Peaky Blinders Could Continue Without Cillian Murphy, Creator Steven Knight Says

Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight says the show could go on without main man Cillian Murphy. Watch Knight discuss the prospect of spin-offs and movies here:

The sixth and final series of the hit BBC show is currently in the works, but Knight is keen for the Shelbys to live on in some form - which could be without central protagonist Tommy (Murphy).

Speaking to BirminghamLive, Knight said: "In the form it is in, it is absolutely impossible for this to work without Cillian.

"As it grows and progresses, who knows? There may be worlds that are part of the Peaky world that are about someone else, but he is the centre around everything orbits."

He also said that he'd like to shoot a Peaky Blinders film in his home city of Birmingham, where the show is set.

He added: "It will go on in another form, which will be the film, and beyond that we want to keep the world going.

"In other words, the story of Small Heath and the Shelby family will continue on.

"I want to keep it going until... whenever."

If the show does go on without Murphy, then you have to assume it would be a Tommy-free iteration, with Knight previously stating that the actor had made the role his own.

Speaking to LADbible in 2019, he said: "We're so fortunate that he's played the role and you completely cannot conceive of anybody else playing Tommy Shelby.

"He'd be a great virtually anything, 'cause he's so flexible, he's such a chameleon. He would be a fantastic Bond. Whether or not he's interested I have no idea."

Murphy may well have mixed feelings about parting company with the character, whenever he does. The 44-year-old told LADbible he has loved playing the 'ruthless and relentless' head of the gangster family, but admitted it can be hugely draining.

BBC

He said: "It's an absolute gift, the character.

"I never anticipated having the opportunity to play the character for this length of time and to have the privilege of working on such great material, for people to have so much affection for the show, for it to have such reach, culturally and everything else.

"I love it. I mean, it's exhausting, but I would never moan about it because it's an actor's dream really."

Topics: Cillian Murphy, TV and Film, Peaky Blinders,

Jake Massey

Jake Massey is a journalist at LADbible. He graduated from Newcastle University, where he learnt a bit about media and a lot about living without heating. After spending a few years in Australia and New Zealand, Jake secured a role at an obscure radio station in Norwich, inadvertently becoming a real-life Alan Partridge in the process. From there, Jake became a reporter at the Eastern Daily Press. Jake enjoys playing football, listening to music and writing about himself in the third person.

@jakesmassey