Kate Winslet is to lead the cast of a second series of Adolescence

Kate Winslet is to lead the cast of a second series of Adolescence.

The Titanic actress is set to play a key role in a new storyline about troubled teenagehood following the global success of the first series of the drama, which featured Owen Cooper as 13-year-old Jamie, who was arrested after being accused of murdering a classmate, and Stephen Graham as his dad.

A source told the Mail on Sunday newspaper's Talk of the Town column: "It's happening and in development. There's excitement that Kate's on board."

Stephen, who is executive producer, previously teased the possibility of another installment from himself and writer Jack Thorne.

He told reporters backstage at the Golden Globe awards: "It's somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind and Jack's mind. We'll pull it out in three or four years, so stay tuned."

Both he and Jack have previously hinted that any new series of Adolescence would follow a new plot, with a different cast.

Jack previously said on The One Show: “There's not going to be a second series that involves the Miller family.

“So if we ever do anything else with the format, which we might do in years, years, years to come, we've got nothing at the moment.

“To be clear, there's nothing. Stephen said there might be something at the back of our brain somewhere. There isn't anything at the back of our brain.

“I've got this brain and I know Stephen's brain. There's nothing there at the moment.

“But give us time and there might be something else.”

The first series was a huge success, and at the Golden Globes, Adolescence won Best Limited Series, Anthology Series, or Television Motion Picture, while its cast won a number of individual awards.

Stephen won Best Male Actor in a Limited Series, Anthology Series, or a Motion Picture Made for Television, while co-star Erin Doherty - who played social worker Briony Ariston - was recognised as Best Supporting Female Actor.

Owen Cooper captured the Best Supporting Male Actor accolade, making him the youngest ever winner in the supporting TV categories.