Tony Conroy, a once a highly regarded science teacher, now works the night shift as a black cab driver in the busy streets of Liverpool. He has no family and lives a solitary life, drifting through the monotony of picking up and dropping off passengers of varying degrees of sobriety, night in and night out. The only respite from his lonely insular life are his visits to a night cafe, swimming lengths at the local pool, and tuning into a late-night radio show, NightTalk.One night while driving, Tony is recognised by a former teaching colleague who notes that Tony was treated unfairly in his dismissal from work. The air is thick with tension as Tony sits in awkward silence. We get the sense something happened at school, something that deeply troubles Tony and may explain why he's become ostracised from the world.After the uncomfortable conversation with his former colleague, Tony feels a desperate need to talk to someone. With great apprehension, he braces himself and calls NightTalk, the radio talk show.To his surprise he is put straight on air with the host Lawrence Brightway. Tony confides how he feels like a man who's been consigned to the scrapheap of life. Lawrence tries to understand and empathise. In Tony's mind, he and Lawrence have formed an instant bond. For the first time in ages Tony feels heard and it brings huge relief.At the night cafe, Tony's night takes a turn when a fellow cabbie Rob (Stephen Walters), an ex-soldier, tells him that Rosa who works at the cafe is quite keen on him. Tony goes to chat to Rosa and, as he does, he hears Lawrence's late night talk show playing in the background. Lawrence name checks 'Tony the ex-teacher' saying he made a lot of sense when he called in earlier. Buoyed by this affirmation, Tony tells Rosa he can help her with her evening classes as he was a former science teacher. Rosa thinks that's a great idea and asks him out.Tony is invigorated by the prospect of a budding romance with Rosa but is disturbed when he meets her abusive ex, Ste. He witnesses Ste confronting her aggressively outside the night cafe and feels an urge to protect her. This impulse is strengthened by the words of Lawrence who's recently been talking on his show about how communities need to look after one another. At this moment we start to see how Lawrence's words are beginning to have a direct influence on Tony.Tony's calls to NightTalk become more frequent. In Lawrence, he has finally found someone he can be honest with and confide in. Lawrence is becoming a significant part in Tony's life, and he seems to take Lawrence's words as gospel.By chance, Ste gets into Tony's cab one night. As Ste talks to someone on his phone, it becomes clear to Tony that Ste has plans to harm Rosa - this is his payback for her dumping him. Tony drops Ste off in town and tries to call Rosa to warn but he can't reach her. He drives to the café and sees she's not working that night either. Tony starts to think the worst and drives around the area where he dropped off Ste, looking for him or Rosa. As he patrols the streets NightTalk plays in the cab and Lawrence is in a particularly vitriolic mood as he hosts a discussion about bravery and standing up to bullies.Lawrence's anger seems to imbue Tony, and when he finally spots Ste, a last-minute decision ensures Tony's life will never be the same again.