Peaky Blinders

Series Details:

Country	United Kingdom
Language	English, Romanian, Irish Gaelic, Italian, Yiddish, French
Genre	Historical, Crime, Drama
Season	6
Episodes	36
Release date	September 12, 2013
Running time	55–83min
Age rating	TV-MA
Starring	See below
Created by	Steven Knight
Directed by	Otto Bathurst (series 1), Tom Harper (series 1), Colm McCarthy (series 2), Tim Mielants (series 3), David Caffrey (series 4), Anthony Byrne (series 5–6)
Written by	Steven Knight, Toby Finlay, Stephen Russell
Produced by	Katie Swinden (series 1), Laurie Borg (series 2), Simon Maloney (series 3), Joe Donaldson (series 4), Annie Harrison-Baxter (series 5), Nick Goding (series 6)
Executive producers	Caryn Mandabach, Jamie Glazebrook, Greg Brenman (series 1), Will Gould (series 2–4), Steven Knight, Cillian Murphy, Frith Tiplady (series 1–4), David Mason (series 5–6), Anthony Byrne (series 6)
Cinematography by	George Steel, Simon Dennis, Laurie Rose, Cathal Watters, Si Bell, Mathieu Plainfossé, Peter Robertson
Edited by	Paul Knight, Mark Davis, Celia Haining, Chris Barwell, Mark Eckersley, Matthew Cannings, Dermot Diskin, Dan Roberts, Chris Roebuck
Music by	Anna Calvi, Martin Phipps, Paul Hartnoll, PJ Harvey, Dickon Hinchliffe, Anthony Green, Martin Slattery, Nick Launay
Casting by	Shaheen Baig, Layla Wolf-Zarpak
Production Design by	Grant Montgomery, Nicole Northridge, Richard Bullock, Stephen Daly
Art Direction by	Nick Wilkinson, Julie Ann Horan, Dean McLeod, Katy Tuxford, Spencer Robertson, Kerry-Ellen Maxwell, Dan Mucklow, Louisa Morris, Mike McLoughlin, Liz Simpson
Set Decoration by	Smithers Kalyoncu Ussal, Maxine Carlier, Jonnie Mead, Shonagh Smith, John Neligan
Costume Design by	Alison McCosh, Stephanie Collie, Lorna Marie Mugan, Alexandra Caulfield
Production Company	Caryn Mandabach Productions Tiger Aspect Productions Screen Yorkshire
Original Network	BBC Two (series 1–4) BBC One (series 5–6)

Cast & Character:

