Best known for his portrayal of forensic pathologist Thomas Chamberlin in Silent Witness, Richard Lintern is an actor who's enjoyed a steady career both on the screen and on stage, starring in a variety of roles.
Later this month, Silent Witness returns to BBC One for another exhiliarating series, and so we caught up with Richard to find out all about what we should expect.
You're back on Silent Witness this month, what should viewers expect from the new series?
The new series takes you from the forests of Eastern Europe to a prison cell in Wormwood Scrubs, via a riverside beauty spot in Sussex. One of the strengths of the show is its flexibility and range and this series is no exception.
Where will we see your character's relationship with his colleagues go this series?
Thomas has settled into the team now and the relationships between him, Clarissa, Jack and Nikki are all deepening with time. This series sees him in a strong relationship with a visiting detective which challenges him professionally and emotionally. It was great to explore a bit more of that side of his character and to enjoy a bit of romance!
How does it feel now going onto set and how different is it to when you first started the show?
Going on set now feels more comfortable as I'm amongst friends and feel relaxed. First days in any new job are challenging and acting is no exception. When I started, I was terrified and trying not to show it.
Is there an instant chemistry now with your co-stars?
There is after a couple of espresso martinis!
How do you personally compare to your character Thomas?
He is a bit calmer than me but then he needs to be, he has to keep an eye on Emilia Fox, David Caves and especially Liz Carr. They all misbehave on set, but Liz is the worst!
What sort of research do you or did you have to do for this role and specifically this new series?
We all work really hard to ensure that the forensic work we carry out on the programme is as authentic as possible. We have a real life forensic pathologist on hand during each post mortem and I analyse each script as soon as I get them for technical issues.
The writers and production team are obsessive about getting the detail right and that helps an enormous amount when it comes to playing the scenes in the cutting room.
You're also a voiceover artist, how did you make your way into that world?
I was lucky enough to get a great voiceover agent called Another Tongue and thankfully, people enjoy hearing my voice. My children on the other hand think I just drone on all the time.
What would you say are some of your biggest career highlights?
My first ever job was with Sophia Loren. It's all been downhill from there!
Do you have any aims or goals going forward for your career?
I'd love to be in a musical, but my singing voice makes that extremely unlikely...