North American SVoD boards David Tennant-starring third series of Jimmy McGovern’s prison-set anthology series

US streamer BritBox is partnering with the BBC to deliver a third series of Jimmy McGovern’s prison-set drama Time.  

David Tennant - Credit Sam Jones

Source: Sam Jones

David Tennant

The anthology series will this time be set in a young offenders institution (YOI), with David Tennant starring in the 3 x 60-minute drama as prison officer Bailey, alongside Siobhan Finneran, who reprises her role from the second series as prison chaplain Marie-Louise.  

Marie-Louise arrives at the young offenders institution having lost her faith. However, when tragedy strikes within the prison, she clashes with veteran officer Bailey, who is in the midst of his own crisis. The prison officer knows more about the circumstances that led to this major incident, but will he come clean before the guilt gets too much? 

The previous two series of Time, which were commissioned solely by the BBC, were set in men and women’s prisons, respectively. McGovern has based this third outing in a YOI in order to explore the impact of locking up teenagers and the effects on those who look after them. 

Time is produced by BBC Studios Fiction for BBC1 and iPlayer, and is co-produced by BritBox for North America with support from Northern Ireland Screen.  

Siobhan Finneran - Credit Claire Sutton

Source: Claire Sutton

The series is written by McGovern and Samuel Bailey, writer of the YOI-set play Shook, with the former exec producing it alongside Josh Cole, Andrew Morrissey and Michael Parke for BBC Studios Fiction, Lucy Richer for the BBC, and Jon Farrar and Jess O’Riordan for BritBox.   

Amanda Black serves as producer, with Paul Whittington directing the series. BBC Studios is handling global sales.  

Morrissey said: “We are excited to introduce the audience to a whole new part of the prison system. Once we started the research, we knew there were stories that demanded to be told.” 

Lindsay Salt, director of BBC Drama, added: “Jimmy McGovern is a master at creating brave, thought-provoking dramas that deeply resonate with BBC viewers, so we are thrilled to be back for a third run of Time. With David Tennant and Siobhan Finneran leading the cast, Samuel Bailey co-writing, Paul Whittington directing and the team at BBC Studios Fiction producing, we are all set for another powerful and memorable piece of work from Jimmy.” 

Robert Schildhouse, president of BritBox said the forthcoming series would be a “must watch”.

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