Paul Anderson has been dubbed a 'class act' by fans of the Peaky Blinders franchise after addressing his absence in the new feature film.
Despite his beloved character Arthur Shelby being a pivotal part of all six series, his story was wrapped up without him.
Upon the release of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man on Netflix on Friday (20 March), Anderson shared a poignant social media post reminiscing on the glory days and heaping praise on his former co-stars.
The Paul Anderson-sized hole in Steven Knight's new film was massively felt by fans of the hit series, who had hoped to see him reunite on screen with Cillian Murphy for one last time.
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Ahead of its release, the actor exclusively told LADbible that the screenwriter had given him the heads-up about the 'sad' fate of his character.
Explaining that he 'adores' Knight, Anderson, 48, said that he thought the way Arthur's demise was written was 'great', even if it is tragic. You'll likely need some tissues at the ready, folks.
"Well, what can you do eh? It is how it is," he told LADbible. "I thought I’d just leave them to it. Fans are in for a surprise, they really are.
"I think it’s great. I mean, it’s such a powerful thing to do. It’s something you don’t see on TV."
Anderson admitted that he was 'quite surprised' by the fan frenzy surrounding him, as his character was 'quite nasty sometimes'.
"I weren’t very nice to people in it," he told LADbible. "But people loved me."
This unwavering adoration among longtime viewers is evident in the comment section of his latest Instagram post, as people have filled it with messages about how much they missed him in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.
British boxing star Tyson Fury was among those who gave props to Anderson, as he left a short and sweet comment which read: "True Blinder!"
Anderson shared a series of images from his Peaky Blinders days - including shots of him and Murphy in character as the notorious Shelby brothers and a snap of him embracing Knight - on the day of the film's Netflix debut.
The caption of his poignant post read: "The Immortal Man. This one’s for my extended Shelby family, the fans!
"Over the years, you’ve backed us, stayed loyal, and carried this story with us. That’s what built Peaky Blinders into what it is today.
"Tommy Shelby…my brother. His legacy is eternal, just like the Shelby name. What Cillian Murphy has done is on another level.
"And Steven Knight…a true visionary, someone I have infinite respect for. None of this exists without him.
"The world, the characters, everything you’ve connected with… it all came from that vision and trust me when it I say it continues… Now it moves forward with The Immortal Man, out globally on Netflix today.
"This is the next chapter, and it’s a big one. Get behind it. Watch it. Be part of it like you always have. The Shelby legacy is eternal. Arthur is forever."
Anderson - who previously revealed the original plan for how Peaky Blinders was 'supposed to' end while speaking to LADbible - was hailed as a legend in the comment section by fans.
One wrote: "Just wasn’t the same without you. Missed would be an understatement."
A second said: "I just finished watching The Immortal Man. I can't get over that you're gone. Cheers mate, your legacy lives on."
A third added: "Arthur is immortal brother."
Another commented: "Truly missed brother. There’s only one Arthur Shelby."
While a fifth chimed in: "Really classy post, and clearly from the heart."
Topics: Celebrity, Cillian Murphy, Peaky Blinders, TV and Film, Netflix
Olivia Burke