New hijack thriller Nightsleeper is set aboard a sleeper train from Glasgow to London
Sunday: Nightsleeper (BBC One, 9pm)
Have you got over the events of Sherwood yet? If the answer is “no”, you’d better sort yourself out quickly because there’s another rollercoaster of a series heading your way.
Nightsleeper is the brainchild of Bafta and RTS Award-winning writer Nick Leather, whose previous projects include The Control Room, Mother’s Day, Moving On and the acclaimed CBBC series Rocket’s Island.
This time he’s come up with a six-part thriller that should appeal to fans of Line of Duty and its ilk. There’s also an unusual approach to the story – like the smash-hit US series 24, it’s been filmed in real time, with each episode depicting an hour in the story.
“I couldn’t be more excited to work with Euston Films and the BBC to drive the engine of this real-time thriller and take our audience along for a ride full of personal intrigue, political manoeuvring and danger,” claims Leather. “By the time dawn breaks at the end of this journey, no-one involved will ever be the same again.”
Heading the cast are Alexandra Roach and Joe Cole. Roach plays Abby Aysgarth, the acting technical director at the National Cyber Security Centre, whose holiday is cut short after a hacker takes control of a sleeper train heading from Glasgow to London. Cole, meanwhile, takes the role of off-duty police officer Joe Road, who happens to be among the passengers.
His supposedly relaxed journey turns into a nightmare, and he finds himself working alongside Abby to save his own life as well as everyone else aboard. But who is responsible for the crime, and how do they always seem to be one step ahead of those on their trail?
“The classic on-screen genre of a runaway train is given a thrilling modern twist by Nick Leather and we find ourselves with a small group of people in a race against time,” say executive producers Kate Harwood and Noemi Spanos, with Gaynor Holmes, Commissioning Editor for BBC Drama, adding: “Nick’s ingenious scripts combine a fantastic premise with a nail-biting plot and characters you will root for. We can’t wait to bring Nightsleeper hurtling on to the BBC – viewers will definitely want to catch it.”
With regular slots at 9pm on Sunday and Monday evenings for the next three weeks, not to mention a berth on the BBC iPlayer (all episodes will be available from 6am this morning), some might suggest that the drama is more reliable than the current rail service…
Sharon Small, James Cosmo, David Threlfall, Alex Ferns and Sharon Rooney are among the superb supporting cast.
“It’s a joy to be able to write for this cast of some of the finest acting talent in the UK today,” states a thrilled Leather. “Our train is a real rollercoaster, a white-knuckle trip through the heart of Britain, and I’m delighted to have them join us for the ride.”
So, get your bags packed and jump on board for what promises to be one of the most enthralling dramas of the year – don’t expect a trolley service, but you will have knuckles throughout.