Netflix set to revive Top Boy in multi-season deal starring Ashley Walters

Netflix is set to revive axed Channel 4 drama Top Boy starring Ashley Walters in a multi-season deal.

After taking Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror from Channel 4 in 2015, Netflix has swooped for another of the British broadcaster's shows. Top Boy is an award winning drama about gang life and drug dealing on an east London estate, which ran for two series on Channel 4 between 2011 and 2013 but was not renewed.

The US streaming service is planning on making two more series of the hit drama, RadioTimes.com understands, with an announcement expected to be made imminently.

Top Boy series one and two are already available to watch on Netflix. Ashley Walters, who played drug kingpin Dushane in the first two series, is expected to reprise his role for the series with other talent due to be confirmed once an announcement is made. The show's writer and creator Ronan Bennett is expected to be involved once again.

Rumours of the show's return have circulated for several years, with Walters all but confirming the show's return on Instagram in April last year.

Canadian rapper Drake took the show to an international audience when he revealed his love for the show in 2014. He was also reported to be involved in the series' revival, with Walters telling Complex in 2016 that Drake was "coming on board to help and try and push the situation forward".

Netflix declined to comment but it is understood that the project is due to be announced shortly, with Walters set to begin filming once he has finished his new Sky1 drama Bulletproof.

That’s another hard-hitting drama but one where he is on the right side of the criminal fence: he and co-star Noel Clarke both play London coppers, crime-fighting duo Pike and Bishop.