Peaky Blinders Season 6: All you need to know as series draws to a close - including plot, cast, trailer, filming locations, and theme song

It’s been one of BBC’s biggest drama hits, enthralling fans from across the world in the violent, messy lives of the Shelby clan.

Now,  the gangster drama has reached its conclusion with Peaky Blinders season 6 drawing to a close on BBC One, after filming was delayed due to coronavirus.

Here’s all you need to know about the final series of Peaky Blinders starring Cillian Murphy, and what the future holds for the Peaky Blinders.

What is Peaky Blinders about?

Peaky Blinders is an epic gangster drama set in 1900s England, that centers on a gang who sew razor blades into the peaks of their caps. The gang is led by fierce boss Thomas Shelby (Cillian Murphy), who returns to Birmingham with his brothers after serving in the British Army during WWI.

Shelby and the Peaky Blinders control the city of Birmingham, but - as Shelby's ambitions extend beyond the city - he plans to build on the business empire he's created, and stop anyone who gets in his way.

Is Peaky Blinders a true story?

Peaky Blinders is technically based on a true story, but the storylines are fictionalized by the writers for television. The real Peaky Blinders were a street gang based in Birmingham that operated from the 1880s until the 1910s.

They are reported to have sewn razor blades into their caps, and they would headbutt enemies to try and blind them. This gave way to the name, Peaky Blinders.

When is Peaky Blinders series 6 on TV?

Peaky Blinders season 6 will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Sunday 27 February. New episodes will air every Sunday night at 9pm on BBC One, before the finale on 3 April. 

The series was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Last time we met the Peaky Blinders was at the end of series five, which aired on BBC One in September 2019.

Filming had to be put off in 2020 because of restrictions related to the pandemic, but it was confirmed that the new series had begun shooting in January 2021.

How many episodes are there in Peaky Blinders season 6?

There are six episodes in Peaky Blinders season 6. We've included the release dates and episode titles below.

Episode 1 (opening episode) - Sunday 27 February 2022 - Black Day

Episode 2 - Sunday 6 March 2022 - Black Shirt

Episode 3 - Sunday 13 March 2022 - Gold 

Episode 4 - Sunday 20 March 2022 - Sapphire 

Episode 5 - Sunday 27 March - The Road to Hell 

Episode 6 (final episode) - Sunday 3 April - Lock and Key

Is there a trailer for Peaky Blinders series 6?

The return of Peaky Blinders is edging ever closer, as the BBC released a new trailer for season 6 on New Year's Day - and it looks like the Shelby clan are going out with a bang.

"We've a very powerful enemy," Tommy (Cillian Murphy) says in the new trailer, adding: "This will be the end of it."

Tommy's sister Ada (Sophie Rundle) says later in the trailer: "Take a good look, Tom, because one of us isn't going to be here for long."

Fans speculated that this could mean that Tommy doesn't make it out of the series alive, although with there being a follow-up film on its way, we hope that's not the case.

Elsewhere in the trailer, it looks looks as though Tommy is preparing to get revenge against Oswald Mosley (Sam Claflin), who's seen at a rally for the fascist Blackshirts.

"One last deed to be done," Tommy says: "Then we Peaky Blinders rest."

The fate of Shelby matriarch Aunt Polly is not disclosed in the trailer, following the death of actress Helen McCrory in April 2021.

In November 2021, a teaser trailer was released on the official Peaky Blinders Twitter account, which gave fans a glimpse of Tommy Shelby in the final series:

Who is in the Peaky Blinders season 6 cast?

Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby

Of course, main character Tommy Shelby, who is played by Cillian Murphy, will be back leading the series and has appeared in a number of promo and behind-the-scenes shots already.

Paul Anderson as Arthur Shelby

Also joining him for their final run will be key members of the Shelby clan including Arthur Shelby, played by Paul Anderson.

Finn Shelby also returns, played by Harry Kirton, as does Sophie Rundle as Ada Thorne.

Stephen Graham as Hayden Stagg

The big new arrival for Peaky Blinders season 6 is Stephen Graham (This is England, Time, Line of Duty), who has been filming the role of Hayden Stagg (more on Stephen Graham's role in Peaky Blinders here).

