Silent Witness fans tuning in tonight for the highly anticipated two-parter The Enemy Within will get a surprise as the BBC has pulled the episodes at the last minute.
The third and fourth instalments of the 10-part series were set to air on Monday and Tuesday (February 9 and 10). Instead, viewers now face an unexpected shake-up to the schedule.
But why the sudden change, and when can you watch The Enemy Within? Here’s why the BBC pulled Silent Witness tonight.
BBC One pulls Silent Witness episode The Enemy Within
Tonight’s Silent Witness instalments were due to be the two-part story The Enemy Within. However, BBC One made the last-minute decision to remove the two-hour crime drama from the schedule.
In a statement posted on social media, the BBC wrote: “This week’s new Silent Witness is now on @bbciplayer, in a change to the previously billed episodes. #SilentWitness.”
Instead of The Enemy Within Part 1 and 2, fans can now watch Creekwood. Originally episodes five and six of the forensic drama, they have moved forward to become episodes three and four.
In Creekwood, Nikki and Jack head to a construction site to examine the body of an elderly man seemingly killed by a screwdriver impaled through his eye socket. Investigating officer DI Ashley Moss quickly gets a lead when she follows two homeless people who may have seen what happened.
Why did the BBC pull the episode?
A BBC spokesperson told us that the original Silent Witness episodes were pulled as a result of the tragic event in Birmingham.
They say: “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.”
Tragically, two teenagers were attacked with a machete outside a shop in Birmingham on Saturday night (February 07, 2026). Two boys, 14 and 15, were taken to hospital – one with life-changing injuries – while a third 15-year-old was punched on Stratford Road in Shirley.
West Midlands Police have now confirmed that a 12-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Officers were called to the scene at about 9pm and believe it is a targeted attack.
Silent Witness fans know the BBC One drama moved to Birmingham for the current series 29. So the attack was very close to home.
What was the two-parter The Enemy Within about?
In The Enemy Within, the forensic crime team investigate a fatal stabbing that appears racially motivated. As the investigation unfolds, they uncover evidence pointing to a likely suspect. As they do, racial tensions rise across the city.
At the same time, Jack’s new gym buddies turn out not to be the men he thought they were. In fact, they hold some far-right opinions that make Jack uncomfortable.
Silent Witness episodes The Enemy Within Part 1 and 2 will now air on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 and Wednesday, February 18 at 9pm. In another change to the schedule, next week’s episode will go out on Tuesday and Wednesday because of the football.
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