The BBC has commissioned a second series of Nightsleeper, with the real-time thriller leaving the railway behind for a new six-part story set aboard a passenger ferry crossing the Irish Sea. The follow-up will unfold over six hours on a Belfast-to-Liverpool sailing, where the passengers and crew find themselves caught in another dangerous, fast-moving situation. According to the BBC, each cabin will bring a new story and surprise as secrets begin to emerge during the overnight journey.
Writer Nick Leather returns after creating the first series, which followed the fictional Heart of Britain sleeper train as it travelled from Glasgow to London. Joe Cole and Alexandra Roach led the cast as two strangers forced to work together after the train was taken over remotely, placing everyone on board in danger.
The series launched in September 2024 and became the BBC’s biggest new drama debut of the year, with its opening episode reaching 8.5 million viewers. It also found a significant audience beyond the UK, selling into 176 territories worldwide. For CultureCues, it was one of the year’s strongest new thrillers.
Leather said he was excited to take the thriller out to sea, promising that the ferry’s passengers and crew will experience a night filled with secrets, shifting loyalties and tragedy. He also warned that not everyone will reach Liverpool, describing the new series as “more Nightsleepery than ever”.
Unlike the first instalment, which was largely contained aboard a moving train and within a government cyber-security centre, the ferry setting introduces cabins, decks and the surrounding sea as potential parts of the mystery. The confined overnight crossing should also give the story another naturally tense setting, particularly once it becomes clear that the danger may already be on board.
No cast has been announced for the second series, and it remains unclear whether Joe Cole, Alexandra Roach or any of the original ensemble will return. The BBC’s announcement points towards a new group of passengers and crew becoming the focus of the latest crisis. For CultureCues, one of the highlights of the first series was its strong Scottish cast, including Sharon Rooney, Katie Leung and Leah MacRae. With the new story travelling from Belfast to Liverpool, we are looking forward to seeing who comes aboard this time, and hoping the series draws on some brilliant Irish talent too.
The new series will be produced by Element Pictures, whose credits include Normal People and The Cage, with support from Northern Ireland Screen. James Kent, known for The White Queen, and Wreck director Chris Baugh will direct the six episodes. Filming is due to begin in Belfast later this year. Kate Harwood, Rachel Dargavel, Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe and Chris Aird will executive produce for Element Pictures alongside Leather and Kent, with Gaynor Holmes representing the BBC.
For CultureCues, moving the real-time format from a sleeper train to a ferry is a smart way to expand Nightsleeper without repeating the same journey. The Irish Sea setting offers plenty of room for tense encounters and hidden dangers, especially when nobody can simply get off at the next stop. The train may have left the station, but this journey does not sound any calmer. Consider us fully on board.
Nightsleeper Series 2 will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. A release date has not yet been announced.
Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.