What would you do if you started to hear a sound that no one else could hear? Well, this is the exact dilemma faced in a new BBC drama dropping later this year. Based on the novel of the same name by Jordan Tannahill, The Listeners explores the seduction of the unknown, the human search for answers, the rise of conspiracy culture and our desire for community.

The series, which drops on Tuesday 19 November, promises to be haunting and packed with thriller-esque drama. So, here’s everything to know so far about The Listeners, including first-look images at the series.

What is the plot of The Listeners?

The story focuses on Claire, a popular English teacher, who begins to hear a low humming sound that no one else around her can hear.

This constant noise gradually upsets the balance of her life, increasing tension between herself and her family – her husband, Paul and daughter, Ashley. But no obvious source or medical cause can be found for Claire.

However, she then finds out that a student of hers, Kyle, can also hear the sound and the two strike up an unlikely and intimate friendship. “Finding themselves increasingly isolated from their families, friends and colleagues, they fall in with a disparate group of neighbours, led by a charismatic couple, Jo and Omar, who also claim they can hear The Hum – and who believe it could be a gift, heard only by a chosen few,” reads the synopsis.

Who will star in The Listeners?

Rebecca Hall (Christine, The Town) is set to play Claire and Ollie West (Hamnet) will star as her student, Kyle.

Also starring in the series are Prasanna Puwanarajah (The Crown, Patrick Melrose), Amr Waked (Ramy), Gayle Rankin (The Greatest Showman), Mia Tharia (Phoenix Rise), Franc Ashman (Inside Man), Samuel Edward Cook (Peaky Blinders), Karen Henthorn (The Rising), Lucy Sheen (Ping Pong) and Ian Mercer (All Creatures Great And Small).

Is there a trailer for The Listeners?

Images: BBC