Peaky Blinders star reveals how it was really ‘meant to end’

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Peaky Blinders and Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man

Peaky Blinders star Paul Anderson has revealed how writer Steven Knight had always envisioned the TV series to end - and it's a far cry from what really happens.

Anderson played the role of the eldest Shelby brother, Arthur, for all six seasons of the show, from 2013 through to 2022.

However, he has confirmed that, while his character was referenced as a big part of his younger brother Tommy's story, he doesn't actually appear in the new movie, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.

The movie premieres on Netflix on 20 March, is set during World War II, and continues the story of Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy), with fellow Irish actor Barry Keoghan joining the cast.

Stephen Graham, Sophie Rundle, and Packy Lee have also returned to their roles as Hayden Stagg, Ada Shelby, and Johnny Doggs, respectively.

Meanwhile, Tim Roth and Rebecca Ferguson also joined the star-studded cast.

Speaking of the film, Anderson exclusively told LADBible that a movie is not exactly how Knight always pictured the story of the Birmingham-born Peaky Blinders gang to end.

Paul Anderson has revealed how Peaky Blinders was really supposed to end (BBC/Netflix)

Opening up on a conversation he had with the writer about how the TV show would end, Anderson said he 'always wanted to finish the series with the siren ringing for the Second World War'.

He told the publication that the writer 'never got his perfect ending’ as he 'wanted it with Joe [who played John Shelby], Cillian and I. We hear the bells, and the siren rings our for the Second World War'.

Anderson claims the idea was supposed to be that 'it starts all over again’ with the three brothers’ children then going to war.

The actor explained: "Off go our children to fight - that was how he wanted to end it.

"He [Knight] explained it all to me, the cameras were gonna pan up, over Birmingham, you’d hear the sirens, the ‘we’re at war with Germany’, and that’s it.

“That’s how it was gonna end, but a lot’s happened since then."

Of course, this initial idea for an ending didn't come to fruition as Joe Cole, who plays John, was killed off at the beginning of season four as the actor wanted to leave the show.

And the movie takes place partway through the war, so an ending with alarms sounding for the beginning of the conflict simply wouldn't work now.

The TV show actually ended with Tommy surviving a tuberculosis diagnosis and riding away on a white horse to start a new life, leaving his past behind.

Not to mention the fact that there are two new series in the works, which are telling the story of a new generation of Shelbys, from writer and creator Knight.

Set in the 1950s, the timeline of the sequel will pick up after the events that ensue in the movie.

As per Netflix Tudum, Knight said: “I’m thrilled to be announcing this new chapter in the Peaky Blinders story. Once again, it will be rooted in Birmingham and will tell the story of a city rising from the ashes of the Birmingham blitz. The new generation of Shelbys have taken the wheel, and it will be a hell of a ride."

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is now in select cinemas and will be available to stream on Netflix from 20 March.