GANGSTER GRUDGE!
Michael Gray has Tommy Shelby in his sights and is determined to take his revenge…
PEAKY BLINDERS
Michael Gray was devastated when his mum was murdered by the IRA after a blood-soaked climax to the last series, but he put the blame for Polly’s death squarely at Tommy Shelby’s door.
Yet his anger with the Peaky Blinders boss for not protecting Polly, or taking revenge on those who killed her, turned into a burning desire for vengeance when Tommy betrayed him to the US police at the start of this final series.
Languishing in jail, Michael hatched a plan with Chicago mobster Jack Nelson – uncle of his wife Gina – to kill Tommy, and now he may get his chance…
‘The tension between Tommy and Michael has been building,’ says Finn Cole, who plays Michael. ‘It gets pretty explosive. I’ve always felt Michael is a younger version of Tommy. He has new ideas and Tommy’s intimidated by that!’
Dangerous games
One of the things Michael and Tommy disagree upon is the American opium market, with Tommy threatening to start a war between the Irish, Italian and
Jewish gangs of Chicago in a bid to sell his product. It’s a plan that doesn’t sit well with Michael’s new boss…
‘Jack Nelson is one of the few characters in this show who can’t be controlled,’ explains Finn. ‘He sees himself in Tommy, but it’s like Tommy is where he was a few years ago.’
With the series reaching a spectacular climax in the coming weeks, Finn hopes fans will remember the late Helen Mccrory, who played Aunt Polly.
‘Helen had a huge impact on my life,’ he explains. ‘I joined the show as a babyfaced teenager and she looked after me.’