September 30, 2024 — The BBC has released the trailer for its forthcoming real-time thriller Nightsleeper, and announced that the drama will arrive on Sunday 15 September, with all episodes available on BBC iPlayer from 6am. On BBC One, the series will air on Sunday and Monday nights across three weeks from 9pm that night.

Alexandra Roach (The Light in the Hall) and Joe Cole (Gangs of London) lead the cast of Nightsleeper, written by BAFTA award-winning writer Nick Leather (Murdered For Being Different) and made my Fremantle’s Euston Films for the BBC.

Nightsleeper is a six-part series in which a train is ‘hackjacked’ while travelling from Glasgow to London, and suddenly finds itself on an uncertain journey with an even less certain destination. Part fast-moving heart-in-the-mouth action-adventure and part twisty-turny whodunnit detective story, it’s a roller coaster ride set across a single night where no-one is ever quite who they seem. Leading the fight are Joe Roag (Cole), an off-duty police officer who is a passenger on the train, and Abby Aysgarth (Roach), the acting technical director at the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). To stop the train, they’ll have to work out exactly who’s behind this. But are they fighting a hostile state, a terrorist organisation, or organised crime? Who is the self-styled ‘Driver’ who seems to be one step ahead of their every solution?

As Abby and Joe – who have never met in person – try to establish a bond that will withstand everything the night throws at them, will Joe’s fellow passengers help or hinder their desperate efforts? Could one of them even be involved? Who can Abby and Joe really trust?

Nightsleeper also stars Alex Ferns (The Devil’s Hour), Sharon Small (The Bay), James Cosmo (Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan), David Threlfall (Shameless), Daniel Cahill (The Control Room), Lois Chimimba (Vigil), Gabriel Howell (The Fence), Katie Leung (Harry Potter), Leah MacRae (Baby Reindeer), Ruth Madeley (Years and Years), Adam Mitchell (Mother’s Day), Pamela Nomvete (Andor), Scott Reid (Maxine), Sharon Rooney (Barbie) and Parth Thakerar (Gangs of London).

The series is executive produced by Euston Films’ managing director Kate Harwood, with Nick Leather, Jamie Magnus Stone, and Gaynor Holmes for the BBC. The series is directed by Jamie Magnus Stone (Doctor Who, Ten Pound Poms) and John Hayes (Dublin Murders). Created and written by Nick Leather with Laura Grace (episodes four and five). The producer is Jonathan Curling (The Sister, Baghdad Central) and co-producer is Daisy Costello. Fremantle handles global distribution.