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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
Adam Robertson

New BBC thriller set on train from Glasgow to London met with mixed reviews

A NEW drama set on a train travelling to London from Glasgow has aired on the BBC.

Nightsleeper is a six-part series in which an overnight train from Glasgow is hacked by cyber terrorists as it makes its way to London .

The first episode aired on the BBC on Sunday night – here’s everything you need to know.

What is Nightsleeper?

The episode promised a story brimming with “personal intrigue, political manoeuvring and danger” ahead of its release.

At the centre of the drama is Joe Roag, played by Joe Cole, who is best known for his role as John Shelby in Peaky Blinders.

It has been written by Bafta-winner Nick Leather, who also wrote Mother’s Day and The Control Room.  

Also appearing in the new BBC drama is Alexandra Roach who has previously starred in No Offence, One Chance, Y Golau, Utopia and Viewpoint.

Scottish actor James Cosmo, known for his roles in Braveheart and Game of Thrones, is also in the show. 

BBC Nightsleeper full cast list

  • Joe Roag: Joe Cole
  • Abby Aysgarth: Alexandra Roach
  • Liz Draycott: Sharon Small
  • Andy Maver: Gavin Mitchell
  • Kyle Warren: James McAnerney
  • Kate Nisbit: Naomi Yang
  • Zed Hylton: Jasmine Naziha Jones
  • Leon Parhill: Micah Balfour
  • Police Scotland Officer Cal McKinsey: Murray Fraser
  • Saj Sidhu: Parth Thakerar
  • Meg Hooton: Remy Beasley
  • Danny Geoghan: Daniel Cahill
  • Erin Connolly: Lois Chimimba
  • Tobi McKnight: Gabriel Howell
  • Rachel Li: Katie Leung
  • Sophie Warren: Leah MacRae
  • Chrissy Doolan: Ruth Madeley
  • Max `Mouse" Ellis: Adam Mitchell
  • Nicola Miller: Pamela Nomvete
  • Billy McCloud: Scott Reid
  • Aaron Moy: Alex Ferns
  • Yas Brown: Sharon Rooney
  • Fraser Warren: James Cosmo
  • Ian Crieff: Douglas Russell
  • Lindsey Ellis: Kim Chapman

How many episodes of Nightsleeper are there?

The series premiered on Sunday, September 15 and is available to view on BBC One and the streaming service BBC iPlayer.

Although all episodes are now available on the streaming service, the next episode of the show will be on BBC One at 9pm on Monday evening and the show will air on Sundays and Mondays for the following fortnight after this.

What have reviews said?

The show has so far been met with mixed reviews with The Telegraph giving it three stars and declaring it as a “daft thrill ride”.

However, The Guardian described the show as “fantastically dreadful,” giving the show two stars instead.

Radio Times also offered two stars but the Daily Mail said it was worth going “along for the ride,” giving the show four stars in its review while the Times said the drama was "barely staying on the rails".

Is the show based on a real train?

The story is set on the fictional Heart of Britain sleeper train although the Caledonian Sleeper does allow people to travel between Scotland and London overnight.

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