The BBC has commissioned “Nightsleeper,” a new suspense thriller from Fremantle’s Euston Films penned by “The Control Room” scribe Nick Leather.
Leather, a BAFTA and RTS award-winning writer, is penning the series for BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
“Nightsleeper” is set on board a sleeper train between Glasgow and London. As the train crosses the U.K., events rapidly escalate while a government agency tries desperately to intervene.
“Can two people who’ve never met, one on the train and one not, work together to save the lives of its disparate group of passengers as the Heart of Britain service hurtles towards what might quite literally be its final destination?” reads the logline.
The casting hasn’t yet been announced but the six-episode drama is set to go into production next year in Glasgow, Scotland. “Doctor Who” director Jamie Magnus Stone has been tapped to direct the project.
“I couldn’t be more excited to work with Euston Films and the BBC to drive the engine of this real-time thriller and take our audience along for a ride full of personal intrigue, political manoeuvring and danger,” said Leather. “By the time dawn breaks at the end of this journey, no-one involved will ever be the same again”.
Euston Films’ managing directors Kate Harwood and Noemi Spanos said: “The classic on-screen genre of a runaway train is given a thrilling modern twist by screenwriter Nick Leather and we find ourselves with a small group of people in a race against time. We can’t wait to film this in Scotland next year.”
Gaynor Holmes, commissioning editor for BBC Drama, added: “Nick Leather’s ingenious scripts combine a fantastic premise with a nail-biting plot and characters you will root for. We can’t wait to bring ‘Nightsleeper’ hurtling on to the BBC – viewers will definitely want to catch it.”
“Nightsleeper” is produced by Fremantle label Euston Films (“Dublin Murders”). Harwood and Spanos exec produce the series alongside Leather and Holmes, for the BBC.
Euston Films’ Managing Directors Kate and Noemi Spanos will executive produce with Nick Leather and Gaynor Holmes for the BBC. Jonathan Curling (“The Sister”) will produce. Fremantle is repping international sales on the project.
