Top Boy season 4: Release date, trailer and latest news

With twists and turns galore, a stellar soundtrack, and a huge cliffhanger ending that lays the groundwork for an explosive follow-up, there’s certainly a lot to get excited about in season 4, not to mention a huge twist in episode 1, which Top Boy star and executive producer Ashley Walters previously teased is "one of the driving forces" of the new season.

"I guess you could call it a kind of a spine that a lot of other storylines grow off the back of, especially one huge one at the end comes off the back of what happens in the beginning," Walters told press including RadioTimes.com.

What’s more, there’s plenty more to look forward to, with Netflix having confirmed that Top Boy will receive a fifth season, though it will sadly also be the last.

Alongside Walters and Robinson, Top Boy season 4 sees a whole host of returning cast members alongside some new exciting faces.

So, without further ado, read on for everything you need to know about Top Boy's season 4 on Netflix (or season 2 as the streamer has branded it).

Top Boy season 4 release date

Top Boy season 4 landed on Netflix on 18th March 2022, with the new run consisting of eight episodes.

Walters shared the first poster for the new season, emblazoned with the words "Loyalty before everything", on Twitter on 31st January 2022.

His tweet also confirmed the season 4 release date on Netflix.

Walters and Kano (Kane Robinson) previously revealed in a short video that production on the season 4 had begun in December 2020.

"Yo people, what you saying? It's your boy Ashley Walters. I'm not gonna stay here and talk for long, I don't need to – you know what time it is," a masked-Walters said on set. "You can see the mask, you can see where we are so we're obviously shooting Top Boy. You asked for it, we gave it to you."

The camera then spun around to show Kano, who adds: "There you go. Season two, Netflix. Let's go."

In 2017, Netflix announced that it would commission two new seasons of Top Boy following Channel 4's cancellation of the series back in 2013.

Following the first two seasons (now retroactively referred to by the subtitle Summerhouse), series creator Ronan Bennett produced a relaunch of the show picking up after the events of season two and featuring the return of Dushane and company.

Season three was released in September 2019 to critical acclaim.

Top Boy season 4 Netflix trailer

A trailer for the fourth season of Top Boy has now been released by Netflix.

The explosive trailer teases the drama to come and Netflix released an official synopsis alongside the video.

It reads: "This season sees Dushane (Walters) on a roll. He won the war against the young pretender Jamie (Ward), leaving his Summerhouse crew unrivaled and making more money than ever.

"Life with Shelley (Ajikawo) is going well too and allows him to dream of a future away from the road. But then a problem from an unexpected quarter arises and threatens to bring it all crashing down."

Sounds like trouble awaits...

Top Boy season 4 spoilers

By the end of the third season, Dushane had proposed a partnership with Jamie, who is now behind bars after taking the fall for a crime he didn't commit to protect his family.

Dushane and Sully's friendship is also fraught due to Dushane framing Jamie's brothers, so the new partnership could create even more tension between the pair.

It was also revealed that addicts Sarah and Lee were actually undercover agents who are investigating Dushane, so the current top boy will likely feel the heat in season 4.

Top Boy’s creator and writer Ronan Bennett has also revealed that future episodes will continue to explore a more sensitive side to Sully, who was left reeling in season three after watching his friend/surrogate son Jason (Ricky Smarts) die in an arson attack.

“Certainly we’re taking that a step further in the new season!” Bennett said of Sully's newly-glimpsed vulnerability.

What's more, filmmaker Aneil Karia, who directed three episode of season 3, previously teased what to expect in Top Boy season 4.

"I haven’t been on board with series 4 but I’m still close to everyone in that Top Boy family,” he told NME back in 2021. “I’m good friends with Kano and I speak to Ashley [Walters] as well so I’ve been hearing bits and bobs about it. As a fan, I’m really, really excited to see more. I know that all the old favourites [are back] but there’s also some really exciting new characters. It sounds like they’re expanding the world in a really interesting way.”

Who is in the cast of Top Boy season 4?

Dushane (played by Ashley Walters), Sully (Kane Robinson), Jamie (Michael Ward) and Shelley (Simbi Ajikawo, also known by her stage name Little Simz) and Jaq (the BAFTA-nominated Jasmine Jobson) are all returning for the show's fourth run.

Other recurring characters in the Top Boy cast we'll be seeing again include drug supplier Lizzie (Lisa Dwan), dealer Jaq (Jasmine Jobson) and her sister Lauryn (Saffron Hocking), Jamie’s second in command Kit (Kadeem Ramsay), Amma (Jolade Obasola) and Jamie’s brothers Aaron (Hope Ikpoku) and Stef (Araloylin Oshunremi.)

In addition, Netflix has now confirmed there will be some new faces joining the cast too. Dan Connolly (Harlots) and Howard Charles (Shadow and Bone) are joining the series in recurring roles as Tim Braithwaite and Curtis respectively. Josephine De La Baume (A Very Secret Service), Erin Kellyman (The Green Knight), rap and grime artist ‘NoLay’ (Natalie Athanasiou) and Adwoa Aboah will also be making appearances in season 4, though it's unclear who they'll be playing.

Series director Aneil Karia previously told NME that season 4 will expand the world of the show "in a really interesting way", hinting that some new characters will shake up the show.

"As a fan, I’m really, really excited to see more," Karia said. "I know that all the old favourites [are back] but there’s also some really exciting new characters. It sounds like they’re expanding the world in a really interesting way.”

Is Top Boy ending after season 4?

No, the fifth season of Top Boy has now been confirmed!

On Thursday 31st March 2022, Netflix confirmed that the series would be back for one final season.

Series stars 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.

"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."

We’re very excited about what’s next and thank you for riding with us. We appreciate you. See you again soon.”

Where is Top Boy filmed?

While set in Hackney, Top Boy is primarily filmed in Kent (Thanet, Ramsgate).

The old Blackfriars Crown Court was hired for the filming of season 4 too, suggesting legal scenes for the instalment. Not good news considering the surprise reveal that Dushane is being investigated by undercover police officers...

The new season of Top Boy is streaming now on Netflix.

Check out our lists of the best series on Netflix and the best movies on Netflix, or see what else is on with our TV Guide and our Drama hub.

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