BBC crime thriller gets surprise season two renewal with Irish twist

The first season earned comparisons to the hits 24 and Speed.

Released in 2024, S1 of the series revolved around a train, going from Glasgow to London, that was hijacked by hackers (or 'hackjacked'), who hurled it "towards death and destruction".

Created by BAFTA-winning writer Nick Leather (Murdered for Being Different), Nightsleeper's story played out in real-time and was described by The Guardian as being "like Speed meets 24, with a dash of Bodyguard and Hijack".

Though a hit upon release, the lack of news about a season two led many to believe that the series was just a one-off.

Watch the trailer for Nightsleeper S1:

The BBC, however, has now confirmed that another batch of six episodes is on the way, which will move the action from "the rails to the open water".

"A new high-stakes thriller unfolds aboard a ship travelling across the Irish Sea - and behind every cabin door is another story, another surprise," the plot synopsis states.

Season two's opening episode will be titled 'Belfast Lough' and is written by the returning Nick Leather.

In a statement about Nightsleeper S2, the creator said: "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…”

Kate Harwood, Executive Producer, added: "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."

Richard Williams, CEO of Northern Ireland Screen, also said: “We’re proud to support [Irish production company] Element Pictures and the BBC as Nightsleeper returns with an exciting new story rooted in the Irish Sea.

"It’s wonderful to see Northern Ireland’s world-class crew, locations and creative talent playing a part in bringing this ambitious series to audiences around the world.”

Filming will take place in Belfast later this year.

Where to watch Nightsleeper S1

All six episodes of Nightsleeper season one are streaming now on Disney+.

Check out our interview with the show's star, Alexandra Roach, below, where she said she'd be "open" to returning as Abby for a second season of the series.