The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey is leading season 2 of the BBC’s hit prison drama Time

Bella Ramsey is no longer beating the baddies on The Last of Us. In the second series of the BBC’s multi award-winning drama Time, they’re becoming one.

Ramsey, 19, will star alongside Doctor Who changemaker Jodie Whittaker and The Silent Twins actress Tamara Lawrance in the second chapter of Jimmy McGovern’s acclaimed prison drama, which featured Stephen Graham and Sean Bean as leads in its double BAFTA-winning first season.

This time around, the drama explores life in a modern British women’s prison. Ramsey will take on the role of Kelsey, a young offender arriving at Carlingford Prison on the same day as Whittaker and Lawrance’s characters, named Orla and Abi respectively.

Happy Valley actress Siobhan Finneran will return as her series one character, prison chaplain Marie-Louise.

The three-part series will tell the stories of the three inmates as they confront their new lives inside their cells, surrounded by the potential violence and threats that come with being locked up.

There is potential for the three characters to strike up a friendship though, as life behind bars brings them a “sense of community” and “shared understanding”, as the series highlights the complexity of life in prison.

Speaking about their brand new role, Ramsey said they were excited to work with such an “incredible” team.

“I’m very happy to be a part of this project, working with an incredible team and following on from a stellar first season,” they said. “And it’s such an honour to be Kelsey, I’m really excited to experience the world through her for a few months.”

McGovern, meanwhile, said the season 2 cast is the “best cast I have ever seen assembled for any drama of mine.”

Alongside their role as Ellie in the HBO hit The Last of Us, Ramsey is best known for starring in Game of Thrones and BBC fantasy drama His Dark Materials.

If there’s any genre that Ramsey knows how to dominate, it’s a flashy, high-budget drama.

Whittaker, who recently departed as Doctor Who’s legendary thirteenth doctor, added that it was an “absolute dream” to be starring in the second iteration of such a “powerful” series.

Lawrance shared her joy at getting the opportunity to “challenge a prejudice” by humanising “a sector of society that is too often and easily vilified”.

Time’s first season premiered back in 2021 to rave reviews, with series lead Sean Bean later winning a Best Actor BAFTA for his portrayal of newly imprisoned felon Mark Cobden. Stephen Graham, who played prison officer Eric McNally in the first instalment, also won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor.

If Bella Ramsey wasn’t already facing the looming prospect of award show domination, they certainly will be once Time airs.

Time will be co-written once again by Broken writer McGovern alongside Helen Black, best known for penning BBC Three drama Life and Death in the Warehouse.

Filming will begin in Liverpool imminently, with a release date for the series as yet unconfirmed.