ALL aboard

IDRIS ELBA on hurtling towards disaster as a sequel to his hit drama moves from plane to train

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It's been over two years since we accompanied Idris Elba as he foiled a terrorist plot on a nerve-jangling, seven-hour flight from Dubai to London in the first outing of Apple TV's real-time thriller Hijack.

The Luther star earned an Emmy nomination for his tour-de-force performance as master negotiator Sam Nelson, and now he's reprising the role in a new eight-episode run which will see his cool-headed character swap danger in the skies for suspense on the subway.

Co-created by Jim Field Smith (see panel, right) and George Kay, the second series begins with Sam arriving in a snowy Berlin for an important meeting at the British embassy. But, when he heads underground and boards a busy rush-hour train to take him to his destination, he is quickly plunged into another high-stakes hostage situation after hostile forces take control of the vehicle.

The story sees Mr Bates vs The Post Office actor Toby Jones join the cast as British Intelligence official Peter Faber, while Christine Adams and Max Beesley return as Sam's estranged wife Marsha Smith-Nelson and her boyfriend DI Daniel O'Farrell.

Here, Idris, 53, tells TV Times why the journey will have us on the edge of our seats...

What was your starting point when you prepared to play Sam again?