Time season 2 cast: Who stars in the BBC prison drama?
Jimmy McGovern's powerful series returns.
The first season of Jimmy McGovern's prison drama Time blew audiences away when it premiered in 2021 and so far season 2 is having the same effect on viewers – even if the cast is completely different this time around.
Whereas Sean Bean and Stephen Graham led the ensemble in season 1, the second run unfolds in a women's prison with a new group of characters played by stars from the likes of Doctor Who and The Last of Us.
Bella Ramsey plays a key role as 19-year-old heroin addict Kesley and said that they were " "keen to do research" ahead of appearing in the show, including paying a visit to a prison where they experienced something they don't think they'll "ever forget".
Meanwhile, Jodie Whittaker explained how her character is clearly connected to the cost of living crisis and added that "the beauty of Helen and Jimmy's writing is that the audience isn't completely spoon-fed every scene".
Ramsey and Whittaker are joined in the cast by a number of other faces you may well recognise – including Tamara Lawrance and Siobhan Finneran – so read on to find out who stars in Time season 2 and where you've seen them before.
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Time season 2 cast
- Jodie Whittaker as Orla
- Tamara Lawrance as Abi
- Bella Ramsey as Kelsey
- Siobhan Finneran as Marie-Louise
- Lisa Millett as Prison Officer Martin
- Faye McKeever as Tanya
- Julie Graham as Lou
- Kayla Meikle as Donna
- Alicia Forde as Sarah
- Sophie Willan as Maeve
- Louise Lee as Prison Officer Carter
- Michelle Butterly as Nurse Garvey
- Karen Henthorn as Elizabeth
- Nicholas Nunn as Adam
- James Corrigan as Rob
- Matilda Firth as Nancy
- Brody Griffiths as Callum
- Isaac Lancel-Watkinson as Kyle
- Maimuna Memon as Tahani
Jodie Whittaker plays Orla
Who is Orla? A single mother-of-three who is imprisoned for "fiddling the leccy". Orla is overworked and under-appreciated, and she has a strained relationship with her mother. "In Orla's situation, the crime doesn't necessarily merit the sentence," said Whittaker. "The cost of living crisis has absolutely contributed to Orla's situation."
Where have I seen Jodie Whittaker before? Most people will know Whittaker from Doctor Who, ITV crime drama Broadchurch, sci-fi film Attack the Block, St Trinian's, Black Mirror's The Entire History of You episode and season 1 of BBC medical drama Trust Me.
Tamara Lawrance plays Abi
Who is Abi? She's serving a life sentence. "She has served three and a half years in a different prison and she's in quite an anxious space because the nature of her crime was revealed in the previous prison and the inmates turned against her for that," said Lawrance.
"So she's trying to keep herself to herself, but also looks out for other inmates as well because she knows what it feels like to be ostracised."
Where have I seen Tamara Lawrance before? You might have watched her in The Silent Twins alongside Letitia Wright and BBC drama The Long Song.
Bella Ramsey plays Kelsey
Who is Kelsey? She's a 19-year-old heroin addict who has been in and out of prison. She's also pregnant. Kelsey is described by Ramsey as being "full of life", adding: "She's a bit of a joker and very young, immature. But, on the other hand, she's seen far too much."
Where have I seen Bella Ramsey before? Most people will know her as Ellie from The Last of Us, Lyanna Mormont from Game of Thrones and Mildred Hubble in The Worst Witch. You might also have watched her in Catherine Called Birdy with Billie Piper, fantasy series His Dark Materials and historical drama Becoming Elizabeth.
Siobhan Finneran plays Marie-Louise
Who is Marie-Louise? A prison chaplain, who also appeared in season 1. Of her role, Finneran said:"I just felt very honoured to be asked to come back to do another series of it because I had such a great time.
"It sounds wrong doesn't it, always sounds wrong with this subject matter to say I had a great time and very much enjoyed the first series. But when I started reading these scripts... What you can say. I think they're genius, they're brilliant, and they're raw. They just get hold of you and then don't want to let you go."
Where have I seen Siobhan Finneran before? Most viewers will know her as Catherine Cawood's sister Claire in Happy Valley. Her CV also includes ITV comedy Benidorm, Jimmy Savile drama The Reckoning, Downton Abbey, BBC drama Clocking Off, Netflix's The Stranger, comedies Alma's Not Normal and The Other One, and soaps Emmerdale and Coronation Street.
Additional cast includes:
Inmates
- Faye McKeever (Trollied) as Tanya
- Julie Graham (Shetland) as Lou
- Kayla Meikle (Litvinenko) as Donna
- Sophie Willan (Alma's Not Normal) as Maeve
- Alicia Forde (Waterloo Road) as Sarah
- Maimuna Memon (Sherwood) as Tahani
Prison staff
- Lisa Millett (Warren) as Prison Officer Martin
- Louise Lee as Prison Officer Carter
- Michelle Butterly (Casualty) as Nurse Garvey
Family
- Karen Henthorn (Coronation Street) as Elizabeth - Orla's mum
- Nicholas Nunn (Shetland) as Adam - Kelsey's boyfriend
- James Corrigan (This England) as Rob - Abi's ex-husband
- Matilda Firth as Nancy, Brody Griffiths as Callum and Isaac Lancel-Watkinson as Kyle - Orla's children
Time season 2 premieres on BBC One on Sunday 29th October at 9pm. Season 1 is available to watch on BBC iPlayer now.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
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