LIVERPOOL will take a starring role in a BBC One prime-time drama this weekend.
On Sunday (6 June) at 9pm, the highly anticipated Time will hit the small screen, created by legendary Liverpool writer Jimmy McGovern and starring Scouse acting royalty Stephen Graham and Sue Johnston.
The three-part series, which will be available in full on BBC iPlayer from Sunday after the first episode has aired on BBC One, was filmed across the city region and was the first prime-time production to receive investment and support from the Liverpool Film Office’s LCR Production Fund, using funding from Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Strategic Investment Fund.
Filming took place over four months in late 2020, with locations across Liverpool City Region including the Mersey Gateway and Silver Jubilee Bridges, Southport Pier as well as several interior locations of court rooms, police stations and educational establishments to form parts of the prison.
The production reunites Sean Bean with the creator of his BAFTA-winning series, Broken, as well as showcasing a whole host of Liverpool acting talent including Jack McMullen, James Nelson-Joyce, Bobby Schofield, Lee Morris and Philip Barantini, who also directed Stephen Graham in his new feature film Boiling Point.
Time is one of the first of a large number of productions to be broadcast which were filmed during the pandemic, with all productions adhering to Covid-safe measures.
It is the first of four major upcoming dramas filmed in Liverpool to have received support from Liverpool Film Office’s LCR Production Fund, including Channel 4’s Help once again starring Stephen Graham alongside Jodie Comer, BBC’s The Responder starring Martin Freeman, and ITV’s The Ipcress File starring Joe Cole and Tom Hollander.
Other productions recently filmed in Liverpool City Region includeNetflix’s film Munich 38 starring Oscar winning actor Jeremy Irons, Sky’s COBRA starring Robert Carlyle, Netflix’s Stay Close starring James Nesbit, and Warner Bros’ The Batman.
To find out more about Liverpool Film Office head to www.liverpoolfilmoffice.tv.
Liverpool’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Visitor Economy, Councillor Harry Doyle, said:
“It feels like a triple whammy with Time, as not only can we look forward to seeing the city on the small screen, but it’s also written by an incredible Liverpool writer, and stars so much local talent – with the legends that are Stephen Graham and Sue Johnston taking the helm.
“It’s a real credit to our Liverpool Film Office team for continuing to work under extraordinary circumstances over the past year, to ensure this industry could keep functioning and it will be hugely rewarding to see Liverpool as the backdrop for so many exciting productions across the coming months.”
Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:
“Our region is the country’s cultural and creative capital, whether that be sporting, musical or in film and TV. Seeing the wealth of stellar local talent on display here, on and off screen, just confirms that view.
“Encouraging that talent, and supporting this growing local industry, is why we have invested £2 million in the Liverpool City Region Production Fund. It’s great to see it coming to fruition through projects like Time, featuring talented local actors such as Stephen Graham, a Kirkby lad like myself.
“We’ve been through such a challenging period, and it’s been more important than ever that we support our creative industries. Thanks to the investments we’ve made, we’ll be able to attract many, many more productions to our region, creating lots of local highly skilled jobs and attracting talent from around the world.”
