The BBC has announced that Colin Morgan, Madeleine Mantock, and Christian Cooke will head a new ensemble cast for the second series of the real-time thriller Nightsleeper. The trio takes over the leading roles from the first season’s stars, Joe Cole and Ruth Madeley. Production for the upcoming six-part drama is currently underway in Belfast, with support from Northern Ireland Screen.
Colin Morgan, Madeleine Mantock, and Christian Cooke to Lead Nightsleeper Series 2
Written by BAFTA and RTS award-winning writer Nick Leather, the new series shifts its setting from an overnight train to the open water. In the second season, a passenger ferry traveling from Belfast to Liverpool becomes the target of a potentially deadly cyber attack. While the ship’s crew attempts to conceal the severity of the danger from passengers, the ferry’s second engineer, Johnny—played by Cooke—must collaborate with Bo, the newly appointed technical director of the National Cyber Security Centre, portrayed by Morgan. Mantock takes on the role of Beth.
Expanded Cast and Returning Characters
The lead trio is joined by a large supporting ensemble, including Rupert Penry-Jones as Richard, Ian McElhinney as Charlie, and Sally Lindsay as Lisa. Additional cast members feature Alexander Arnold as Feeny, Lydia Page as Lola, Christine Bottomley as Tanya, Julie Dray as Ray, Pooky Quesnel as Sam, Jonathan Harden as Simon, Mickey Mason as Damian, Kevin Harvey as Tony, Cúán Hosty-Blaney as Liam, Eileen O’Higgins as Jo, Samuel Edward-Cook as Connor, Emily Flain as Eabha, Tareq Al-Jeddal as Albie, and Sam Hoare as Rusper.
In addition to the fresh faces, several cast members will reprise their roles from the show’s first season. Parth Thakerar, Jonjo O’Neill, and Micah Balfour return as Saj, Hud, and Leon, respectively.
Production and Creative Team
The six-part drama was commissioned by Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, and will air on BBC iPlayer and BBC One. The series is produced by Element Pictures—a Fremantle company known for Normal People—with Fremantle handling global sales. Element Pictures took over production from Euston Films, another Fremantle label that was shuttered around the launch of the first season.
The creative team includes directors James Kent and Chris Baugh. Executive producers for Element Pictures are Kate Harwood, Rachel Dargavel, Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, and Christopher Aird, alongside writer Nick Leather and director James Kent. Gaynor Holmes serves as executive producer for the BBC, with Jonathan Curling as series producer and Maria Mulhall as producer.
Reflecting on the new setting, writer Nick Leather stated, It’s so much fun to be embarking on a second Nightsleeper journey on a route I know so well with the Belfast-to-Liverpool ferry as our new box-of-tricks.
Executive Producer Kate Harwood added that the team is excited to film the seafaring adventure in Belfast, describing it as Titanic town itself.
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