Graham, a fan of the series, told Radio X that getting to be part of the show and filming scenes with Cillian Murphy was a "joy".

He added: "Cillian’s such a wonderful actor, he’s amazing and what a lovely, lovely, lovely fella."

Sam Claflin as Oswald Mosley

Series 5 saw the introduction of fascist leader Oswald Mosley, played by Sam Claflin, and we know that he will also be a key part of the series 6 storyline.

Also look out for possible returns from big names including The Queen’s Gambit star Anya Taylor-Joy as Gina Gray, and Hollywood actor Tom Hardy who we could see reprise his role as Alfie Solomons.

Annabelle Wallis has hinted that she may be back in ghost form as Tommy’s first wife Grace who was murdered a few series back, and there’s also a good chance his second wife Lizzie (Natasha O’Keeffe) could be back on screen.

New additions to the cast also include BAFTA Rising Star nominee Conrad Khan, Australian actor James Frecheville, and Black Mirror’s Amber Anderson.

None of their characters have been revealed yet, but it’s possible that Anderson could be playing the dangerous mystery woman Byrne mentioned.

Peaky Blinders fans were devastated by the death of Helen McCrory, who will be sadly missed as Aunt Polly. 

Jason Williamson as Lazarus (cameo)

Sleaford Mods frontman Jason Williamson made a cameo appearance in the final episode of Peaky Blinders.

Williamson portrayed the character of Lazarus, a ranting preacher, armed with a machine gun and barking dialogue.

This follows Williamson's recent cameo in Landscapers starring Olivia Colman.

Sleaford Mods are an English post-punk music duo consisting of Williamson and Andrew Fearn.

Taking to Twitter to comment on his cameo, Williamson revealed that he 'wormed his way' into appearing on the show:

What happens in Peaky Blinders series 6?

If there’s one thing we can be sure of with Peaky Blinders, it’s that the last series will go out with a bang.

This will be the final full series of the show, but expect it to be as relentlessly gritty as ever.

Show creator Steven Knight said: “Peaky is back and with a bang. After the enforced production delay due to the Covid pandemic, we find the family in extreme jeopardy and the stakes have never been higher. We believe this will be the best series of all and are sure that our amazing fans will love it.”

We know that the opening episode will pick up where series five left us, with Tommy Shelby holding a gun to his own head.

Director Anthony Byrne told Digital Spy: “It picks up directly. So, the very first image you will see will be back in that field, with Tommy with a gun to his head. Then, we will move on from there, we resolve that amazing moment.”

For the second series running, fascist leader Oswald Mosley will also feature, although it remains to be seen whether Tommy will still be trying to tackle the party from the inside or will come out as hostile to Mosley.

A recent promo shot from this year’s filming showed Tommy in Berlin, in a red-lit warehouse-style space.

Mosley was a known friend of Hitler and even had his second wedding, to Diana Mitford, at Joseph Goebbels’ home with Hitler as guest of honour, so it’s possible that Tommy could follow him to Germany this series.

Byrne has revealed that there will be a “pretty dark” new female character unlike anything Peaky Blinders has seen before, and added that she has “an ideology that’s like a virus and it’s more dangerous than anything”.

Things could also get ugly among the Shelbys as we wait to see whether Finn will own up to leaking details of the Mosley assassination plan.

Meanwhile, it looks like Tommy’s first wife Grace (Annabelle Wallis) could make yet another return – she was killed off in series three, but that hasn’t stopped her reappearing in visions to Tommy. Wallis recently tweeted that her character “has some unfinished business”.

So far, much of the plot is being kept under wraps which is great news for fans, who’ll be looking forward to some final twists and turns.

Where is Peaky Blinders filmed?

Despite being set in Birmingham, Peaky Blinders is actually filmed in several locations around the UK including Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds. Some real-life filming locations you can visit include:

* Black Country Living Museum, Dudley - This is used as Charlie Strong’s scrap metal yard, with filming also taking place at the Blacksmith’s building, Canal Street bridge, St James’s school, and the Workers’ Institute.

