# David Caves
**David Caves** is a Northern Irish actor best known for playing the forensic scientist Jack Hodgson in the BBC crime drama *Silent Witness*, a role he has held since joining the cast in series 16 in 2013[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/). His screen work outside the series includes the films *Ironclad: Battle for Blood* (2014), *Jackie* (2016), and *Widow's Walk* (2019), and the Channel 5 murder mystery *15 Days* (2019)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/). Before television, he built his career on stage, with roles for the [Royal Shakespeare Company](https://www.edgepedia.org/royal-shakespeare-company), Cheek by Jowl, and the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Signature role | Jack Hodgson, lead forensic scientist in *Silent Witness*, from series 16 (2013) onward[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/) |
| Born | Belfast, Northern Ireland; sources give 1978 or 1979[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/) • [2](https://www.ulsteractors.com/c/) |
| Education | Campbell College, Belfast; St Andrews University (BA Hons in French and German); London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/) |
| Notable stage roles | Heathcliff in *Wuthering Heights* (2005); Bosola in *The Duchess of Malfi* (2010); Macheath in *The Beggar's Opera* (2011); Petruchio in *The Taming of the Shrew* for the RSC (2011)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/) |
| Film roles | Berenger in *Ironclad: Battle for Blood* (2014); Clint Hill in *Jackie* (2016); Joe in *Widow's Walk* (2019)[3](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1232688-david-caves) |
| Recognition | Repeated TV Choice Awards Best Actor nominations; Spirit of Tomorrow award, Belfast Top 40 Under 40 (2013)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/) |
| Personal life | Married Verity Cunningham in 2019[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/) |
## Early life and training
Caves was born in Belfast and attended [Campbell College](https://www.edgepedia.org/campbell-college), where both of his parents were teachers[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/). He went on to the [University of St Andrews](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-st-andrews) in Scotland, reading French and German and graduating with a BA (Hons)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/). After a year in France working as an English teacher, he was offered a place at the [London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art](https://www.edgepedia.org/london-academy-of-music-and-dramatic-art) (LAMDA)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/). The Ulster Actors profile records that he trained at LAMDA from 2002 to 2005 and appeared on the Academy's stage during that period, including as Capulet in *Romeo and Juliet* (2004) and as Marshal George Herrick in Arthur Miller's *The Crucible* (2005)[2](https://www.ulsteractors.com/c/).
## Stage career
His first professional role after graduating was [Heathcliff](https://www.edgepedia.org/heathcliff-wuthering-heights) in *Wuthering Heights* in 2005[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/). Over the following six years he accumulated a substantial list of classical credits: *The Duchess of Malfi* at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, directed by Philip Franks (2006); *Cymbeline* and *Troilus and Cressida* with Cheek by Jowl, directed by Declan Donnellan (2007 and 2008); Charlie in *Stones in His Pockets* (2009); Macduff in *Macbeth* with Cheek by Jowl (2010); Bosola in *The Duchess of Malfi* at Northampton Royal and Derngate, directed by Laurie Sansom (2010); Macheath in *The Beggar's Opera* at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, directed by Lucy Bailey (2011); and Deflores in *The Changeling* at the Southwark Playhouse (2011)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/).
**RSC Petruchio.** In 2011 he played Petruchio in *The Taming of the Shrew* for the Royal Shakespeare Company, again directed by Lucy Bailey[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/). The Ulster Actors profile describes the production as opening at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford before a short English tour, with Caves's Petruchio heavily tattooed opposite Lisa Dillon's Katharina[2](https://www.ulsteractors.com/c/).
A contemporary review of *The Changeling* singled out his Deflores as "fascinating", noting that his portrayal of a man blinded by obsession made the character sympathetic despite his moral code[4](https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/changelingsouthwark-rev).
## Silent Witness and screen work
In 2013, without previous screen history, Caves was cast as Jack Hodgson, a cage-fighting forensic scientist at the Lyell Centre, making his debut in the opening episode of series 16, titled "Change"[2](https://www.ulsteractors.com/c/). According to Caves, the character was originally written as coming from the North of England, but the writers liked his Northern Irish accent at the audition and made [Jack Irish](https://www.edgepedia.org/jack-irish) as well[5](https://silentwitness.fandom.com/wiki/Jack_Hodgson). He has remained with the series since, and by the mid-2020s he was, after [Emilia Fox](https://www.edgepedia.org/emilia-fox), the longest-serving member of the main cast[6](https://www.womanandhome.com/life/news-entertainment/emilia-fox-teases-silent-witness-nikki-jack/). In a 2021 interview with Radio Times, ahead of series 24, he said he had no intention of leaving the show[7](https://tollbit.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/david-caves-silent-witness-big-rt-interview/).
His film roles have been selective. He played the medieval soldier Berenger in *Ironclad: Battle for Blood* (2014), the US Secret Service agent [Clint Hill](https://www.edgepedia.org/clint-hill-secret-service), who climbed onto the presidential limousine after the Kennedy assassination, in [Pablo Larraín](https://www.edgepedia.org/pablo-larrain)'s *Jackie* (2016) opposite [Natalie Portman](https://www.edgepedia.org/natalie-portman), and Joe in the supernatural thriller *Widow's Walk* (2019)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/) • [2](https://www.ulsteractors.com/c/). In 2019 he starred as Michael in the four-part Channel 5 murder mystery *15 Days*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/).
## Other work
Caves has voiced broadcast commercials for the World Wildlife Fund and took part in "Pages of the Sea", a nationwide [Armistice](https://www.edgepedia.org/armistice) event commissioned by director [Danny Boyle](https://www.edgepedia.org/danny-boyle)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/). In February 2025 he presented the BBC Lifeline Appeal for Shine Cancer Support, a charity supporting people aged 20 to 49 facing a cancer diagnosis, broadcast on [BBC One](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-one) on 23 February 2025[8](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/shine-cancer-support_were-delighted-to-announce-that-silent-witness-activity-7298350991060488192-ID-a).
## Recognition
He has been repeatedly nominated for Best Actor at the TV Choice Awards for his *Silent Witness* role, and in 2013 won the Spirit of Tomorrow award at the Belfast Top 40 Under 40 Awards[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/).
## References
1. [David Caves – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5290610/bio/)
2. [David Caves, Ulster Actors](https://www.ulsteractors.com/c/)
3. [David Caves, The Movie Database (TMDB)](https://www.themoviedb.org/person/1232688-david-caves)
4. [Theatre review: The Changeling at Southwark Playhouse, British Theatre Guide](https://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/changelingsouthwark-rev)
5. [Jack Hodgson, Silent Witness Wiki (Fandom)](https://silentwitness.fandom.com/wiki/Jack_Hodgson)
6. [Emilia Fox teases 'very emotional' scenes for Nikki and Jack in Silent Witness, woman&home](https://www.womanandhome.com/life/news-entertainment/emilia-fox-teases-silent-witness-nikki-jack/)
7. [David Caves on the return of Silent Witness, Radio Times](https://tollbit.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/david-caves-silent-witness-big-rt-interview/)
8. [Shine Cancer Support announcement of David Caves presenting its BBC Lifeline Appeal, LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/shine-cancer-support_were-delighted-to-announce-that-silent-witness-activity-7298350991060488192-ID-a)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › Irish actors › Surnames A to F*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license