OPEN AUDITIONS for Channel 4's critically acclaimed drama series Top Boy have today been cancelled despite hundreds of young people turning up.
The one-off casting call was scheduled to take place at Hoxton Hall, in Hoxton Street, Hackney, between 12pm and 5pm.
Casting directors said they were looking for black, mixed race, Asian and other "non-white" teenagers aged between 13 and 16 to appear in the second season of Top Boy.
The first season starred Ashley Walters and rapper Kano in his acting debut.
No previous acting experience was necessary, they said.
Following the invitation, hundreds of young people headed to Hackney for a chance to earn a place on the show. Some reports claim there was more than 2,000 people in the queue.
But organisers started to turn away young hopefuls, who had been queuing for hours, causing anger to erupt in some sections of the crowd.
It has raised questions about whether the auditions were properly organised and what measures had been put in place to protect the young people they had invited.
Actor Walters waded into the debate on Twitter: "Another opportunity wasted to get into the game. Don't blame me!"
Rumours of people turning up armed with knives and guns spread rapidly on social networking sites which eyewitnesses at the scene said were untrue.
"I can't hear no gunshots. I know there's silly crowd control but even so, why ruin a good opportunity? black community without unity", wrote one person via Twitter.
One Twitter user said: "Do NOT go to the Top Boy audition it is kicking off down here. I've got my girls and we are going home."
Another said: "Top Boy auditions looking like Brixton Splash".
A Met Police spokesman confirmed there had been no reports of violence but said officers did attend to help with crowd dispersal.
Were you at Top Boy auditions? Tell The Voice what you saw via Twitter @thevoicenews, on Facebook or via email newsdesk@gvmedia.co.uk [2]
Watch footage here: