“A Harlan Coben replacement”: The Nest is Martin Compston’s “exceptional” BBC series to watch tonight

Surrogacy has long been an ethical minefield, raising difficult questions about morality and power. While the UK has strict laws in place, the BBC’s exceptional thriller The Nest, starring Line Of Duty’s Martin Compston, imagines how far a wealthy couple with fertility issues are willing to go to get a baby. With mind-bending twists and turns, we’re calling it the perfect Harlan Coben replacement. Better still, you can watch it tonight.

The series, which first aired in 2020, explores what happens when Dan (Martin Compston) and Emily (Sophie Rundle) offer a vulnerable 18-year-old stranger the chance to change her life by becoming their surrogate. It’s hardly the recipe for a happy family, and what unfolds is a gripping psychological thriller that asks: is there truly anything that money can’t buy?

With the series available to watch tonight, here’s everything you need to know about The Nest, including the cast, plot and how to watch it.

What is The Nest about?

The five-part series takes us to Glasgow, where we meet a couple who, on the surface, have it all. Dan (Martin Compston) and Emily (Sophie Rundle) are head over heels for each other; they live in a stunning riverside home and are extremely wealthy. However, there’s one thing their money seemingly can’t buy: a baby.

Through a chance encounter they meet Kaya (Mirren Mack), an 18-year-old from the other side of town who’s in a precarious situation. The couple have been struggling through IVF for years and have just one embryo left. Kaya offers to become their surrogate, in exchange for the couple helping her get her life on track. But can Dan and Emily trust someone they barely know?

Martin previously opened up about taking on the role of Dan. ‘I’m absolutely delighted to join the cast of The Nest. [Writer] Nicole Taylor is one of the most exciting and original voices in writing today – I’m chuffed we’re finally working together,’ he said. ‘Combined with filming in Glasgow and going back on to BBC One in my native west-coast accent makes it a dream scenario,’ he added.

Who’s in the cast of The Nest?

The cast of The Nest includes:

• Martin Compston (Line Of Duty, Mary Queen Of Scots) as Dan
• Sophie Rundle (Peaky Blinders, Gentleman Jack) as Emily
• Mirren Mack (Sex Education, The Witcher: Blood Origin) as Kaya
• Shirley Henderson (Stan & Ollie, Happy Valley) as Siobhan
• Katie Leung (Strangers, Chimerica) as Eleanor
• David Hayman (Hatton Garden, Fisherman’s Friends) as Souter
• Fiona Bell (Shetland, Acceptable Risk) as Hilary
• James Harkness (The Victim, Wild Rose) as James
• Bailey Patrick (London Kills, Good Omens) as Callum
• Kate Dickie (Game Of Thrones, The Witch) as Detective McClelland
• Paul Brannigan (The Angels’ Share, Under The Skin) as Doddy
• Samuel Small (So Awkward, Game Of Thrones) as Jack
• Liz Ewing (Gentleman’s Relish, Taggart) as Janis
• Christine Bottomley (End Of The F**king World, Back To Life) as Zoe

Is there a trailer for The Nest?

Yes, you can watch the trailer for The Nest below.

View full post on YouTube

Is The Nest any good?

Yes – we were completely hooked! The series is a gripping and disturbing psychological thriller that explores how far people will go to get the life they dream of. While you empathise with everyone involved – the couple desperate to become parents and the vulnerable teenager trying to rebuild her life – nothing is quite as it first seems. There are enough twists and turns to rival a Harlan Coben drama, with dark secrets about Kaya, Emily and Dan gradually coming to the surface, keeping you guessing until the very end.

How can I watch The Nest?

You can watch The Nest now on BBC iPlayer.

What other thrillers can I watch now?

For an equally eerie thriller, we’d suggest The Girl Before. The drama follows Jane (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), who moves into a stunning ultra-minimalist home in London, with its own set of strict rules to abide by. Unnerved by her new home, she starts to learn about its chilling past. The question is: will Jane get out before it’s too late? The Girl Before is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer. Are you a Stephen Graham fan? You can watch him in his creepiest role yet in A Patch Of Fog. In this gripping thriller, the Adolescence star plays an unstable loner who develops an unhealthy obsession with a popular TV star. You can watch A Patch Of Fog now on Disney+.