Peaky Blinders 'a Western In The West Midlands'

24 February 2026
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Ed James, BBC Radio WMand


Tim Page, West Midlands


A new documentary has actually lifted the lid on the making of Peaky Blinders, and the "mythology" at the heart of the story.


Peaky Blinders: The Real Story functions interviews with the individuals behind the program, consisting of developer Steven Knight speaking about the Birmingham household folklore that influenced it.


"My mommy was a bookmaker's runner. Gambling was prohibited at the time, she was 8 years old and she would walk down the street with a basket of cleaning and individuals would drop bets into the basket," Knight said.


The documentary, which launched on streaming sites today, has actually been made by filmmaker Robin Bextor, who stated he set out to different reality from fiction.


"The initially reported mention of Peaky Blinders that took place at all was in 1890, whereas the Peaky Blinders we see on screen don't begin till after the First World War," he informed BBC Radio WM.


"The real Peaky Blinders had actually completed before the series begins".


The documentary likewise explores the production methods of the six BBC series of Peaky Blinders, including its usage of modern rock music along with folk and blues.


Bextor said designer Grant Montgomery desired the show to be "based upon a series of Western movies that he enjoyed".


"I brought a sort of Americana to it. I was always drawn to that visual, the lawlessness of it," Montgomery told the brand-new production.


It comes weeks before the release of a brand-new Netflix film, the Immortal Man, continuing the story of the Shelbys into World War Two. This will be followed by 2 more BBC series heading through to the 1950s.


Bextor said his film was a tribute to Peaky Blinders' Brummie roots, and the "unsurpassed" skill of its developer, Knight.


"It's not an accident that he's becoming the king of drama now. He's been asked to compose the new Bond motion picture, he's got two brand-new series operating on TV, he's got the Peaky Blinders movie ... and he was asked to write Star Wars.


"I mean, this guy is a huge . Plus of course, what Peaky Blinders offered us was six series of a brilliant performance by Cillian Murphy."


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