BBC drama Time starring Bella Ramsey is to get its premiere in Liverpool

Series two of BBC drama Time, written by Jimmy McGovern, is due for release next month and the premiere will be held here in Liverpool.

Told through the lens of three very different inmates, the three-part second series is a moving and high-stakes portrayal of life inside a women’s prison.  Arriving at Carlingford Prison on the same day, Kelsey (Bella Ramsey), Orla (Jodie Whittaker) and Abi (Tamara Lawrance) are thrown together to face an unfamiliar world.

Multi-award winning writer and proud Liverpudlian Jimmy McGovern will be among those attending the exclusive screening with key cast and creatives.

The red carpet event on Tuesday 17^th October includes a preview of the first episode, ahead of its broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer later this Autumn, followed by a Q&A session. 

Television shows like Time – which is set and made in the Liverpool City Region – demonstrate the  BBC’s Across the UK strategy, moving creative spend and decision-making to better reflect, represent, and serve all parts of the country and ensure every household receives value from the BBC. 

Two years after setting out the transformational blueprint, the BBC is ahead of target to meet and exceed the commitment to 60% of Network TV commissioning spend outside of London by the next Charter in 2027.

The BBC is putting on this event especially for audiences in and around Merseyside to celebrate this slice of homegrown drama. To apply for tickets to attend the free event at St George’s Hall in Liverpool, go to the BBC Shows and Tours website.

The series is written by McGovern (Broken, Cracker, The Street) and Helen Black, writer of the BAFTA-nominated Life and Death in the Warehouse, and is directed by Andrea Harkin (The Confessions of Frannie Langton, The Trial Of Christine Keeler).

The Q&A, which follows the screening, will be hosted by BBC Radio Merseyside presenter Ngunan Adamu and they will be joined by key cast and creatives.

Kate Squire, Head of the BBC in the North West says: “The BBC is proud to present extraordinary drama and content from Liverpool – and of all the places our audiences live and love.

“This is a testament to the investment in and partnerships between BBC Studios, the exceptional talent of Jimmy McGovern and creative organisations in and around Liverpool.  We are serious about the development of world class talent and bold storytelling in every part of the UK.”

Jimmy McGovern says: “Absolutely delighted to be holding this event in my home town. Please come. It really is worth watching.”

Helen Black says: “It is exciting and truly fitting that the first screening of this season of Time will be held in Jimmy’s home city of Liverpool.”

The first instalment of Time was a huge hit for the BBC, with an average of 11.6 million viewers across its three-part run (30-day BBC all-screens data). The series, which starred Sean Bean and Stephen Graham, won the 2022 BAFTA Television award for best mini-series.

Time series two (3×60’) is a BBC Studios production for the BBC, in a co-production with BritBox North America. As with the first series, additional funding and support comes from the Liverpool Film Office through its Liverpool City Region Production Fund. Filming took place in and around Liverpool. Global distribution will be handled by BBC Studios.

The series is produced by Mark Hedges (Hanna, The Rising), with executive producers Priscilla Parish, Michael Parke and Andrew Morrissey for BBC Studios, Lucy Richer for the BBC, Reemah Sakaan and Stephen Nye for BritBox North America, and Jimmy McGovern.

Get the latest film news for Liverpool HERE and watch our recent chat with Kevin Bell from Liverpool Film Office below.