BBC drops first look at ‘visceral’ new prison drama Time starring Line of Duty’s Stephen Graham and Sean Bean

A FIRST look at the BBC’s new prison drama Time has been released.

The new show, which is written by Jimmy McGovern and produced by BBC Studios Production, will star Line of Duty actor Stephen Graham, 47, and Game of Thrones legend Sean Bean, 61.

Filming has already started taking place in and around Liverpool for the new series.

Eddard Stark actor Sean will take on the role of a teacher, husband, dad and killer all rolled into one called Mark Hebden.

The guilt of his crime becomes too much for him and hands himself into the police – and the drama follows how he tries to become accustomed to his new life behind bars.

Stephen, who is known for his role in Line of Duty as PC John Corbett and Andrew “Combo” Gascoigne in This Is England, will play the character of a prison officer called Eric Reid.

He soon becomes tested during his time at work when a dangerous inmate rubs him up the wrong way by bringing up something he doesn’t want to talk about.

The new drama will explore how the pair will try to move on from their dodgy past.

Speaking out about his new role, Sean said: “Getting to be involved in a Jimmy McGovern drama again is a real privilege and it will be great to be reunited with Stephen.

“Mark Hebden is another of Jimmy’s complex and superbly written characters and I am looking forward to bringing him to life on screen.”

Stephen added: “It is an absolute honour to be working with Jimmy again, I’m feeling blessed. I’m excited to be working with Lewis as I have heard so many incredible things about him as a director, I can’t wait to get stuck in. Of course, I am made up to be back on set with Sean.”

And writer Jimmy couldn’t be more pleased with how it’s all going.

He said: “The BBC have given me a brilliant young director and two of the greatest actors on the planet. I am overjoyed.”

Stephen and Sean aren’t the only familiar faces that viewers will recognise in the upcoming drama.

The likes of Happy Valley star Siobhan Finneran, Royle Family actress Sue Johnston, This is England’s Hannah Walters and The World Is Not Enough star David Calder will also star in the show too.

Sitting in Limbo’s Nadine Marshall, This Is England’s Michael Socha and Thirteen’s Aneurin Barnard are also in the star-studded cast.

Time was given the green light by Controller or BBC Drama Piers Wenger and Chief Content Officer Charlotte Moore.

Lewis Arnold will direct the series and will work alongside executive producers Tom Sherry and Michael Parke and Simon Maloney.