Jimmy McGovern’s BAFTA-winning BBC drama is returning to screens with David Tennant and Siobhan Finneran leading the cast
The third series of Time is set to air on BBC One this October(Image: BBC)
Time returns tonight for its third but there’s some bad news for fans.
The wait is almost over for a brand new instalment of the gripping BBC drama which first began in 2021 and has featured the likes of Stephen Graham, Jodie Whittaker and Bella Ramsey.
Creator Jimmy McGovern explained that while the first series focused on a male prison and the second series was based on a female prison, he knew he wanted to focus on young offenders next, but didn’t have a story.
That was until he found a real-life story in his research about a mother going to see her son in a young offender institution, whom she hadn’t seen for years. Although she didn’t speak English and he didn’t speak her language, which Jimmy shares is Swahili, in their BBC story.
However, the creator has shared that the upcoming series, which will being on Sunday night (October 11) will be its last. Speaking to RadioTimes, he said: “There’s very little altruism involved with these stories. I do them because I love doing them, although I think this will be the last time. I have said that many a time before, though, because these are also stories I feel bound to tell.”
A synopsis for the third series of Time details that viewers will see two young offenders struggle through the terrifying first weeks and months of their incarceration. However, an unlikely friendship between them looks to shift the trajectory of their futures.
The description further reads: “Meanwhile, Prison Chaplain Marie-Louise (Siobhan Finneran) comes to the young offender institution having lost her faith.
When tragedy strikes in the prison, Marie-Louise clashes with veteran officer Bailey (David Tennant), a man in the midst of his own crisis. Bailey knows more about the circumstances that led to this major incident – but will he come clean before the guilt gets too much?”
Since the series first began five years ago, it’s been highly praised by viewers, with some hailing it as a masterpiece. On Rotten Tomatoes, one person has said: “Absolutely riveting drama, a must-watch from start to finish. Brilliantly acted and excellent plot.”
Meanwhile, on IMDb, another added: “I expected a mediocre show, but got a well-crafted masterpiece. In its two seasons, each with three episodes, ‘Time’ tells the stories of two people who are imprisoned for the first time and, in my opinion, it does this excellently” While a third wrote: “Serious, realistic and brutal. If you want to see something serious and realistic, this is for you.”
Also joining David Tennant and Siobhan Finneran in the third series will be Vinette Robinson, Jo Joyner, Daniel Ryan, Warren Brown, Louis McCartney, Ollie McNulty and Chukwubuikem Molokwu will star in the third series.
Time airs on Sunday, October 11 on BBC One at 9pm