Colin Morgan, Madeleine Mantock and Christian Cooke to lead the second series of BBC One's Nightsleeper

This time the action moves from the rails to the open water.

Following the recent announcement that real-time thriller Nightsleeper would be returning for a second series to BBC One with a new story and new cast, the BBC has revealed Colin Morgan, Madeleine Mantock and Christian Cooke will lead the ensemble cast as filming begins in Belfast.

The new six-part series sees the action move from the rails to the open water, as a Belfast-to-Liverpool passenger ferry becomes the target of a potentially deadly hack-attack.

With the crew desperately trying to hide the extent of the threat from the passengers, the ferry’s second engineer Johnny must work with the National Cyber Security Centre’s new technical director, Bo, to try and fight back.

But as the tide turns, secrets surface and fear floods the decks; it isn’t long before those on land are all at sea too.

Colin Morgan will play Stephen ‘Bo’ Bowen alongside Madeleine Mantock as Beth and Christian Cooke as Johnny.

The new series will also star Rupert Penry-Jones as Richard, Ian McElhinney as Charlie and Sally Lindsay as Lisa, with Parth Thakerar, Jonjo O’Neill and Micah Balfour reprising their roles as Saj, Hud and Leon from the first series.

Also joining are 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.

Speaking ahead of the new series, writer Nick Leather said “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. We’ve assembled such a wonderful cast, I’m so excited about our story and I can’t wait to welcome the audience onboard for a non-stop night to remember…”

To which the BBC’s Director of Drama, Lindsay Salt, said “We're thrilled to have Colin, Madeleine and Christian lead this new series of Nightsleeper. Nick has delivered another brilliantly gripping story, and with danger lurking beneath the surface at every turn, viewers are in for a truly nail-biting journey.”

And Executive Producer Kate Harwood said “We’re excited to be filming this sea faring Nightsleeper adventure in Belfast, Titanic town itself. And to be casting off with such a brilliant bunch of actors led by Colin Morgan, Madeleine Mantock and Christian Cooke with superb directors James Kent and Chris Baugh helming. We look forward to taking Nightsleeper fans in the UK and abroad on another thrilling trip.”

Made by Element Pictures, a Fremantle company, with support from Northern Ireland Screen, Nightsleeper is written by Nick Leather, directed by James Kent and Chris Baugh, series produced by Jonathan Curling, produced by Maria Mulhall and executive produced by Kate Harwood, Rachel Dargavel, Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe and Christopher Aird for Element Pictures alongside Nick Leather and James Kent, and Gaynor Holmes for the BBC.