Nightsleeper - trailer & date for new BBC real-time thriller

A train becomes a bomb in the upcoming thriller series Nightsleeper.

Real time thrillers seem to be making a comeback. Recently, we’ve had the Idris Elba fronted Hijack and Richard Armitage’s Red Eye.

Now, the BBC plan to put us off intercity travel, with a drama playing out across an overnight train journey. Here’s the trailer…

Nightsleeper has a three week slot in the schedules, with a premiere on Sunday 15th September at 9pm.

The show stars Joe Cole (The Ipcress File) and Alexandra Roach (Men Up) as a pair who have to work together to solve the “hackjacking” plot.

Here’s the synopsis:

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?

Ensemble cast

There’s a large cast joining Cole and Roach, including James Cosmo (Six Four), Sharon Small (GOOD) and David Threfall (Passenger).

Nightsleeper: James Cosmo as Fraser Warren — James Cosmo as Fraser Warren (c) Euston Films / BBC

Nightsleeper: Sharon Small as Liz Draycott — Sharon Small as Liz Draycott (c) Euston Films / BBC

Nightsleeper: David Threlfall as Paul Peveril — David Threlfall as Paul Peveril (c) Euston Films / BBC

Plus, Pamela Nomvete (Andor), Parth Thakerar (Gangs of London) and Sharon Rooney (Daddy Issues).

Nightsleeper: Pamela Nomvete as Nicola Miller and Parth Thakerar as Saj Sidhu — Pamela Nomvete as Nicola Miller and Parth Thakerar as Saj Sidhu (c) Euston Films / BBC

Nightsleeper: Sharon Rooney as Yasmin Brown — Sharon Rooney as Yasmin Brown (c) Euston Films / BBC

Additionally, Nightsleeper stars Alex Ferns (The Devil’s Hour), Daniel Cahill (The Control Room), Lois Chimimba (Vigil), Gabriel Howell (The Fence).

Plus, Katie Leung (Annika), Leah MacRae (Baby Reindeer), Ruth Madeley (Doctor Who), Adam Mitchell (Mother’s Day) and Scott Reid (Maxine).

The drama comes from creator and writer Nick Leather (The Control Room), with Laura Grace writing episodes four and five. Jamie Magnus Stone (Doctor Who) and John Hayes (Dublin Murders) direct. Fremantle’s Euston Films produce for the BBC.

Nightsleeper plays out across three weeks on Sunday and Monday nights at 9pm. But if you just can’t wait, all six episodes also drop on the iPlayer at 6am on September 15th too.