The beginning of the end of Peaky Blinders is almost here. On Sunday evening (February 27), the first episode of season six will air, which will be a bittersweet moment for many fans of the show.
Spanning six seasons and nearly nine years, Peaky Blinders has garnered a cult fanbase since its inception. But this season will be sad for many, and not just because it's the end.
Season six is the first to not include Polly Gray, following the death of beloved cast member Helen McCrory back in April 2021. After the announcement of her death last spring by her husband, Damian Lewis, tributes for the esteemed actress poured in, with fellow members of the industry and fans alike writing heartfelt messages about the Harry Potter star.
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Cillian Murphy, who plays Birmingham gang leader turned politician Tommy Shelby in the show, has described the upcoming season as a 'brilliant tribute' to Helen McCrory.
Speaking to RadioTimes, the 45-year-old actor said: "What I always feel sad about is that we were about to shoot and then the pandemic happened and we had to stop,
"If we had shot then, Helen would've been in the show, and that makes me feel sad."
"It's a huge loss; it's hard to comprehend it. Because she was the matriarch of the whole thing. As the character, but just also as her personality. But she's still present in series six."
Meanwhile, Sophie Rundle, who plays Ada Thorne, has opened up to RadioTimes about what it was like to film the tribute for Helen. She said: "It was really moving. It was really moving, especially actually filming that moment because it's all tied up with the character and with Helen herself.
"It was a devastating thing for all of us. We'd all been in that same boat for 10 years and for her to not be there, it all felt off-kilter and wrong.
"So in the tribute, that's all real, that emotion. It really was a moment to think about her and what she had been.
"And this show wouldn't have been what it is without her, I really believe that. I really believe that she was fundamental to making Peaky what it is and elevating it to be more than just the script, so it was a huge loss and it was just incredibly sad. I don't know if that sounds oversimplified to say, but it was just incredibly sad and we missed her."
Just like Cillian, Sophie has said that, despite Helen's character Polly no longer being part of the show, her presence is still felt. She said: "Whenever Polly left a room, you were always wondering where had she gone, what was she doing, because she's so vibrant.
"And she really did bring so much more than what you see. I don't know how you do that, but she did just bring something to it.
"She is the heart of it. She's the matriarch of the family, she was the matriarch of the show and so that continues."
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