Main characters

• Cillian Murphy as Thomas “Tommy” Shelby, the leader of the Peaky Blinders.
• Sam Neill as Chief Inspector/Major Chester Campbell (series 1–2), an Ulster Protestant policeman drafted from Belfast.
• Helen McCrory as Elizabeth Pollyanna “Polly” Gray (series 1–5), née Shelby, the aunt of the Shelby siblings, and treasurer of the Peaky Blinders.
• Paul Anderson as Arthur Shelby Jr., Tommy’s best friend and eldest of the Shelby siblings.
• Annabelle Wallis as Grace Shelby (series 1–3, 5), née Burgess, a former undercover agent, and Irish Protestant. She is Tommy’s first wife and mother of his son Charles.
• Iddo Goldberg as Freddie Thorne (series 1), a known communist who fought in the Great War with Tommy and was Ada’s husband.
• Sophie Rundle as Ada Thorne, née Shelby, the only sister of the Shelby brothers.
• Joe Cole as John “Johnny” Shelby (series 1–4), the third-youngest Shelby brother and a member of the Peaky Blinders.
• Ned Dennehy as Charlie Strong, owner of a boatyard and an uncle figure to the Shelby siblings.
• Benjamin Zephaniah as Jeremiah ‘Jimmy’ Jesus, a preacher, and friend of the Peaky Blinders.
• David Dawson as Roberts (series 1), Billy Kimber’s accountant.
• Andy Nyman (series 1), Richard McCabe (recurring series 2), and Neil Maskell (series 5–6) as Winston Churchill
• Charlie Creed-Miles as Billy Kimber (series 1), a local kingpin and leader of The Birmingham Boys who runs the local races.
• Tommy Flanagan as Arthur Shelby Sr. (series 1), the father of the Shelby siblings and Polly’s brother.
• Noah Taylor as Darby Sabini (series 2), the leader of an Italian gang in Camden Town.
• Tom Hardy as Alfred “Alfie” Solomons (series 2–6), the leader of a Jewish gang in Camden Town.
• Charlotte Riley as May Fitz Carleton (series 2, 4), a wealthy widow who owns racehorses.
• Finn Cole as Michael Gray (series 2–6), Polly’s biological son.
• Natasha O’Keeffe as Elizabeth “Lizzie” Shelby, née Stark (series 2–6; guest series 1), an ex-prostitute who worked for Tommy as his secretary. She is his second wife and the mother of his daughter Ruby.
• Aimee-Ffion Edwards as Esme Shelby-Lee (series 3–4, 6; recurring series 1–2), John’s wife and a member of the Lee clan.
• Gaite Jansen as Princess Tatiana Petrovna (series 3), a Russian princess who has an affair with Tommy.
• Alexander Siddig as Ruben Oliver (series 3), a portrait artist in a romantic relationship with Polly.
• Packy Lee as Johnny Dogs (series 3–6; recurring series 1–2), Tommy’s Gypsy friend.
• Jan Bijvoet as Arch Duke Leon Romanov (series 3), Tatiana’s uncle.
• Dina Korzun as Grand Duchess Izabella Petrovna (series 3), Tatiana’s aunt.
• Paddy Considine as Father John Hughes (series 3), a priest working with the anti-communist Section D (the Economic League) in the British government
• Kate Phillips as Linda Shelby (series 4–6; recurring series 3), Arthur’s wife who is a devout Christian.
• Charlie Murphy as Jessie Eden (series 4–5), a union convenor and Tommy’s lover.
• Adrien Brody as Luca Changretta (series 4), a New York mafioso with a vendetta against the Peaky Blinders.
• Ian Peck as Curly (series 4–6; recurring series 1–3), a horse expert and Charlie’s assistant.
• Jack Rowan as Bonnie Gold (series 4–5), Aberama’s boxing champion son.
• Aidan Gillen as Aberama Gold (series 4–5), an ally of the Peaky Blinders and Polly’s lover.
• Anya Taylor-Joy as Gina Gray (series 5–6), Michael’s American wife.
• Kingsley Ben-Adir as Colonel Ben Younger (series 5; guest series 4), a young colonel who begins a relationship with Ada. He is also investigating socialist and fascist political activities.
• Sam Claflin as Sir Oswald Mosley (series 5–6), a fascist politician and leader of the British Union of Fascists.
• Brian Gleeson as Jimmy McCavern (series 5), the leader of the Billy Boys, a Glaswegian Protestant gang.
• Kate Dickie as Mother Superior (series 5), the head of a group of nuns.
• Andrew Koji as Brilliant Chang (series 5), a Chinese criminal leader involved in opium smuggling.
• Cosmo Jarvis as Barney Thomason (series 5), a WWI sniper who was Tommy’s comrade and old friend who is locked in an insane asylum.
• Alfie Evans-Meese (recurring series 1) and Harry Kirton (series 6; recurring series 2–5) as Finn Shelby, the youngest Shelby brother and a member of the Peaky Blinders.
• Charlene McKenna as Laura McKee/ Captain Swing (series 6; guest series 5), an IRA leader from Belfast.
• Pauline Turner as Frances (series 6; recurring series 4–5), Tommy’s housekeeper.
• Amber Anderson as Lady Diana Mitford (series 6), Mosley’s second wife, one of the aristocratic Mitford sisters and a Fascist socialite.
• James Frecheville as Jack Nelson (series 6), a south Boston gang leader, Gina’s uncle and Michael’s boss in the United States. Nelson is based on Joseph Kennedy Sr.
• Stephen Graham as Hayden Stagg (series 6), the union convenor for the workers at the Liverpool docks.
• Conrad Khan as Erasmus “Duke” Shelby (series 6), Tommy’s first-born son from before the Great War.
• Jordan Bolger (recurring series 2–4) and Daryl McCormack (series 6; recurring series 5) as Isiah Jesus, Jeremiah’s son and a member of the Peaky Blinders.
• Emmett J. Scanlan as Billy Grade (series 6; recurring series 5), an ex-footballer turned singer and an ally to the Peaky Blinders.

