Silent Witness fans shared they were left ‘so confused’ as an episode pulled by the BBC finally aired.
Earlier this month, the long-running crime drama returned for series 29 – and is now set in Birmingham.
Viewers tuned in for the latest episode on Tuesday (February 17) – which had previously been pulled and swapped out after an incident in Birmingham.
As well as The Enemy Within airing a week later, it was also pushed back to air across Tuesday and Wednesday, due to FA Cup fixtures.
Although some were left confused about the intended running order, as they queried this on social media.
Taking to X, one fan wrote: ‘So we can all agree this was originally meant to be episode one, right.’
Silent Witness fans shared their confusion as a previously pulled episode finally hit screens on Tuesday (February 17)
The long-running crime drama returned earlier this month – and the storyline has shifted to Birmingham
A real-life incident in Birmingham led to the newest episodes being aired later than expected
Another added: ‘This was very clearly meant to be the first episode of this series.
‘I understand why last week’s was the wrong way around but this one doesn’t make sense to have been delayed.’
A third shared: ‘Didn’t realise last weeks was a change of episode too lol.’
A fourth asked: ‘So is this episode about something that was too controversial to be broadcast when the first chronological episode of this series was shown.’
A fifth commented: ‘Does anyone actually know which order the episodes are actually supposed to run in because I assumed this one was just swapped out for Creekwood last week but seems to make more sense as the first episode of the series before Alice Hill.’
Taking to X, viewers shared their confusion over the episodes’ intended running order
Viewers were perplexed last week after an episode was unexpectedly pulled from screens – with the BBC issuing a poignant statement.
On February 9, fans tuned in for the third and fourth episodes – only what was aired didn’t follow the synopsis listed in schedules.
Beforehand, viewers had been expecting to see a two-part story titled The Enemy Within.
The synopsis for this reads: ‘Nikki, Jack and the team must navigate divisions in their new city in order to solve a racially motivated murder, but not everything is as it seems.’
One fan wrote on social media: ‘They’ve moved ep 5 to position ep3 &4, so what was the original 3 & 4? Anyone know?’
Another penned: ‘Did they just say they have changed the schedule/episode of Silent Witness?? Why? ?’
The Silent Witness Instagram announced this change just before broadcast that Monday.
Their statement read: ‘This week’s new Silent Witness is now on @bbciplayer, in a change to the previously billed episodes. #SilentWitness.’
Series star Emilia Fox (pictured) has been playing the lead role of Nikki Alexander since joining the show in 2004
Another story, Creekwood, was moved forward and aired on Monday night instead of The Enemy Within.
Creekwood’s synopsis outlines: ‘Nikki and Jack are called to a construction site to examine the body of an elderly man seemingly killed by a screwdriver impaled through his eye socket.
‘The investigating officer, DI Ashley Moss, quickly gets a lead when she follows two homeless people who may have seen what happened.
‘But the post mortem offers up further clues, and as more evidence is gathered, the team find themselves looking into the mental health system both past and present.’
It is understood the shake-up took place following a tragic incident in Birmingham over the previous weekend.
A BBC spokesman told TV Guide: ‘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.’
West Midlands Police confirmed that a 12-year-old boy had been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after two teenagers were attacked with a machete outside a shop.
Silent Witness airs on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer.
