Rebecca Hall leads the cast of the new BBC drama The Listeners, which is based on the Jordan Tannahill novel of the same name.

A synopsis of the series states: "English teacher Claire's life is changed when she starts to hear a low constant humming sound that no one else around her can hear.

"Despite speaking to multiple doctors, no obvious source or medical cause can be found but when she discovers one of her students can also hear the hum, they strike up an unlikely friendship."

The Radio Times adds: "The series, which is described as "provocative and haunting", is said to explore "the human search for the transcendent, the rise of conspiracy culture in the West, and the desire for community and connection in our increasingly polarised times"."

Discussing her role in the series Hall told the Radio Times: "Claire craves a depth and intensity to her life.

"Hearing this hum changes her understanding of the world. We all have an understanding that reality is exactly like this and then, when you delve into the physics and scratch the surface, suddenly the fabric of the universe peels away. And actually, it’s chaotic. Nothing about this is ordered or normal."

Hall mentioned that the appeal of working on The Listeners was very much linked to its director, Janicza Bravo, whom she had met before.

She explained: "I’d developed a complete admiration crush on her. She's so insightful and so brilliant, and we immediately got on.

"I’d been hoping there would be an opportunity to work with her and when my agent told me about The Listeners, I definitely waged an aggressive campaign. I immediately got in touch with Janicza and asked to read it [the script]."

BBC The Listeners full cast list

  • Rebecca Hall as Claire Kutty
  • Ollie West as Kyle Francis
  • Prasanna Puwanarajah as Paul Kutty
  • Akai Coleman as Rory
  • Mia Tharia as Ashley Kutty
  • Franc Ashman as Cassandra
  • Lucy Chambers as Sophie
  • Romy Kelleher as Raina
  • Niamh McCann as Siobhan

  • Delroy Brown as Aldo
  • Gayle Rankin as Jo
  • Amr Waked as Omar
  • Samuel Edward-Cook as Damian
  • Ian Mercer
  • Karen Henthorn
  • Lucy Sheen
  • Alexander Anderson

Recommended reading:

When will The Listeners be on TV?

The first episode of The Listeners will air at 9pm on BBC One on Tuesday, November 19.

Overall, there will be four episodes, which will air in the same timeslot over the coming weeks.

Alternatively, all episodes will arrive on BBC iPlayer on November 19 if you don't want to wait.