Recurring

• Lobo Chan as Mr. Zhang (series 1), a business owner in Chinatown.
• Neil Bell (series 1) as Harry Fenton, a former landlord and owner of the Garrison pub.
• Samuel Edward-Cook as Danny “Whizz-Bang” Owen (series 1), Tommy’s former comrade and a loyal member of the Peaky Blinders.
• Tony Pitts as Sergeant/Inspector Moss (series 1–4), a police officer from Birmingham.
• Kevin Metcalfe as Scudboat (series 1–2), a henchman of the Peaky Blinders.
• Jeffrey Postlethwaite as Henry (series 1–2), a Peaky Blinders henchman.
• Matthew Postlethwaite as Nipper (series 1–2), a Peaky Blinders henchman.
• Simone Kirby as Irene O’Donnell (series 2), a Pro-Treaty IRA member, who works with Donal Henry and Inspector Campbell to blackmail Tommy into carrying out an assassination.
• Rory Keenan as Donal Henry (series 2), a spy who worked for the Irregulars against the Pro-Treaty IRA.
• Adam El Hagar as Ollie (series 2), Alfie’s assistant.
• Sam Hazeldine as Georgie Sewell (series 2), the right-hand man and consiglieri to Sabini.
• Wanda Opalinska as Rosemary Johnson (series 2, 4), Michael’s foster mother, whom she named Henry.
• Daniel Fearn as King Maine (series 2, 4), a boxing trainer in Birmingham who trains Arthur and Bonnie.
• Paul Bullion as Billy Kitchen (series 2), a Black Countryman, who briefly worked as a Head Baker for Tommy and Alfie.
• Josh O’Connor as James (series 2), Ada’s friend and housemate.
• Dorian Lough as Mario (series 2), the owner of The Eden Club, ran by Sabini.
• Allan Hopwood as Abbey Heath (series 2)
• James Eeles as “The Digbeth Kid” Harold Hancox (series 2), an aspiring actor hired by the Peaky Blinders to get stood up and spend a week inside jail, only to be killed by Sabini’s henchmen.
• Erin Shanagher as Mrs. Ross (series 2, 4), a vengeful mother who hates Arthur for the death of her son.
• George Gwyther (series 3) and Callum Booth-Ford (series 5–6) as Karl Thorne, the only child of Ada and Freddie.
• Stephanie Hyam as Charlotte Murray (series 3), a wealthy girl, with whom Michael has a short affair.
• Kenneth Colley as Vicente Changretta (series 3), the father to Changretta and his brother Angel.
• Bríd Brennan as Audrey Changretta (series 3–4), Changretta’s mother, wife of Vicente Changretta, head of the Italian crime family in Birmingham, the enemy of the Peaky Blinders.
• Frances Tomelty as Bethany Boswell (series 3), a wise old woman living in Wales, whom Tommy seeks out.
• Richard Brake as Anton Kaledin (series 3), a Russian refugee, who attempted to discuss business with Sabini and Tommy on Tommy and Grace’s wedding day.
• Alex Macqueen as Patrick Jarvis MP (series 3), a Member of Parliament and a member and representative of the Economic League, working with Father Hughes
• Ralph Ineson as Connor Nutley (series 3), a Lancaster factory foreman.
• Peter Bankole as William Letso (series 3), a former diamond miner and tunneler from the South African Labor Corps and Tommy’s friend.
• Richard Dillane as General Curran (series 3), Grace’s uncle.
• Dominic Coleman as Priest (series 3)
• Wendy Nottingham as Mary (series 3), Tommy’s housekeeper.
• Billy Marwood (series 3), Jenson Clarke (series 4–5), and Billy Jenkins (series 6) as Charles Shelby, the son of Tommy and Grace.
• Luca Matteo Zizzari as Matteo (series 4), one of Changretta’s henchmen.
• Jake J. Meniani as Frederico (series 4), one of Changretta’s henchmen.
• Graeme Hawley as Niall Devlin (series 4), a working man in the Peaky Blinders Limited, working for Tommy.
• Donald Sumpter as Arthur Bigge (series 4), the King’s Private Secretary, who deals with the case of the execution of Polly, Arthur, John and Michael.
• Jamie Kenna as Billy Mills (series 4), a former heavyweight boxing champion and a worker for the Shelby Company Limited, who fights against Bonnie at the company.
• Joseph Long as Chef (series 4)
• Andreas Muñoz as Antonio (series 4), the Italian assassin who came into Tommy’s house as a sous-chef and planned to kill Tommy.
• Ethan Picard-Edwards as Billy Shelby (series 4), the son of Arthur and Linda.
• Dave Simon as Mulchay (series 4–5)
• Heaven-Leigh Clee (series 5) and Orla McDonagh (series 6) as Ruby Shelby, the daughter of Tommy and Lizzie.
• Elliot Cowan as Michael Levitt (series 5), a Birmingham journalist.
• Peter Campion as Micky Gibbs (series 5), barman of The Garrison pub.
• Tim Woodward as Lord Suckerby (series 5), a High Court Judge.
• Darragh O’Toole as Liam (series 6), an associate of Jack Nelson’s.
• Peter Coonan as Connor Dunn (series 6), an associate of Jack Nelson’s.
• Assaad Bouab as Henri (series 6), a bartender on Miquelon Island.
• Franc Bruneau as Miquelon Island Police Commissioner (series 6), Head of Police Department on Miquelon Island.
• Simon Wan as Han (series 6), an opium dealer who operates through a cafe in Birmingham’s Chinatown.
• Naomi Yang as Li (series 6), Han’s wife.
• Aneurin Barnard as Doctor Holford (series 6), Tommy’s personal doctor.
• Abbie Hern as Mary Bone (series 6), Finn’s wife.

