Jasmine Jobson responds to Top Boy spin-off about Jaq rumours

While screenwriter Ronan Bennett has already teased a potential spin-off about Jaq (more about that below), actress Jasmine Jobson says she hasn’t actually heard anything about it yet – but would be up for it.

“Netflix haven’t come to me. All I will say is, if Netflix are on it, I’m definitely down,” she told Digital Spy in May 2024. “I was struggling to let go of Jaq, so if they want to bring it back, let’s do it. But it’s out of my hands.”

Previously, the actors who play Sully and Dushane bowed out of spin-off plans, with Ashley Walters confirming season five was his last (both in terms of the show and playing the ruthless yet sensitive drug dealer Dushane.) Speaking to GQ, he admitted that – even though he thought Top Boy had run its course – Netflix “wanted it to go on forever.”

He added, “Kane [Robinson, who plays Sully] and I were like, personally, we can’t. 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. But it wouldn’t have been right. I like to end on a high.”

Co-director William Stefan Smith also said something similar of the show’s ending to the Royal Television Society.”It’s the British way. Historically, British shows end early. We don’t push them into six or seven seasons,” he added.

Huge news: in January 2024, the show’s creator revealed talks were happening around a show focussed on Jaq’s story. Speaking to Deadline, screenwriter Ronan Bennett confirmed conversations with the streaming platform were happening, commenting: “We are talking to Netflix about a spin-off, which will be around Jaq.”

He added that Netflix will “probably be angry” with him for mentioning it, but continued, “I’ve learned through bitter experience not to talk too much about shows that are in the future. You just never know if they’re going to get made and in fact, most shows that are developed actually don’t get made.”

Interestingly, though, Jasmine Jobson, who plays the female gang member, previously told Royal Television Society the show ending with season five was the right thing to do. “It’s especially apt because of the subject matter,” the 28-year-old explained. “We’re showing the public that there’s only so far you can go. You can end up in prison, you can end up dead, but every top boy has to come to a stop at some point.

“You don’t see 60 or 70-year-old top boys, unless it’s the mafia. So I feel like we’re doing the right thing.”

Top Boy season five is available to stream on Netflix now

Sophie Williams is a Freelance Journalist and Copywriter, covering everything from Fashion to Entertainment to music, Lifestyle and Features. She has interviewed a range of musical artists and authors including Alyssa Edwards, Courtney Barnett, Confidence Man, The Vaccines, Loyle Carner, Gabrielle, and John Niven, and has written for publications like Metro, Reader’s Digest, ITV’s Woo! and Vice’s NBGA. She is also working on a book for HarperCollins about Taylor Swift, due to be published in 2024.