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Wales Online
Lifestyle
Kirsty McCormack & Reem Ahmed

Peaky Blinders fans 'sobbing' at poignant farewell to Helen McRory's Aunt Polly

Peaky Blinders fans were left "sobbing" on Sunday night as the much-loved BBC series finally returned with its sixth season and paid a touching tribute to the late Helen McCrory.

Tommy Shelby and co did not disappoint as the first episode of the final series got off to a dramatic start.

Tommy (Cillian Murphy) seemed hellbent on starting a war in Boston as he put plans in place for a huge drug deal - and got Michael Gray banged up in the process, reports the Mirror.

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Viewers will be aware that Michael (Finn Cole) is the son of Aunt Polly (Helen McCrory) and she was adamant he would not be involved in the family business.

However, he went against his mother's wishes and fell out with Tommy and is now working for the opposite side.

At the beginning of the episode, viewers saw Michael grieving for his mother after her body appeared to have been delivered to Tommy's estate.

As Tommy inspected three body bags left outside his house, he broke down as he looked inside the final one and realised the consequences of his actions.

The following scene showed Michael setting fire to Polly's caravan as he body lay inside it and the rest of the family watched on.

Helen McCrory sadly died aged 52 in 2021 (Mandabach TV/Robert Viglasky)

Michael was then heard saying: "Mum, it was the ambitions and strategies of one man that caused this.

"And I swear in the name of almighty God, no matter what it takes, no matter how many lies I have to tell, I will take revenge on Tommy Shelby."

As the caravan went up in flames, Aunt Polly's face could be seen within the smoke as it drifted up into the sky.

Viewers took to Twitter to express their awe at the poignant scene, with many in tears.

"Goodness me, those scenes for Aunt Polly’s death were some sensational viewing. Stellar performances and the most fitting tribute to Helen McCrory. Bravo," said one.

"Aunt Polly's burial hit different. What a scene," said another viewer, while someone else tweeted: "that must have been so hard to film".

"The nod to Aunt Polly. Sobbing actual tears at #PeakyBlinders," one wrote.

Tommy Shelby was devastated when he realised Aunt Polly had been murdered (BBC)

"Well thats (sic) me crying already. I'm sure the casts emotions were real there as well," another wrote.

Peaky Blinders star Helen McCrory died at the age of 52 last year. Her husband, actor Damian Lewis, announced her death on Twitter.

He said she died peacefully at home after being diagnosed with cancer.

In a statement, he wrote: "I'm heartbroken to announce that after an heroic battle with cancer, the beautiful and mighty woman that is Helen McCrory has died peacefully at home, surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family. She died as she lived. Fearlessly.

"God we love her and know how lucky we are to have had her in our lives. She blazed so brightly. Go now, Little One, into the air, and thank you."

McCrory was born in Paddington, London, to a Welsh mother and Scottish-born father and was the eldest of three children.

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