A new series of hard-hitting crime drama Top Boy is set to drop next month, it has been revealed.
The explosive show - described as one-of-a-kind by fans and stars alike - was axed by Channel 4 in 2013 after two seasons.
But streaming service Netflix gave it a second chance - after Canadian megastar rapper Drake revealed he was a fan of the programme and came on board as an executive producer.
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The third season arrived in 2019 and the ten episodes were met with critical acclaim - justifying the decision to bring it back.
Now fans are celebrating the news that season 4 is on the way.
When does the Top Boy new series air?
As revealed this week, season 4 of Top Boy will appear on Netflix on Friday, March 18.
The making of the new series was supposed to start in May 2020, almost two years ago, but shooting was affected by the Covid-19 outbreak.
Production resumed in December 2020, with locations stripped back to be more manageable for a show made during a pandemic.
Confusingly, the new series is going by the name ‘season 2’ because it is the second made by Netflix.
The first two seasons - originally aired on Channel 4 - have now been renamed Top Boy: Summerhouse. The third series appears on Netflix as Top Boy season 1.
The first three outings are all available to stream on Netflix now.
What is Top Boy about and what to expect from the new series?
*Contains season 3 spoilers*
The story follows the exploits of drug dealers Dushane (Ashley ‘Asher D’ Walters) and Sully (Kane ‘Kano’ Robinson) as they navigate the criminal underworld while plying their trade on the fictional Summerhouse estate, in Hackney, east London.
The evolution of the relationship between these two characters is central to the show - with the pair relying on their wits to overcome their rivals and stay on top.
At the start of season 3, Dushane has fled from a rival gang and is laying low in Jamaica, working in a cousin’s car-rental shop. But he returns to Summerhouse to start selling drugs again after making a deal with an imprisoned crook named Sugar.
His return starts a war with a rival crew, headed by the ruthless youngster Jamie, who won’t stand for Dushane selling on their turf.
While nothing has yet been revealed about the plot of the new series, there are plenty of loose ends from season 3 that need tying up.
For example, what happened to Dris - Dushane and Sully’s crew member who has become a liability, suffering from seizures after having a stroke? It appeared that Dris had betrayed Dushane and Sully - with the latter taking him to a rooftop before a gunshot is heard. Is Dris still alive?
And the series ended with a plot twist when it emerged that Lee and Sarah, who appeared to be drug addicts, were actually undercover police officers. Their investigation into Dushane and Sully promises to be significant in season 4.
Who is in the Top Boy cast?
The main character Dushane is played by Ashley Walters, who is also known by his stage name Asher D. He started acting at an early age, appearing in the likes of Grange Hill, before going on to enjoy chart success as a rapper in So Solid Crew. He is also known for his roles in Bullet Boy and Get Rich or Die Tryin’.
Kane Robinson stars as Dushane’s partner and friend Sully. Robinson is better known as Kano - a rapper and songwriter considered to be one of the pioneers of grime alongside the likes of Wiley and Dizzee Rascal.
Alongside Walters and Robinson is Micheal Ward as up-and-coming drug dealer Jamie and Simbi Ajikawo - aka rapper and singer Little Simz - as Shelley, whose romantic relationship with Dushane was starting to blossom at the end of season 3.
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