Jack Hodgson

Jack Hodgson is a major character in ''Silent Witness. ''He becomes a series regular in Series 16. Jack is a forensic scientist who is hired by the Lyell Centre following the departure of Harry Cunningham. Jack is also an amateur cage fighter. He is portrayed by David Caves.

Background
Jack was born in Northern Ireland and grew up in West Yorkshire. He has an older brother named Ryan Kelvin. When he was sixteen, he went out with Katie, a rebellious new girl at his school. However, after she was expelled and fell in with a bad crowd, Jack's parents forced him to break up with her, which he said "broke his heart". Jack later discovered that Katie had been kicked out by her parents and died of a heart attack shortly before her nineteenth birthday, due to a drug overdose. Jack was devastated by her death, blaming himself for years and also refusing to speak with his parents for six months after it happened.

As an adult, Jack studied biological science, eventually becoming a forensic scientist working with the Yorkshire police. At some point, Jack met Clarissa Mullery, a fellow scientist, who became his lab partner and friend. He had also heard of Professor Leo Dalton and greatly admired the man. In 2009, Jack witnessed a fight outside a pub between his brother and another man, during which Ryan beat the other man badly. Ryan ended up being charged with GBH and Jack, as the only witness, had to give evidence against him in court. This was perceived as betrayal by Ryan, though Jack had no real choice, as he risked losing his job otherwise. As a result of their strained relationship, Jack did not see or speak with Ryan for around five years; he didn't mention to anyone, even Clarissa, that he actually had a brother.

Jack had an affair with a police detective named Chrissy Reed, whilst they were working together on a rape/murder case. Jack was very fond of Chrissy; however, he later suspected that someone had tampered with the forensic evidence he'd collected, which was then used to convict Reed's prime suspect. Jack accused Reed of framing the man to solve the case quickly and advance her career; he even went as far as suggesting that she only had an affair with him to gain access to his lab (which is somewhat debatable). Jack was very vocal in his complaints and eventually left Yorkshire to come work in London. This occurred three years before his arrival at the Lyell Centre.

Silent Witness
Jack appears in the first episode of Series 16, Change, where he helps the Lyell Centre solve their latest case. Leo is looking for a replacement for Harry, who had left in the previous series and, impressed with Jack's skills, hires him (inadvertently hiring Clarissa as well, as Jack insists that where he goes, Clarissa goes too). Jack quickly settles into the Lyell Centre, using his forensic knowledge (and occasionally his knowledge of martial arts) to help solve cases. In his spare time, he trains and competes in MMA fights. He works closely with Nikki Alexander and often flirts with her, like his predecessor Dr Cunningham. He is very grateful to Nikki when she saves him from being stabbed in the throat by serial killer Alan Lane. Jack is reunited with Chrissy - now a DI - in Trust. Things are very tense between them, but their relationship improves when Jack comes to the conclusion he may have overreacted and falsely accused Chrissy. However, he rejects her again, saying he should've trusted his first instinct, when he discovers she slept with another detective to get a promotion.

Jack becomes very emotionally involved in the case of a serial killer targeting vulnerable women featured in the Series 17 story In A Lonely Place, due to the fact it reminds him of Katie. He later divulges this to Nikki, who suggests that nothing Jack could've done would have changed Katie's fate, if it were already in her nature. In Fraternity, Jack is reunited with his brother, after Ryan is arrested for murder. This leads to Jack being taken off the case - though he secretly continues working on it anyway - and a conflict of interests between solving the murder or protecting his brother. It is also revealed that Jack was actually the one who threw the punch that broke the jaw of the man Ryan was fighting with, attempting to defend his brother, but Ryan insisted on taking the blame. Jack is badly injured whilst working the case after being attacked by the true perpetrator, though he survives and eventually wakes up after being in a coma. He turns Ryan in to the police after discovering he coerced the underage murder victim to sleep with a businessman to blackmail him. In Squaring the Circle, Jack has a brief relationship with DI Sarah Parks, though ultimately nothing comes of it.

Personality
Jack is intelligent and perceptive, and confident in his abilities as a forensic scientist. He usually goes with his gut instinct in cases. Jack can be somewhat hot-headed and impulsive, and is often defiant of authority figures - his respect must be earned. It is heavily implied he feels a great deal of guilt for past wrongs, regardless of whether he was truly to blame, and attempts to make amends. He is open in his opinions and can be stubborn, but will swallow his pride and admit his mistakes if he is proven to be wrong. Jack is also very loyal to his friends and will put himself at risk to defend them.

Nikki Alexander
Jack is good friends with Nikki and greatly admires her, with Clarissa claiming he called her a "genius". He often flirts with her and also becomes somewhat jealous if other men show romantic interest in her, implying that he may be romantically attracted to her.

