| Harry Cunningham | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Vital statistics | |
| Portrayed by | Tom Ward |
| Status | Alive |
| Occupation | Forensic pathologist |
| First Seen | Fallout |
| Last Seen | Fear |
| Relatives | Edward Cunningham - father (deceased)
Ann Cunningham - mother Possible unborn child (deceased) |
| Marital Status | Single |
Dr Harry Cunningham was a major character on Silent Witness. He is a forensic pathologist, originally joining the team as a student in Series 6. He is portrayed by Tom Ward.
Biography[]
Background[]
Harry is the son of an eminent surgeon - a domineering man who struggled with depression and bipolar and eventually took his own life when Harry was eleven years old. Harry mentions that he once wanted to be a pilot, but was unable to become one due to a mild heart condition. This, however, got him very interested in hearts, eventually leading him to his current line of work. Harry studied medicine for five years at a London teaching hospital, and then spent a further one year's pre-registration as a house doctor before being able to specialize in forensic pathology.
Silent Witness[]
Harry joined the department as a trainee pathologist, at the same time that Leo Dalton took up his post at the Lyell Centre. He worked alongside Sam Ryan and Leo and soon qualified as a pathologist, and has worked on equal footing with the team for a number of years.
Harry in yellow scrubs in Death's Door.
Harry was single and lived alone, but has had several romantic relationships. He frequently flirted with his colleague Nikki Alexander, but they never appeared to take their relationship any further than friendship.
In Bloodlines, Harry's Hungarian girlfriend Anna Sandor was murdered whilst he was staying with her in Budapest. Harry was framed for the crime and was forced to go on the run. He was caught by Anna's assassin and was initially believed to have been killed by him, after Leo hears a gunshot and then finds a burning corpse dressed in Harry's clothes and holding his ID. However, it is revealed that Harry faked his death, turning the tables on the assassin, shooting him, switching clothes and then immolating his body so that he could keep investigating Anna's murder. Harry was distraught when he learned Anna was pregnant at the time of her death and that he could have been the father. Harry managed to clear his name by the end of the episode and returned home to England.
At the beginning of And Then I Fell In Love, Harry's flat was accidently destroyed in an explosion and he temporarily moved in with Nikki. Harry left the team to accept a professorship in New York, USA, at the end of Series 15.
Harry is mentioned briefly early in Series 16 as his replacement, Jack Hodgson, empties an object-filled drawer from Harry's desk and pours them into a plastic box. Nikki asks him to stop and says she'll look the belongings.
Personality[]
On the surface, Harry is the most controversial of the team, which he combines with a searing sense of humour. His thought process is sharp and incisive, and he prides himself on a detached, scientific approach to his work. When the chips are down, he is more ruthless than the others and is prepared to be tough to get answers. He can sometimes appear callous, but underneath he's capable of real warmth, generosity and commitment to delivering justice.
Relationships[]
Leo Dalton[]
Harry didn't have a good relationship with Leo at first, with the two being very competitive or even openly hostile. However, he eventually came to respect Leo, viewing him as a paternal figure.
Nikki Alexander[]
Harry is very close to Nikki. They sometimes disagree on cases, but they remain good friends. Harry is very protective of Nikki - he is clearly very worried when Nikki is in danger, such as when she was knocked out and seriously injured by a murderer in a hospital basement. Harry often flirts with Nikki and gets jealous if she shows romantic interest in other men, implying he has deeper feelings for her. However, he never openly expressed these feelings, nor did he ever initiate a romantic relationship with Nikki. As he eventually left the UK for the US nothing has come of his attraction to Nikki.
Trivia[]
- Harry Cunningham has appeared in the third highest number of episodes out of the main cast, having appeared in a total of 96 episodes.