Where was Top Boy filmed?

How do you claw your way up in London Borough gangland? The original two seasons of Top Boy, renamed by Netflix as Top Boy: Summerhouse, follow Dushane on his journey to become Top Boy. In the inner-city housing estates, violence erupts between gangs. Even young kids are drawn in.

Filming centres around the Summerhouse Estate, where dealing drugs is the only way to make money. Dushane and Sully are on the up and up, but run into big problems with Kamale's rival gang.

Read on to find out about the key filming locations of Top Boy.

Heygate Estate, Elephant & Castle

The Heygate Estate in central London was the original location for the Summerhouse Estate. This was used for the exteriors for the first two seasons, broadcast on Channel 4 in 2011 and 2013. Unfortunately, it was demolished in 2014 to make way for new development.

East London Boroughs

As Top Boy is set in Hackney, many scenes in the first two seasons were filmed in this London Borough. Shooting locations included the De Beauvoir estate near Haggerston, Dalston and London Fields. Among more recent East London locations is the Custom House district in the London Borough of Newham, which appears in season four.

Whipps Cross Hospital, Leytonstone

The hospital has appeared as a Top Boy location in several seasons.

Ark Walworth Academy, Southwark

This co-educational secondary school and sixth-form academy was used for several of the show's school sequences, with real students often appearing as extras.

Samuda Estate, Isle of Dogs

When Netflix revived Top Boy in 2019, they had to look for a new location for the Summerhouse Estate. The director picked the Samuda Estate, a large 1960s community of four six-storey blocks on the Isle of Dogs. It offers background views of the City of London, providing a sharp contrast with the estate's poverty. Interiors were also filmed inside local people's flats and around the disused underground garages.

Margate, Kent

For series three, Top Boy went outside London to film scenes around Athelstan Road and surrounding streets in Margate. Beach scenes were also shot at Margate's Walpole Bay and Fulsam Rock Beach.

If you’re after a gritty, emotional drama packed with unforgettable characters and high-stakes storytelling, now’s the perfect time to revisit Top Boy from the beginning. Follow Dushane, Sully, and the lives they touch as power, loyalty, and survival collide on the streets of East London — all available to stream on Netflix.

With Virgin Media’s TV package deals, you can access Netflix and all your favourite streaming platforms in one place, making it easy to dive into powerful dramas whenever the mood strikes.

Wondering where more of your favourite TV shows were filmed? Check out some of the most recognisable filming locations, or dive into even more iconic movie locations across the UK.