We’ve all been stuck on a train. Whether it’s broken down or delayed due to pesky leaves on the line, it’s a teeth-gnashing waste of time. But what if the train weren’t stationary? What if it were hurtling along at high speed for six terrifying hours? Oh and what if it didn’t have a driver? That’s the set-up for Nightsleeper, the BBC’s new blockbuster real-time thriller. Like Speed meets 24, with a dash of Bodyguard and Hijack, it’s a non-stop service from Tension Central to Plot Twist Parkway.
Cyberterrorists have seized control of an overnight service from Glasgow to London and are driving the train remotely – a crime known as “hackjacking”. Leading the fightback are two strangers: Joe (played by Joe Cole), an off-duty police officer who happens to be a passenger on the train, and Abby (Alexandra Roach), acting technical director at the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) who keeps in constant contact by phone from NCSC HQ. Across six propulsive episodes, our heroes race to beat the ticking clock and get everyone off board safely.
