Line of Duty star
Announcing McCrery's death, his agent wrote: "It's with a heavy heart that we share the news of screenwriter, author and producer Nigel McCrery's passing.
"As the creative mind behind such hits as the much-loved long-running BBC drama series Silent Witness and New Tricks, Nigel captivated and inspired audiences for years with his work.
"His numerous contributions to the arts will always be remembered. Nigel had an incredible career and will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his family at this time."
Silent Witness season 28 airs weekly on BBC One on Mondays and Tuesdays at 9pm.
Reporter, Digital Spy
Harriet is a freelance news writer specialising in TV and movies at Digital Spy.
A horror enthusiast, she joined Digital Spy after working on her own horror website, reviewing films and focusing largely on feminism in the genre.
In her spare time, Harriet paints and produces mixed-media art. She graduated from the University of Kingston with a BA in fine art, where she specialised in painting. She also has an MA in journalism from Birkbeck University.