Leo Dalton
Jack has a great deal of respect for Leo - he is one of the few authority figures Jack actually seems to listen to. He is greatly saddened when he dies, but shows it less openly than Nikki.

Clarissa Mullery
Jack has been friends with Clarissa for years. They work well together and often exchange witty banter. One of Jack's conditions for working at the Lyell Centre is that Clarissa come work there too, showing he has a lot of loyalty and affection for her.

Chrissy Reed
Clarissa implies that Jack genuinely had feelings for Chrissy and was deeply hurt when he believed she was merely using him. In the present, Jack appears to resent Chrissy and, though he attempts to remain cordial, is often rude or passive-aggressive towards her when they interact.

Romantic Relationships
Jack has had numerous romantic interests over the years, including:
 * Chrissy Reed
 * Naomi Silva
 * Katie Ashton
 * Sarah Parks
 * Nikki Alexander

These relationships usually ended because of incompatibility, one night stand or other personal reasons.

Series 16

 * Change (part 1)
 * Change (part 2)
 * Trust (part 1)
 * Trust (part 2)
 * True Love Waits (part 1)
 * True Love Waits (part 2)
 * Legacy (part 1)
 * Legacy (part 2)
 * Greater Love (part 1)
 * Greater Love (part 2)

Series 17

 * Commodity (part 1)
 * Commodity (part 2)
 * Coup de Grace (part 1)
 * Coup de Grace (part 2)
 * In A Lonely Place (part 1)
 * In A Lonely Place (part 2)
 * Undertone (part 1)
 * Undertone (part 2)
 * Fraternity (part 1)
 * Fraternity (part 2)

Series 18

 * Sniper's Nest (part 1)
 * Sniper's Nest (part 2)
 * Falling Angels (part 1)
 * Falling Angels (part 2)
 * Protection (part 1)
 * Protection (part 2)
 * Squaring the Circle (part 1)
 * Squaring the Circle (part 2)
 * One of Our Own (part 1)
 * One of Our Own (part 2)

Series 19

 * After the Fall (part 1)
 * After the Fall (part 2)
 * Flight (part 1)
 * Flight (part 2)
 * Life License (part 1)
 * Life License (part 2)
 * In Plain Sight (part 1)
 * In Plain Sight (part 2)
 * River's Edge (part 1)
 * River's Edge (part 2)

Series 20

 * Moment of Surrender (Part 1)
 * Moment of Surrender (Part 2)
 * Duty of Candour (Part 1)
 * Duty of Candour (Part 2)
 * A Special Relationship (Part 1)
 * A Special Relationship (Part 2)
 * One Day (Part 1)
 * One Day (Part 2)
 * Family (Part 1)
 * Family (Part 2)

Series 22

 * Two Spirits (Part 1)
 * Two Spirits (Part 2)
 * Lift up Your Hearts (Part 1)
 * Lift up Your Hearts (Part 2)
 * To Brighton, To Brighton (Part 1)
 * To Brighton, To Brighton (Part 2)
 * Deathmaker (Part 1)
 * Deathmaker (Part 2)
 * Betrayal (Part 1)
 * Betrayal (Part 2)

Series 23

 * Deadhead (Part 1)
 * Deadhead (Part 2)
 * Close to Home (Part 1)
 * Close to Home (Part 2)
 * Seven Times (Part 1)
 * Seven Times (Part 2)
 * Hope (Part 1)
 * Hope (Part 2)
 * The Greater Good (Part 1)
 * The Greater Good (Part 2)

Series 24

 * Redemption (Part 1)
 * Redemption(Part 2)
 * Bad Love (Part 1)
 * Bad Love (Part 2)
 * Reputations (Part 1)
 * Reputations (Part 2)
 * Brothers Keeper (Part 1)
 * Brothers Keeper (Part 2)
 * Matters of Life and Death (Part 1)
 * Matters of Life and Death (Part 2)

Trivia

 * Jack Hodgson bears some similarities to Sam Ryan - they are both originally from Northern Ireland and Jack has a brother named Ryan, whilst Ryan is Sam's surname.
 * In a news article Nikki Alexander reads in Trust about the case Jack worked on before leaving Yorkshire, he is stated to be twenty-nine years old. As this took place three years before Jack's first appearance in the series, it would make his current age around thirty-two.
 * He writes with his left hand.
 * He is revealed to suffer from vertigo in True Love Waits. 
 * David Caves stated that Jack was originally written to be from the North of England, but that when he auditioned for the role, the writers liked his Northern Irish accent and so decided to make Jack Irish as well.
 * Jack states he is an atheist and doesn't believe prayer works, but in Protection, he is seen apparently praying for a missing child to be returned home safely.