Tom Percival
Published November 20, 2025 7:00pm
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David Tennant is about to do time (Picture: ITV/Rex)
Key Points
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- BBC confirms third series of award-winning drama Time, featuring David Tennant as Prison Officer Bailey
- The new series will be set in a young offenders institute
- Both previous seasons were critically acclaimed, with high ratings and multiple Baftas won
If you love hard-hitting prison dramas and David Tennant, then we’ve got some amazing news for you.
The BBC has officially announced a third series of their Bafta-winning drama Time, with Tennant joining the show as Prison Officer Bailey.
Tennant won’t be alone, however; he’ll be joined by Siobhan Finneran, who is reprising her role as prison chaplain Marie-Louise.
This new three-part series will be set in a young offenders institute and follow two new inmates, Peter and James, as they navigate the terrifying first weeks and months of their incarceration.
However, when tragedy strikes, Marie-Louise finds herself at odds with Bailey, who may know more about this incident than he first lets on.
Will he come clean before the guilt gets too much? We’ll have to watch to find out.
Jimmy McGovern wrote and created the series (Picture: BBC/Matt Squire/James Stack)
Stephen Graham starred alongside Sean Bean (Picture: BBC/Matt Squire)
In a statement shared with Metro, series creator and writer Jimmy McGovern expressed his excitement to be working on a new series.
‘Siobhan Finneran is back! And we’ve got a wonderful leading man in David Tennant,’ he said. ‘And a brilliant director in Paul Whittington. I think it’s going to be wonderful.’
Meanwhile, Andrew Morrissey, Executive Producer for BBC Studios Fiction, added that it is a privilege to be making a third series of Time with such a fantastic team.
We are excited to introduce the audience to a whole new part of the prison system, he continued. ‘Once we started the research, we knew there were stories that demanded to be told.’
Siobhan Finneran is also returning (Picture: BBC/James Stack)
Time is an anthology series where each season is set in a different prison, following different characters.
Season One told the story of Mark Cobden (Sean Bean), a new inmate at Craigmore Prison who’s jailed after killing someone by dangerous driving.
Once in prison, he befriends officer Eric McNally (Stephen Graham), but things are complicated when a drug dealer realises he can extort the prison guard.
The second season, meanwhile, followed Orla (Jodie Whittaker), Abi (Tamara Lawrance) and Kelsey (Bella Ramsey), three very different women, as they began their sentences.
Both series of Time received critical acclaim and awards attention (Picture: BBC/James Stack)
Both series were wildly successful, attracting millions of viewers and plenty of critical praise. The first season has a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, while the second has a very respectable 93%.
In his Observer review, Euan Ferguson wrote: ‘This was a triumph, if at times an appallingly hard watch. The casting didn’t hurt.’
While Carol Midgley at The Times called it ‘compelling television,’ adding ‘it has a premium cast and is written like a punch to the face. In a good way.’
What’s more, both series brought home plenty of Baftas, including a Best Mini-Series gong and acting awards for Bean, Lawrance, and Ramsey.
It’s not just critics and awards panels who love the show, though plenty of regular TV viewers were charmed by it.
‘Often difficult to watch, but nonetheless an absolute triumph that demonstrates the very best of British drama,’ Danielbellamy-58059 wrote about the first series.
David will play Prison Officer Bailey, a guard at a young offenders institute (Picture: Amy Muir/Shutterstock)
‘Sean Bean and Stephen Graham demonstrate why they are two of the most respected names in the industry today with absolutely stellar performances and never let up for a second.’
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‘Amazing acting, compelling stories,’ added ASuiGeneri. ‘Both Season 1 & 2 were phenomenal. Rare for a series to maintain the high calibre from episode to episode, let alone multiple seasons! Bravo to the BBC.’
D-Penn, meanwhile, called both series ‘must watch’ saying it’s ‘a show that will stay with you long after you’ve finished watching it.’
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Time series one and two are available to stream on BBC iPlayer and BritBox now.
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