Peaky Blinders star is caught with crack cocaine after pub session
Now big screen finale of hit series is under threat
THE big screen finale of peaky Blinders was last night in jeopardy after star paul Anderson was caught with crack cocaine after a day in the pub.
The actor, who plays Arthur Shelby in the hit BBC drama, was with a friend and a baby on Boxing Day when police found the Class A drug and a pipe used for smoking it.
Anderson, 48, admitted possessing it, as well as class B amphetamines and two class C prescription substances, when he appeared in court this week.
Makers of the show, which costars oscar-nominated Cillian Murphy as Anderson’s onscreen brother Tommy, are developing a feature-length climax but the conviction could have a ‘significant impact’ on the film, a source said last night.
‘[Screenwriter] Steven Knight is still writing the script,’ the source said. ‘But this conviction will create huge problems as it will be so hard to have a peaky Blinders film without such a pivotal character, while it will be tough having him reprise the role as if nothing has happened.
‘The third option would be to cancel the entire thing. I think it is most likely to go ahead and only Steven knows which characters will feature.’
Anderson was caught after a drinker at his local in Hampstead, north-west london, told the pub’s manager he smelled crack cocaine fumes coming from the disabled toilet after the actor walked out.
The manager at the pub called the police, who found ‘intoxicated’ Anderson nearby with a young man and a 17-month-old baby, Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court heard. He was taken to a police station where officers found the crack cocaine, a wrap of brown powder found to be amphetamines plus diazepam and pregabalin, said prosecutor Kevin Kendridge.
Anderson, who also appeared alongside Tom Hardy in the 2015 Kray brothers biopic legend, answered ‘no comment’ to all questions during his interview but later tested positive for opiates and cocaine – not crack cocaine – the court heard.
He pleaded guilty to the four drugs charges during the hearing on Thursday. Wearing a cream fleece, black leather trousers and thick-rimmed spectacles, Anderson spoke only to enter the guilty pleas and confirm his identity and address at a £1.2million mews property in north-west london.
Moira MacFarlane, defending, said when peaky Blinders fans recognised Anderson he could not resist slipping into the role of pugilistic hellraiser Arthur, who is frequently seen taking drugs on the show.
‘you will recognise the defendant from a very intense part that he has played in a recent television programme,’ Ms MacFarlane told magistrates.
‘He is often recognised and does his best to please fans of the show by slipping into character. He was recognised that Boxing Day and tried to play up for these people. And because of the lifestyle he leads people often give him inducements.’
Ms MacFarlane insisted Anderson, who was fined a total of £1,345, had not been smoking crack cocaine, but conceded: ‘He has found himself in an unfortunate position and should have had the strength to say no.’
It emerged this month that producers were investigating his conduct on set after a complaint from a colleague. It is not known what the complaint related to but sources close to Anderson denied any wrong doing and told The Sun he was confident an investigation would clear him.
Anderson, who recently starred in Netflix film lift, was expected to play a pivotal role in the peaky Blinders movie, with production due to begin this summer. The drama set in Birmingham between the two world wars follows the rise of the criminal Shelby family.
‘Slipping into character’