Executive producers of hit BBC drama Peaky Blinders have confirmed filming for the sixth series is underway.
However, Peaky Blinders fans may feel mixed emotions this week as producers have announced that the upcoming sixth series of the gangster period drama will be the final one. Creator Steven Knight had previously said the show would be finishing with the seventh season and the outbreak of the Second World War, planning for it “to end it with the first air raid siren in Birmingham in 1939.” However, he recently admitted, “Covid changed our plans.”
Despite this, Knight has announced that there will be one last appearance for the Shelby family and that “the story will continue in another form”, concluding that the series will instead end with a film.
Since Peaky Blinders first aired in 2013, it has received a cult following and enjoyed widespread critical acclaim as well as rising viewer ratings over the course of the previous five series. The show, which stars Cillian Murphy as protagonist Tommy Shelby, follows the gangster family in post-war Birmingham and their sordid affairs.
Source: Looper
Like many other productions, Peaky Blinders ground to a halt during the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March, but recent social media posts from the crew have shown that the stars are back on set. There has been reassurance from the production team that strict protocols will be followed in line with government guidelines to ensure the safety of the cast and crew during the continuing pandemic.
Knight said in a statement on Monday: “’Peaky’ is back and with a bang. After the enforced production delay due to the Covid pandemic, we find the family in extreme jeopardy and the stakes have never been higher. We believe this will be the best series of all and are sure that our amazing fans will love it.”
Fans will be keen to watch the next installment of the series, after season five had its highest ever viewing figures and saw the Shelby family navigate the Wall Street Crash in 1929 as well as the rise of fascism.
The cast and crew will hope to continue the award-winning success of the long-running show which has a host of NTAs and a BAFTA to its name. For now, fans are eagerly awaiting the release date for the new series and the prospect of a future Peaky Blinders film.
Words by Izzy Anstee
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