* Arley Hall, Cheshire - This serves as Tommy Shelby's colossal mansion.

* Admiral Grove & Powis Street, Liverpool - These streets serve as Small Heath, where the Shelbys live.

* Stanley Dock, Liverpool - This is the location where Tommy's gang faces off against Billy Kimber's boys in the season 1 finale.

* Portsoy Harbour, Aberdeen - Filming took place in the 17th-century fishing harbour in January 2021.

* Castlefield in Manchester - Cillian Murphy was spotted filming scenes in the canal area in May 2021. See below:

How did Peaky Blinders season 5 end? Is Tommy Shelby alive?

Season 5 ended with a dramatic cliffhanger as the pressures of gangster life and his PTSD from the war combined to drive Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) to the edge.

In a scene which was foreshadowed by Alfie Solomons’ (Tom Hardy) recurring dreams, the last moments of season 5 was Tommy stumbling through a misty field.

Viewers saw Tommy facing down a horse and his late wife Grace Shelby (Annabelle Wallis), who had been haunting him in visions throughout the season.

Grace was encouraging Tommy to bid farewell to the world and we see him screaming and holding a gun, but we never see or hear the trigger go off.

We know Cillian Murphy has been filming season 6, so it’s unlikely he pulled the trigger but the gang leader is clearly struggling to maintain control of his power and personal health.

Many fans expect season 6 to follow his own personal downfall as well as a fall of grace for the Peaky Blinders dynasty.

Will there be another Peaky Blinders season?

Knight has confirmed that Peaky Blinders season 6 will definitely be the last, but fear not because it doesn’t mean you’ll never see the Shelbys again.

“While the TV series will be coming to an end, the story will continue in another form," the show's creator Steven Knight said. 

It has been confirmed that Peaky Blinders will be heading to the big screen for a film, so there should be one or two more big developments to come for the Shelbys even after the final episode of series 6.

Speaking at a BFI London Film Festival panel, Knight revealed that a movie will begin shooting in the next two years - and Cillian Murphy and the rest of the Shelby clan are in talks to take part. 

The film is likely to be set during the Second World War, and is expected to be followed by an unspecified number of TV spin-off series.

In the meantime, those missing Knight’s writing can look out for his new series, SAS: Rogue Heroes, based on the Ben Macintyre book about the formation of the Special Forces unit which will air on BBC.

Read more: The Peaky Blinders season 6 ending explained

What is the Peaky Blinders theme song?

The theme song for Peaky Blinders is Red Right Hand by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, an Australian rock band.

The opening song which describes "a tall handsome man" who is "in a dusty black coat" as he arrives during a "gathering storm".

Speaking to the New York Post, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight revealed why he wanted to use it as the show's opening song: "The lyrics conjure up our industrial landscape and the ‘tall handsome man’ could, of course, be Tommy Shelby.

“Over the series we’ve played with what the ‘Red Right Hand’ could be. The words have played over communists shaking hands, and over the reveal that Sam Neill’s Chester Campbell has connections to the fighters from Ulster.”

Listen to it below: 

Who sung All The Tired Horses, the closing song in Peaky Blinders season 6?

Irish folk singer-songwriter Lisa O'Neill closed the final episode of Peaky Blinders season 6 with a cover of Bob Dylan's All the Tired Horses.

The original Bob Dylan song was released on his 1970 double album Self Portrait. 

In a statement posted to her Instagram account, O'Neill wrote: “It is not an overstatement to say that it was beyond my wildest dreams to be 'Ordered by the Peaky F*****g Blinders' to cover this beautiful song from Bob Dylan."

She added that the song was recorded in an old horse stables in Cabinteely, south Dublin, over the space of two days.

It's not the first time that the indie folk singer has featured in Peaky Blinders. Her song Blackbird, from her album Heard a Long Gone Song, featured in season 6 episode 4.

Other artists featured in the Peaky Blinders season 6 soundtrack include Joy Division, Sinead O'Connor, Anna Calvi and Thom Yorke.

You can listen to Lisa O'Neill's version of All the Tired Horses, below:

Peaky Blinders season 6 is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Season 1-5 are available now on BBC iPlayer and Netflix.