Amazing Facts About Peaky Blinders That Will Make You Love the Show Even More!
If you’ve been obsessed with Peaky Blinders lately, you’re not alone. Popular in the UK since it first came out, the show took the world by storm after it was made available on Netflix as well. In addition to the actual plot, you might also be interested in learning more about what happens behind the scenes. In that case, read on for some interesting facts.
The plot is based on real events and stories from the creator’s childhood
The creator of the show, Steven Knight, said that the show was inspired by the stories his dad told him while he was a kid growing up in Birmingham. Apparently, his family – the Sheldons – were a part of the real Peaky Blinders and got transformed into the Shelby family. While some history books claim that the Peaky Blinders didn’t exist after the 1890s, this term was used for some residents of Small Heath well into the 20th century. Furthermore, people like Billy Kimber, Darby Sabini, and Jessie Eden were all real, although their lives were not portrayed accurately in the show.
The creator doesn’t watch a lot of TV shows and movies
Steven Knight has also said that he doesn’t watch a lot of movies and television shows, so as not to have them influence his writing. Knight wrote every episode of the show, with only two other writers being credited throughout the six-series run. He says he hasn’t watched The Wire, Boardwalk Empire or any other drama his show has been compared to so he doesn’t know if there are any similarities.
The actors had help with their accents
Taking place in Birmingham, it was of the highest importance that the accents were done right by the actors. With that in mind, the late Helen McCrory said that she actually picked up the accent by watching countless clips of one of the most famous Brummies – Ozzy Osbourne. Moreover, Cillian Murphy went out with Knight to the real Garrison pub and learned the accent during a drunken Saturday. On the other hand, Sam Neill (aka Chester Campbell from the first two seasons) might have been born in Northern Ireland but grew up in New Zealand. He turned to his friends Liam Neeson and James Nesbitt to perfect the accent that was necessary for this role.
There are some behind-the-scenes connections
In case you’re looking to learn even more about the actors, you might like the fact that the actors who portray John Shelby and Michael Gray in the show, Joe Cole and Finn Cole, are actually brothers in real life. Joe was cast first while Finn joined him in the second series. What is more, you’re surely aware of the fact that Tom Hardy also appears in the show as Alfie Solomons. However, did you know that his wife was also in Peaky Blinders? Yes, the actress that portrayed May Fitz Carleton – Charlotte Riley – is married to Hardy in real life.
It’s inspired many entertainment options…
Speaking of marriage, many people decided to start this journey with a ceremony inspired by the show. In addition to weddings, people from all over the world organized parties with a Peaky Blinders theme.
…and even casino games!
This amazing TV show provided us with a new theme of games. For example, a video game based on the series was released in August 2020 and it’s available on Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. What is more, many online casinos, including SkyCity Casino from New Zealand, now feature a slot game with this them. This best online casino in NZ features this amazing slot game inspired by this show and its characters bringing some excitement into this type of game. So, if you are a fan of Peaky Blinders and slot games, this is your chance to get the best out of both worlds at SkyCity Casino.
Jason Statham was almost in the show
As Knight directed the 2013 film Hummingbird which starred Jason Statham, he also tried to find a way to include the actor in Peaky Blinders. However, due to various commitments Statham had, it was simply not possible. Nevertheless, the show still gathered a stellar cast that lets us enjoy every episode to the max.
The show is not filmed in order
While the first series had two directors, each of the following series was helmed by a single director. That allowed for episodes to be filmed out of order. Murphy stated that they could be filming the fourth episode on the same day as the finale and it would often get confusing.
Cillian Murphy goes through thousands of cigarettes per series
While Cillian Murphy is not a smoker, we can rarely see Tommy Shelby without a cigarette in his mouth. Fortunately, nowadays, expert prop makers can make herbal cigarettes that contain no carcinogens which Murphy can use. It’s estimated that they use around 3000 cigarettes per series.
Peaky Blinders has some famous fans
It shouldn’t come as a surprise, but many famous people are also fans of the show. Everyone from Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, and Snoop Dogg to John Terry and Ed Sheeran loves to watch the story of the Shelby family. Moreover, David Bowie was also a big fan of the series and gave permission for his final album to be used in the show before it was even released to the public.
What are your favourite things about this iconic show? Catch all six seasons of Peaky Blinders on BBC iPlayer.
