BBC The Listeners star promises conspiracy drama is 'much more interesting than cults'

Rebecca Hall, the star of BBC's latest drama The Listeners, has offered a cautionary note to audiences, suggesting that the show's narrative holds deeper layers than initially apparent.

The series, which premiered on BBC One this past Tuesday, has already captured the attention of viewers with its gripping plot centred around Claire Kutty, portrayed by Rebecca. The character, an English teacher in her early forties, starts hearing a persistent low hum while driving her daughter Ashley to school a noise that seems innocuous at first but soon spirals into a cascade of problems.

Claire's life becomes increasingly difficult as she suffers from migraines, nosebleeds, insomnia, and even hallucinations, all seemingly triggered by the relentless hum. The mysterious condition strains her relationships with her husband Paul (played by Prasanna Puwanarajah) and daughter Ashley (Mia Tharia), who are unable to hear the sound and are baffled by her symptoms.

Despite thorough medical examinations, no one can pinpoint the origin or cause of the noise, which remains inaudible to everyone but Claire. Her sense of isolation grows until she encounters a student, Kyle Francis, who confides that he too hears the enigmatic hum.

In discussing the new thriller, which delves into various themes such as Western conspiracy culture and the human desire for connection, Rebecca emphasised that the story transcends the initial impression of being about "cults", reports the Express.

She remarked: "The show to me isn't about 'cults', it's much more interesting than that. As it's more about the people who are susceptible to them.

"Often, it's the people you least expect. It's the people who are smart and have their head screwed on. The Listeners speaks to the fact that we're all vulnerable and at times, desperate and susceptible to all kinds of things to make us feel safer and less alone."

Moreover, she commented: "This story does look at human vulnerabilities and what makes you susceptible to people who might be emotionally manipulative. But it also speaks to a desperation that forces people to become emotionally manipulative because they are equally vulnerable and want to feel connection with other people."

In discussing her aspirations for the show's audience, Rebecca said: "The Listeners is very philosophically engaging and challenging. It's entertaining and I hope that the audience go on the journey that Claire goes on and into a land of extreme beliefs that you wouldn't have expected someone to believe at the beginning."

The Listeners is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.