Do you want to get closer to the early 20th-century grit of Birmingham’s mean streets? Check out some behind-the-scenes facts about the Shelbys and Peaky Blinders right here.

What is Peaky Blinders about?

The BBC period crime drama follows the exploits of the Shelbys, a gangster Irish-Romani family led by the ruthless and calculating Tommy (Cillian Murphy).

Tommy and his avid following, the Peaky Blinders, have pitched up in lawless 1919 Birmingham, and have their sights set on running the streets. But Tommy’s appetite soon grows as he faces competition from the Fenians.

Where is Peaky Blinders filmed?

A lot of the scenes in Peaky Blinders are filmed at the Black Country Living Museum, a 26-acre open-air museum you can visit if you’re ever in the Midlands. But although the show’s set in Birmingham, there are a few different shoot locations dotted around the north of England.

Arley Hall in Cheshire is the set for Tommy Shelby’s manor house, with both internal and external shots conducted there. The hall was built in 1832, and with its dark, gothic façade, it’s the perfect reflection of Tommy’s sinister character.

For all the train shots – including that gripping scene between Inspector Campbell and Grace – showrunners headed to the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, a five-mile heritage railway in Haworth, West Yorkshire.

Who is in the cast of Peaky Blinders?

There’s a fantastic ensemble cast present throughout the shows, including Sam Neill (Jurassic Park), Tom Hardy (Inception), Sam Claflin (Hunger Games), Adrien Brody (The Pianist), Anya Taylor-Joy (The Queen’s Gambit), Brian Gleeson (Frank Of Ireland), Paddy Considine (Hot Fuzz), Ralph Ineson (The Office) to name just a few.

How many seasons of Peaky Blinders have there been?

There are five seasons of Peaky Blinders in total (at time of writing), which see the gang move towards the Second World War. Show creator, Steven Knight, confirmed it was always his ambition to make it “a story of a family between two wars... ending with the first air raid siren in Birmingham”, which rang out around the city on 25 June, 1940.

Season six is on its way, with the incredible Stephen Graham (This Is England), joining the bill. It’s been confirmed that season six will be the final season of Peaky Blinders and that Knight and the team are aiming for a late 2021 release.

Where can you watch Peaky Blinders?

You can watch series 1-5 of Peaky Blinders on Netflix right now. Just head to Apps & Games > Netflix. You can also find all 5 series in App & Games > BBC iPlayer.

How to watch Netflix with Virgin TV

If you have a TiVo^® box or Virgin TV V6 box, powered by TiVo^®:

Press home on your remote

Select Apps & Games

Select All Apps 

Select Netflix

If you’re already a Netflix subscriber, you can also access the app through Search & Discover or by pressing Red on channel 204. Just sign in with your existing login and start watching. And you’ll only have to log in the first time you use it. 

If you’re new to Netflix, then you’ll need to subscribe to use the app. The easiest way to do this is by going to netflix.com/virginmedia. You can also subscribe using the Netflix app in Apps & Games.Check it out today, by heading to Apps & Games > Netflix.

Want to know where your other favourite TV shows were filmed?

Find everything you need to know about Line Of Duty, Bridgerton, The Crown and more…