‘Peaky Blinders’ to end with sixth and final season

It has been revealed that hit BBC series Peaky Blinders will end after its sixth season, but there’s good news too. That’s right, creator and writer Steven Knight has promised the story will “continue in another form,” reported Variety.

The show follows the story of Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) and his notorious family’s rise to power against the backdrop of working class, post-WWI Birmingham. BBC confirmed the show’s last stop on Monday, while announcing that production for the finale had resumed in the UK under strict Covid-19 guidelines. However, the ending itself is being kept under wraps with no beans being spilled.  

Knight had told Entertainment Weekly in 2019 that Peaky Blinders would live to see season 7. However, it’s possible that a year’s delay in production could have caused producers to wrap things up with season 6, which will likely air in late 2021 or possibly even early in 2022.

In a statement on Monday, Knight said: “Peaky’ is back and with a bang. After the enforced production delay due to the 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. While the TV series will be coming to an end, the story will continue in another form.”

It hasn’t been revealed as to what this Peaky 2.0 will be, but it’s likely the creative team may consider a film or a spin-off show.

However, executive producer Caryn Mandabach said, “Along with our wonderful, supportive partners at BBC and Netflix, we have been working diligently to ensure we can get Peaky safely back into production; the safety of our cast and crew is always our priority. Thank you to all the Peaky fans who have been so unwaveringly supportive and patient. Steve’s scripts are incredible and mark the end of an epic story that has entranced audiences since it first started in 2013, but the world of Peaky Blinders will most definitely live on.”

The upcoming season has been penned by Knight, while season 5 helmer Anthony Byrne has returned to direct while Nick Goding will produce.

Peaky Blinders first aired on BBC Two in 2013 and since then become one of the public broadcaster’s biggest hits overseas. It also made a transition to flagship channel BBC One for season 5 in 2019, and is available around the world on Netflix.

The executive producers of the show include Mandabach, Knight, Byrne, Jamie Glazebrook, David Mason and Cillian Murphy. Tommy Bulfin is executive producer for the BBC and Lucy Bedford is executive producer for Banijay-owned Tiger Aspect. Peaky Blinders from Caryn Mandabach Productions, is co-produced with Tiger Aspect Productions and distributed internationally by Banijay Rights.

The show’s ending will almost certainly pose questions for distributor Banijay Rights, for whom Peaky Blinders is the crown jewel in an extensive scripted portfolio.