Time release date: Cast, plot and trailer for new BBC One series

The “difficult to watch” series focuses on the people who make up the prison system in the UK and has been described as a story of guilt and forgiveness, punishment and penitence and the impact that prison has on all those who pass through it.

The three-parter was written with Sean Bean and Stephen Graham in mind, and the actors portray two very different men and their experiences within the British penal system.

Meanwhile the real-life disused prison where Time was filmed was specially painted grey, to make the location feel more "miserable," according to Stephen Graham.

"I love the fact that stuff I do is difficult to watch for people," Graham recently told RadioTimes.com and other press. Comparing Time to Netflix period drama Bridgerton, he said, "That's not difficult to watch. So why is this difficult to watch? I think this is difficult to watch because it's coming into your living room.

"As Jimmy [McGovern, the creator] said, we need to look at the penal system... [The series is] putting a mirror to society and going, 'Not sure if we're getting this right.' So maybe that's why it's difficult to watch, because it makes you think."

Ahead of the release, a new trailer has been released, hinting at what lies in store, with the 40-second clip teasing some gritty scenes and a somewhat turbulent relationship between Bean's character and his fellow prisoners.

Here's all we know about Time so far.

When is Time on BBC One?

CONFIRMED: The three-part series will premiere on Sunday 6th June at 9pm on BBC One, with the full series available as a boxset on BBC iPlayer once episode one has aired.

Filming on the show started in late 2020 and took place in and around Liverpool.

Time cast: Who's in it?

Time reunites two of Britain's best-known actors: Sean Bean (Game of Thrones) and Stephen Graham (Line of Duty), who starred together in another of Jimmy McGovern's creations, Accused, in a standalone 2012 episode that saw Bean playing a genderqueer teacher.

On working with Graham and McGovern again, Sean Bean says: "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 Cobden is another of Jimmy’s complex and superbly written characters and I am looking forward to bringing him to life on screen."

Similarly, Graham has expressed nothing but positivity at the prospect of starting work on Time, saying in a statement: "It is an absolute honour to be working with Jimmy again, I’m feeling blessed. I’m excited to be working with Lewis [Arnold] 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."

Others confirmed in the cast include Siobhan Finneran (Happy Valley), Sue Johnston (The Royle Family), Hannah Walters (This is England), David Calder (The World Is Not Enough), Nadine Marshall (Small Axe), Michael Socha (This is England) and Aneurin Barnard (Dunkirk).

Time trailer

The first trailer for the series arrived in May 2021, introducing us to Bean's character as he arrives for a prison sentence and immediately seems to find himself coming into conflict with both staff and fellow prisoners. You can check it out below.

What is Time about?

Viewers will be introduced to Mark Cobden, a teacher, husband and father, who accidentally kills an innocent man and ends up prison.

Consumed by guilt over his actions, he accepts his four-year sentence with open arms. But, seeing as this is completely different to any life he's known before, Mark has no clue what to expect in this unforgiving new environment and soon realises there's no space for time-wasting when it comes to learning the ropes for survival.

Meanwhile, prison officer Eric does his utmost to protect the people he has authority over, a daily challenge in a space that is full of tension and lacking in resources.

But when one of the most dangerous inmates identifies his weakness, Eric arrives at a crossroads that forces him to choose between his principles and his love for his family.

Time starts on BBC One on Sunday 6th June at 9pm. While you're waiting, take a look at our other Drama coverage, or find out what else is on with our TV Guide.