Nightsleeper will return for a second season on BBC One and iPlayer, the broadcaster has confirmed – but the hit thriller will look very different to before.

The first season co-starred Alexandra Roach (The Light in the Hall) and Joe Cole (Gangs of London) as two strangers brought together in a desperate attempt to stop a hijacked train from hurtling to its doom – and to identify the person responsible.

Although it earned mixed reviews from critics, the series certainly drew a sizeable crowd, becoming the BBC’s biggest drama launch of 2024 with 8.5 million tuning into the first episode.

Taking a cue from Apple TV’s Hijack (which went from plane to train in season 2), Nightsleeper will also be swapping out its mode of transportation going forward, imagining a “high stakes” scenario aboard a ship crossing the Irish Sea.

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Series creator Nick Leather commented: “It’s so exciting to set sail on season 2! The passengers and crew on tonight’s Belfast to Liverpool passenger ferry are about to experience six hours of non-stop thrills and spills, secrets and lies, triumphs and tragedies.

“None of them are quite as they seem. Nothing in their lives will ever be the same again. Not all of them will make it to the other side. The new Nightsleeper is going to be more nightsleepery than ever.”

Intriguingly, the BBC has made no mention of the Nightsleeper cast in this initial announcement, and it sounds as if season 1 stars Roach and Cole will be stepping aside to make way for an all-new ensemble.

Executive producer Kate Harwood teased: “Nick has once again created a brilliantly tense thriller packed with new characters, twists, emotion and edge-of-your-seat drama. We can’t wait to bring this new drama from the high seas.”

Filming is due to commence in Belfast later this year, with support from Northern Ireland Screen, with James Kent (The White Queen) and Chris Baugh (Wreck) tapped to direct the upcoming episodes.

We’ll bring you more details on casting and release plans as they come in.

Nightsleeper season 2 is coming soon to BBC One and iPlayer. Previous episodes available now.

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Authors

David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.