Sean Bean and Stephen Graham have signed up to star in Time, a new BBC prison drama series written and created by Jimmy McGovern (Cracker, The Street).

Bean and Graham previously starred together in a 2012 episode of McGovern's crime anthology series The Accused. However, Time tells a brand new – and according to the BBC, "high stakes" – story set in the the modern British penal system. Bean will play Mark Hebden, a teacher and family fan who's given a four-year prison sentence after killing an innocent man in an accident. Graham will co-star as Eric Read, a kind and honorable prison officer whose Achilles heel is exposed by a dangerous inmate.

Time is due to start shooting this fall in Liverpool, England – McGovern and Graham's hometown – with Lewis Arnold (Broadchurch, Humans) directing.

Bean told the BBC: “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.”

Graham added: “It is an absolute honor 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.”

Do you like the sound of Time?