Storyline:

Thomas Shelby and his brothers return to Birmingham after serving in the British Army during WWI. Shelby and his gang, the Peaky Blinders, control the city of Birmingham. However, Shelby’s ambitions extend beyond Birmingham, as he plans to build on the business empire he’s created, and dispatch anyone who gets in his way.

About Series:

Peaky Blinders, created and written by Steven Knight, received funding from Screen Yorkshire’s Yorkshire Content Fund, ensuring most filming took place in Yorkshire. Without linguistic consultants, early episodes featured Romani Gypsies speaking broken Romanian instead of Romani.

The first series was shot in Birmingham, Bradford, Dudley, Leeds, Liverpool, and Port Sunlight. Railway scenes were filmed between Keighley and Damems, using carriages from the Ingrow Museum of Rail Travel and the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Trust.

Following the first series, a second was commissioned and aired in late 2014. In January 2014, auditions for teenage male extras were held in Birmingham’s Digbeth area, drawing large crowds. After the second series, a third was announced via Twitter and began filming in October 2015, concluding in January 2016 after 78 days.

During series 3’s broadcast, the BBC renewed Peaky Blinders for a fourth and fifth series of six episodes each. Series 4 began filming in March 2017 and premiered on BBC Two in November. The Weinstein Company, previously involved in U.S. distribution, was omitted from credits following controversy.

Commissioned in 2016, the fifth series aired on BBC One in August 2019, having premiered to a select audience in Birmingham a month earlier. In May 2018, Knight confirmed plans for a sixth series, but production was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Rumors suggesting Rowan Atkinson would portray Adolf Hitler were denied by producers.

In January 2021, the sixth series began filming, confirmed as the final TV season, though Knight noted that “the story will continue in another form.” Helen McCrory, who played Polly Gray, passed away in April 2021 and couldn’t participate in series six, which premiered in February 2022.

Under a distribution deal with the Weinstein Company and Endemol, Netflix secured global streaming rights. A feature film titled The Immortal Man, set post-series, began filming in September 2024 and will be distributed by Netflix.

Peaky Blinders has influenced UK culture, with the Office for National Statistics reporting a rise in popularity for names Arthur and Ada, inspired by characters Arthur Shelby Jr. and Ada Thorne.

Episodes:

Series	Episodes	First Aired	Last Aired	Network	Average UK Viewers (millions)
1	6	12 September 2013	17 October 2013	BBC Two	2.38
2	6	2 October 2014	6 November 2014	BBC Two	2.18
3	6	5 May 2016	9 June 2016	BBC Two	2.38
4	6	15 November 2017	20 December 2017	BBC Two	3.35
5	6	25 August 2019	22 September 2019	BBC One	5.87
6	6	27 February 2022	3 April 2022	BBC One	5.42

Series 1 (2013)

Episode	Air Date	Plot
S1.E1	Tue, Sep 30, 2014	Thomas Shelby plans to fix a horse race; some guns turn up stolen.
S1.E2	Tue, Sep 30, 2014	Thomas Shelby starts a feud with a gypsy family and meets with Inspector Campbell to talk about the stolen guns.
S1.E3	Tue, Sep 30, 2014	Thomas is livid to find out that Ada and Freddie are married; IRA sympathizers try to get info on the stolen guns.
S1.E4	Tue, Sep 30, 2014	Thomas attempts to make a deal with Campbell; The Peaky’s war with the Lees intensifies.
S1.E5	Tue, Sep 30, 2014	The Shelbys get a surprise visit from an almost forgotten relative. Thomas has a dangerous plan with the cops.
S1.E6	Tue, Sep 30, 2014	Tommy and the Peaky Blinders prepare for a big operation, which quickly becomes more complex than expected.

