TAKE A SNEAKY
There, he meets a new ch character and real-life hi historical figure Oswald M Mosley MP (played by Sam Claflin).
And as for what’s in store politically, Steven notes: “It’s quite bizarre how Peaky, whatever period I’m writing in, seems to have a spooky connection to what’s going on at the time.
“Never more so than with series 5 where, politically, it’s the early 1930s – there is nationalism, populism, racism sweeping across the Western world,” he continues.
“That’s just fortuitous for me – terrible for the world – in that what I’m writing feels to have a direct connection to the way things are going at the moment.”
IT’S AS VIOLENT AS EVER
YOU’D think Helen McCrory, who plays Aunt Polly, the matriarch of the family, would be used to the brutality of the family’s on-screen crimes.
But, at a screening of the first episode in Birmingham, she had to look away at one point.
“I, as Helen, can’t watch it,” admits the 51-year-old Londoner, who also appeared this year in BBC2’s MotherFatherSon. Get ready Peaky Blinders fans, the fifth series is finally here, and there’s plenty of drama, violence and intrigue in store.
chats to its writer Steven Knight, and some of the brilliant cast members, to find out more
“It’s disgustingly violent. And it should be. I think it’s much more disturbing that somebody slashes somebody’s face, or somebody shoots somebody, and it’s all just the end of it.
“It should be horrifying, and you should have the people who are responsible for the violence unable to self-medicate or having mental health problems, or all the things that do happen to people if you kill other people. It is not a natural state of affairs.”
THE FEMALES REMAIN FEISTY
RIGHT from the start of Peaky Blinders, there have been several interesting female protagonists – including Ada, the only female Shelby sibling, played by Sophie Rundle, 31.
“They’re not strong female characters, they’re just female characters with all that natural strength,” the Gentleman Jack star, who was born in Newcastle-uponTyne, says passionately.
“They’re funny and they’re ambitious and they’re ba**sy, and they’re rude and they’re fallible and you know it’s so much more than just being a strong female character – it’s about being multi-faceted.