Ashley Walters on Top Boy's return to Netflix

Whenever you put a TV show out in the world, obviously you hope people like it. But what if they really like it - and then there's an epic six then three-year gap between series. Is that a lot of pressure?

"Yes," says Ashley Walters, who plays Top Boy's co-lead Dushane. "Good pressure. It keeps us in check and reminds us we have a job to do, that we have to maintain that essence and core of what the show has always been.

"That's the beauty of it," adds Walters, 39. "If we don't try and fix it - because it's never been broken - we're in a good place. The minute we start to get these extra ideas of, you know, it's global now and it needs to be this and that, that's where things are probably gonna go wrong."

That 'essence' is no doubt key to Top Boy's success. The series, created by Ronan Bennett, started life on Channel 4 back in 2011, as a gritty four-part crime-drama based on fictional east London housing estate Summerhouse, where a schoolboy gets caught up with the dark and violent worlds of drug dealer crew leaders Dushane (Walters) and Sully (rapper and grime artist Kane 'Kano' Robinson). Series two followed in 2013, with rivalries and relationships adding to the mix. Top Boy was a cult hit - but then Channel 4 dropped it.

Gripped by the show's frank depictions and real-feeling storytelling, fans had no idea whether there'd be more to come. It was a long wait before Top Boy was reborn on Netflix in 2019, this time as a 10-parter - thanks in no small part to some celebrity backing from Canadian rapper Drake, who helped convince Netflix to commission it, at the same time becoming an executive producer. Now, another three years on, it's back again.

As Kano, 36, points out though, "there was a pandemic during that time", plus while it might feel like a long gap, "you don't want something back in six months that hasn't been written well", he adds.

Maintaining that quality and authenticity is something everyone involved seems to value closely. Top Boy is staying true to its roots - but there will, of course, be new developments in store. Moving to Netflix has also shown that the series isn't just relatable to Londoners.

"It's mad to think of the global reach it's now got," says Michael Ward, who plays rival crew leader Jamie. "Before, it was obviously very local, but now, it's just mad to know so many people can relate to a story - they feel like they know it, because they do know the themes and all of these things, it's just circumstances.

"I think that's so exciting, to know you could be living a mirrored life to someone in another part of the world, but you just don't know until you see what we've created."

Jasmine Jobson, who joined as Dushane's deputy Jaq when the show moved to Netflix, agrees all this comes with a "bit of pressure".

"Obviously [fans] expect a certain standard from us," says Jobson, 26. "But at the same time, with the fact we've been fans of Top Boy from such a young age, we would expect nothing less, and we would expect nothing less of ourselves."

Jobson is far from alone in growing up as a Top Boy fan before joining the cast. "I was such a massive fan," says Saffron Hocking, 28, who plays Jaq's sister Lauryn. "I actually remember exactly where I was when I heard the show was being brought back. I was sat in the car with my friend, and we suddenly read this article about Drake reviving Top Boy. I looked at her, and I remember saying, 'I'm going to be in that, I really want to be in that, I'm going to be in it'. And yeah, I end up being in it."

The end of the last series saw Lauryn fleeing, her life under threat. While many of the subject matters aren't necessarily "nice" or "something to celebrate", Hocking believes it's "hugely important" that the show also depicts women's lives as it does, including her domestic abuse storyline. "I think what can be looked at is the fact that a strong female character is created within that toxic situation, and she has to overcome this battle, and that there is hope," she says.

Hocking hopes it will also highlight that domestic abuse isn't always physical - "but there's so many different layers that come with that. Actually, playing this character was an education for me," she adds. "I had to educate myself further by speaking to [domestic abuse charity] Refuge, who were incredibly helpful. To play that part as a female actress was a huge responsibility, it's something I didn't take lightly."

This series also sees Adwoa Aboah join the cast - marking the British-Ghanaian fashion model's acting debut. Like Hocking, she'd always been a big fan. "I even went as a date with a friend to the last [series] premiere just as a fan, because I wanted to see it first, before it was able to be viewed by the public," says the 29-year-old. "I've always loved it - what it says in the messages it puts across, how much it champions young talent, and British talent.

"So it's just amazing to be part of that legacy, and to be part of a show that stands for so much," adds Aboah, who also co-founded Gurls Talk - a community-led organisation that promotes mental wellbeing amongst adolescent girls and young women - following her own mental health experiences.

As one of the world's most successful models, she's no stranger to being in front of the camera. But Aboah acknowledges that her first acting role comes with added scrutiny.

"But I think I have to put that to the side and know that I worked hard to get this role. Whatever happens going forward, I know I worked really hard, not only getting ready for the character and holding that responsibility of what she goes through and bringing my own interpretations into it.

"A lot of my work within Gurls Talk and mental health has always been about storytelling and showcasing stories of relevance that people can see themselves in. So, if this is my chance to do this in a TV show, then what an amazing of opportunity?"

Top Boy returns to Netflix on Friday March 18