BBC viewers are already captivated by a new “twisted, edge-of-your-seat” thriller.
The show, which has been hailed as “the next Line of Duty,” has fans binge-watching the entire series within days of its release.
Starring Peaky Blinders’ Joe Cole, the six-part series Nightsleeper has gripped audiences, with many taking to social media to express their excitement. All episodes were released by the BBC this week. The plot centers around a sleeper train traveling from Glasgow to London that gets hacked during its journey, leading to a high-stakes race against time.
The tense storyline follows the government’s desperate efforts to intervene and prevent a disaster onboard, as they work to stop the train before it crashes. Joe Cole stars as Joe Roag, an off-duty police officer on the ground who teams up with Abby Aysgarth, played by Alexandra Roach, over the phone. Together, they must figure out who is behind the attack and how to outsmart the mysterious “Driver,” who always seems to be one step ahead.
A small team assists Abby, while Joe is left with a handful of passengers on the train, some of whom may have hidden agendas. Viewers have been raving about the adrenaline-fuelled series on X, sharing their excitement for the “twisted” new thriller.
One fan posted: “Been looking forward to #Nightsleeper for ages… high-octane thriller that just flew by! Brilliant direction, writing, music… think the BBC has found its next Line of Duty/Bodyguard.”
Another commented: “What a thriller! Edge-of-your-seat kind of stuff! Loved it! #Nightsleeper highly recommend.”
A third fan shared: “Have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed #Nightsleeper. The performances and twists kept me hooked throughout.”
Another viewer chimed in: “That’s probably the first time I’ve binged a BBC drama just because of the first episode, but I really enjoyed #NightSleeper. Just when I thought I’d predicted every twist – turns out, I hadn’t! Didn’t expect that ending, which did feel a little rushed, but great series overall.”
One aspect that caught fans’ attention was the appearance of Alex Ferns, infamous for playing Trevor Morgan in EastEnders – often referred to as “the most hated villain in soap history.” Ferns, who left the soap over 20 years ago, returns to screens in Nightsleeper in an unrecognisable role, shocking fans with his transformation.
Fans were quick to share their reactions, with one asking, “Isn’t that evil Trevor from EastEnders?” Another added, “Good to see Trevor from Eastenders on this #Nightsleeper.”
The intense filming process also took a toll on the cast, with some experiencing “motion sickness and needing medication on set.” Joe Cole revealed that spending up to 12 hours a day inside the confined train carriages made the experience physically demanding.
“We were cooped up in these small carriages for ten, 12 hours a day, and they’d pre-recorded the entire train journey from Aberdeen to London on LED screens outside the train,” Joe explained during a Q&A hosted by the BFI. “It was dark, so you couldn’t see much, but they used the lighting in the windows to reflect on our faces, which saved a lot of time in editing and made it look more realistic.”
Despite filming in a stationary setting, the cast still struggled with the feeling of movement. “Because it felt like you were actually on a train, people started feeling motion sickness if they stared out of the windows for too long,” Joe added.
Nightsleeper has left audiences gripped, and it seems set to follow in the footsteps of other BBC thrillers that have captivated viewers in recent years.