A fresh drama is set to grace the BBC in the time slot that recently aired Sherwood. Nightsleeper, featuring Welsh actress Alexandra Roach and Peaky Blinders' Joe Cole, is scheduled for broadcast on Sundays and Mondays over the next three weeks.
This six-part series is a race-against-time narrative that will undoubtedly captivate fans of edge-of-your-seat thrillers. It's penned by award-winning writer Nick Leather, acclaimed for his 2017 film Murdered For Being Different.
But who’s in the cast and what have they been in before? Here’s everything you need to know.
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Alexandra Roach (Abby Aysgarth)
Alexandra Roach is best known for her roles in critically acclaimed series like Utopia, where she played Becky, a young woman caught up in a dangerous conspiracy, and No Offence, where she portrayed DS Joy Freers. She has also appeared in a variety of other notable projects, including Being Human, Inside No. 9, The Light in the Hall, Black Mirror, and Killing Eve.
The actress has also held film roles, notably in One Chance opposite James Corden, The Iron Lady as a young Margaret Thatcher, and more recently in television film Men Up — which you can read a review of here.
Alexandra will next headline the new Harlan Coben series on Amazon Prime, Lazarus, which you can read more about here.
Joe Cole (Joe Roag)
Joe Cole’s breakout role came in the critically acclaimed series Peaky Blinders, where he portrayed the complex and enigmatic John Shelby. Cole's portrayal of the Shelby family's volatile yet loyal member earned him widespread recognition. He has also garnered praise for his performances in films such as A Prayer Before Dawn, where he played the resilient boxer Billy Moore, and Green Room, a tense thriller that showcased his ability to deliver high-stakes action sequences.
More recently, Joe has led the cast of both Gangs of London and an adaptation of The Ipcress File for ITV1. He also starred in the Black Mirror episode, Hang the DJ.
David Threlfall (Paul Peveril)
Arguably best known for playing unemployed alcoholic Frank Gallagher in Channel 4’s Shameless, David Threlfall has also appeared in a slew of other television programmes and films over the years. Notable roles include playing Tommy Cooper in the 2014 film Not Like That, Like This and John Dee in Elizabeth: The Golden Age opposite Cate Blanchett.
Ruth Madeley (Chrissy Doolan)
Recently seen as Shirley Anne Bingham in Doctor Who, Ruth Madeley has made waves on our screens over the last couple of years. She has also starred in Russell T Davies’ Years and Years, Brassic, The Cleaner and The Rook.
Ruth is currently working on the upcoming Doctor Who spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea, which was filming in Cardiff city centre on Wednesday, September 11. Check out pictures from filming here.
James Cosmo (Fraser Warren)
Known for his character work, James has played supporting roles in films such as Highlander, Braveheart, Trainspotting, Troy, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Wonder Woman. He has also starred in television shows, Game of Thrones, His Dark Materials and Jack Ryan, as well as appearing on the reality television series Celebrity Big Brother in 2017 where he finished in fourth place.
Sharon Rooney (Yes Brown)
Sharon is known for her roles as Rae Earl in My Mad Fat Diary, Sophie in Two Doors Down, Dawn in Brief Encounters, Miss Atlantis in the 2019 remake of Dumbo and Lawyer Barbie in the 2023 film Barbie.
Sharon Small (Liz Draycott)
Rounding off the cast is Sharon Small who is best known for her role as Detective Sergeant Barbara Havers in the BBC's crime drama series The Inspector Lynley Mysteries. Other notable works include her roles in Mistresses, About a Boy, Downton Abbey, and Law & Order: UK. She has also showcased her talent on stage, receiving an Olivier Award nomination for her performance in a revival of Good opposite David Tennant.
Nightsleeper begins at 9pm on Sunday, September 15 on BBC One and on BBC iPlayer from 6am that morning. Episodes will then air on Sunday and Monday nights for three weeks following its initial release. .