Is Legends a true story? The real people behind the Netflix drama series

SIX-part series Legends premiered on Netflix earlier this month and was met with positive reviews for its gripping realism and tense drama. It’s set in the early 1990s and focuses on a group of civil servants who were recruited for a top-secret undercover operation to infiltrate some of the UK’s most dangerous drug gangs. Sign up for the TV newsletter Thank you! Six-part series Legends premiered on Netflix earlier this month Credit: NETFLIX And it was immediately met with positive reviews Credit: NETFLIX When is Legends on Netflix? Legends made its debut on the streaming platform on May 7, 2026. And although creator Neil Forsyth is yet to officially confirm a second series, there are a few indications that one might be on the way. Unlike other Netflix originals, Legends isn’t marked as a limited series – leaving the opportunity for a second season to arise. A second series of the show is yet to be confirmed Credit: Courtesy of Netflix. But there are signs that the story may continue one way or another Credit: Courtesy of Netflix. With the success of the first six episodes leading to the series sitting third most popular in the UK and fourth in the US, it seems like the wise option for Netflix would be to renew for at least another season. Read More on Legends & Netflix There is also more to be told on the story, with real-life customs officer Guy Stanton working undercover for another decade after the events of the series. Is Legends based on a true story? Legends is based on a true story, inspired by the book The Betrayer: How An Undercover Unit Infiltrated the Global Drug Trade by Guy Stanton and Peter Walsh. It takes place in Britain back in the 90s when a heroin epidemic was at an alarming high, with the criminals supplying it seemingly unstoppable. It’s a true story, inspired by the book The Betrayer: How An Undercover Unit Infiltrated the Global Drug Trade by Guy Stanton and Peter Walsh. Credit: Courtesy of Netflix. The book and subsequent six-part series focuses on two fronts: Liverpool’s street gangs and the Turkish network operating out of London’s Green Lanes. Most read in TV Leading character Guy is sent to the latter in an attempt to infiltrate Hakan’s international drug syndicate. What is the Legends cast? Creator Forsyth conducted his own research ahead of the show, in which he revealed he had to cut down on the number of characters that would appear on the Netflix series. He said: “I conducted lots of interviews, some with people who were happy to talk to me publicly, others who needed to be a bit more clandestine. “The more I listened, the more extraordinary the tale revealed itself to be. “I did need to condense and simplify it, because otherwise it would be extremely complicated and we’d have far too many characters.” The main cast of the show is listed below: Guy – Tom Burke Don – Steve Coogan Kate – Hayley Squires Carter – Tom Hughes Bailey – Aml Ameen Erin – Jasmine Blackborow Blake – Douglas Hodge Eddie – Johnny Harris Mylonas – Gerald Kyd Hakan – Numan Acar Sophie – Charlotte Ritchie Zeki – Joshua Samuels Aziz – Kem Hassan Shaun – Thomas Coombes Comment now