September 3rd 2024.
In an exclusive interview, Joe Cole, the star of the highly anticipated BBC thriller Nightsleeper, shared some behind-the-scenes insights about the making of the series. According to Joe, the filming process was not without its challenges, as some of the cast members fell ill and needed medication while on set.
The real-time thriller follows a sleeper train from Glasgow to London that gets hacked, and the frantic efforts of a government agency to intervene. Joe plays the role of Joe Roag, an off-duty police officer on board who must work with Abby Aysgarth, the Acting Technical Director at the UK's National Cyber Security Centre, to stop the train before it reaches its potentially deadly final destination.
While the series was not filmed on an actual train journey, the set was designed to be as realistic as possible, which caused some of the actors to experience motion sickness. "The train was three sets of three carriages in a studio in Glasgow," Joe revealed, "and from 8am every morning, we were thrust into a dark studio and never left. But they had these incredible LED screens that showed the journey from London to Glasgow, making it feel like we were actually moving through the real world."
Unfortunately, the intense filming conditions took a toll on some of the actors. "Some of the actors were actually getting vertigo and sickness from it," Joe shared. Although he was one of the lucky ones who didn't fall ill, he admitted that working in such a confined and hot space for long hours was quite challenging.
Despite the difficulties, Joe believes that the intense atmosphere on set added something special to the series. "It felt really intense at times, which I think added something. Often, we would spend a good portion of the day on this train, all together in this closed environment," he said. "And with some big personalities and very funny people in the cast, it definitely added to the claustrophobia of it all."
When Joe first read the script for the six episodes, he wondered how the plot could possibly get any worse for the characters. But as filming went on, he was pleasantly surprised to see it become even more thrilling and unpredictable. "I thought the writers might run out of ideas, but it got progressively more bonkers, which is perfect really," he said. "It's certainly something I'd tune into if I was a viewer."
In addition to the intense action and suspense, Joe also became more aware of the frightening reality of hacking while filming the series. "I was just talking to somebody the other day about whether this could happen in real life," he shared. "Although I don't think it would be in this capacity, it's a bit scary, isn't it?"
After filming concluded, Joe admitted that he was a bit hesitant to board another train. "I wasn't too keen on getting onto a train after this one, if I'm honest," he laughed. "Mainly because I spent so many hours on train carriages for about three months."
Despite his reservations, Joe is excited for viewers to experience the wild ride that Nightsleeper has in store. "You're gonna be in for a few surprises, for sure," he teased.
Aside from Nightsleeper, Joe is known for his role as John Shelby in Peaky Blinders. Although he left the series after three seasons, he recently hinted at a possible return in the upcoming Peaky Blinders movie. "I'm dead, baby!" he joked. "Unless they put a big sheet over my head and two slits in and I come back as Casper the Friendly ghost, I am not back."
In the meantime, Joe has been busy filming the third season of Gangs of London, where he plays the lead role of Sean Wallace. He revealed that the new season will be released towards the end of this year or early next year, promising fans a wild ride.
But before that, viewers can catch Joe in action in Nightsleeper, which premieres on Sunday, September 15th on BBC One. All episodes will also be available to stream on BBC iPlayer on the same day. And if you have a celebrity story, video, or pictures, don't hesitate to reach out to The Agency entertainment team via email, phone, or by visiting their Submit Stuff page – they would love to hear from you.
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