Series 2 (2014)

Episode	Air Date	Plot
S2.E1	Thu, Oct 2, 2014	When Tommy Shelby’s beloved Garrison pub is bombed, he is blackmailed into murdering an Irish dissident.
S2.E2	Thu, Oct 9, 2014	After murdering an Irish dissident, Tommy is forced to be a pawn in Inspector Campbell’s treacherous political game.
S2.E3	Thu, Oct 16, 2014	After joining London crime boss Alfie Solomons in a business venture, Tommy worries about Alfie’s volatility.
S2.E4	Thu, Oct 23, 2014	The Peaky Blinders take over London’s Eden Club; Sabini convinces Alfie Solomons to join forces and destroy the gang.
S2.E5	Thu, Oct 30, 2014	The Peaky Blinders are under attack. Tommy’s London power base is obliterated, and Arthur and Michael are arrested.
S2.E6	Thu, Nov 6, 2014	Tommy plans the assassination of a high-ranking military member as per Campbell’s orders.

Series 3 (2016)

Episode	Air Date	Plot
S3.E1	Tue, May 31, 2016	It’s Tommy Shelby’s wedding day. A mysterious visitor imperils the Shelby family, pulling Tommy into a web of lethal intrigue.
S3.E2	Tue, May 31, 2016	Tommy uncovers the full extent of his mission and the extreme lengths his paymasters will go to for power. His family’s actions escalate danger in Birmingham.
S3.E3	Tue, May 31, 2016	Tommy travels to Wales seeking absolution and uncovers a traitor in the Economic League. Michael develops a taste for guns. Arthur gets good news.
S3.E4	Tue, May 31, 2016	Polly goes to confession, sparking a chain of events that reveals a trap being set for the Shelbys. Tommy plans an exit from dirty business.
S3.E5	Tue, May 31, 2016	As the Russians test the Peaky Blinders, Tommy realizes he’s been outmaneuvered but has an ace up his sleeve.
S3.E6	Tue, May 31, 2016	Tommy prepares to commit the most audacious crime of his career, but an unexpected blow forces him to face his worst fears in a race against time.

Series 4 (2017)

Episode	Air Date	Plot
S4.E1	Thu, Dec 21, 2017	Tommy Shelby receives a letter at Christmas, realizing that his family is in danger. It’s time to bury their differences and face the enemy together.
S4.E2	Thu, Dec 21, 2017	As the Shelbys come to terms with shocking events, Tommy makes a regretful decision, and a bold new enemy makes his move.
S4.E3	Thu, Dec 21, 2017	Luca Changretta understands his enemy’s complexity, as Arthur’s gypsy heritage weighs on him. Could there be a traitor within the Peaky Blinders?
S4.E4	Thu, Dec 21, 2017	Tommy faces a cat-and-mouse chase, possibly being outwitted by his enemies. He tries to distract himself with the return of an old friend.
S4.E5	Thu, Dec 21, 2017	Tommy prepares for a bloody battle with Changretta, striking a deal that could have devastating consequences.
S4.E6	Thu, Dec 21, 2017	As the fight between Goliath and Bonnie Gold escalates, Audrey Changretta proposes to settle the vendetta between her family and the Shelbys at a funeral.

Series 5 (2019)

Episode	Air Date	Plot
S5.E1	Fri, Oct 4, 2019	In the wake of the Wall Street Crash, Tommy faces new dangers from unexpected quarters.
S5.E2	Fri, Oct 4, 2019	As the Peaky Blinders come under fire, Tommy is warned about a traitor in his midst.
S5.E3	Fri, Oct 4, 2019	As the charismatic Mosley shows his hand, Tommy makes a treacherous new alliance.
S5.E4	Fri, Oct 4, 2019	Tommy agrees to dangerous new partnerships, and a Shelby party promises fireworks.
S5.E5	Fri, Oct 4, 2019	As Tommy reveals his intentions for Mosley, someone close to the Shelbys is targeted.
S5.E6	Fri, Oct 4, 2019	Family tensions surface after an unexpected announcement. Tommy puts his plan for Oswald Mosley into action, but has he underestimated his opponent?

Series 6 (2022)

Episode	Air Date	Plot
S6.E1	Fri, Jun 10, 2022	Tommy heads to North America where the end of Prohibition offers new opportunities, but an old adversary brings danger.
S6.E2	Fri, Jun 10, 2022	Tommy gets involved in a power struggle with fascists, freedom fighters, and Boston gangsters. He visits an old ally in Camden.
S6.E3	Fri, Jun 10, 2022	After devastating news, Tommy seeks to discover who cursed his family. Ada takes charge, and Arthur recruits new members.
S6.E4	Fri, Jun 10, 2022	Tommy links crime to political power, potentially altering history, and receives life-changing news from an unexpected source.
S6.E5	Fri, Jun 10, 2022	After personal revelations, Tommy takes action that will change everything as his enemies’ plans begin to unfold.
S6.E6	Fri, Jun 10, 2022	As a storm approaches, Tommy faces the consequences of his past actions.