Top Boy has become one of the standout British shows of the past decade.

Created and written by Ronan Bennett, the crime drama follows drug dealers Dushane (Ashley Walters) and Sully (Kane ‘Kano’ Robinson) on the fictional Summerhouse estate in Hackney, London.

The show originally spanned two seasons on Channel 4 before it was dropped in 2013. Top Boy was subsequently revived by Netflix (with help from Drake) in 2019, with the fifth season being the third produced by the streaming service.

Other returning cast members for the fifth season include Little Simz as Dushane’s partner Shelley, Jasmine Jobson as Jaq and Lisa Dwan as Lizzie. New additions include Barry Keoghan and Brian Gleeson.

Is Top Boy season 5 officially the final season?

Netflix announced in March 2022 the fifth season of Top Boy (the third for the streaming service) would be the show’s last.

In a joint statement at the time, Ashley Walters and Kane Robinson said: “For those that have followed the journey from the start, you will know how much this show means to everyone on our team and we wholeheartedly know how much it means to you. These characters have been a part of our lives for over a decade now and without everyone’s support we couldn’t have come this far.

Top Boy will return for a third and final season! pic.twitter.com/yp9UC28coQ

— Netflix (@netflix) March 31, 2022

“Whilst the journeys of Dushane and Sully have remained at the core of the show, the new characters that have entered the world of Top Boy have become a key part of the show’s legacy, representing each new storyline in a raw, authentic way. With all this being said, and staying true to our original goal, every story must have an ending and so season three will be our finale. A chance to come full circle and end the journey in the right way.”

Why has Top Boy come to an end?

Speaking to GQ, Walters explained that the decision to end the series came from them, rather than Netflix who wanted to continue the show.

“[Netflix] wanted to go on forever! And Kane and I were like, personally we can’t,” Walters said. “We don’t think it’s the right thing to do. It may have gone on too long anyway.

“Not that it’s not been great and the seasons have all been great and everyone’s loved them and I’ve loved them. I like to end on a high.”

Top Boy is available to stream on Netflix.