Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight has admitted it was “a challenge” to film the new season without Helen McCrory.
The actress, who played Polly Gray on the show since 2013, died in April 2021 at the age of 52 after a private battle with cancer.
Ahead of the sixth and final season of the series, Steven paid tribute to “the heart of the show”.
He told PA news agency: “It was a terrible, tragic loss that happened while we were shooting. And the loss of such an incredible human being is the main thing.”
“The loss of such an incredible actor is awful. She was right at the heart [of the show]. There are three central characters – she was one of them.”
“And it’s a challenge, and was a challenge, to keep going with the story without her. But we knew that she would have wanted that to continue. So that’s what we did.”
Steven teased the release date for the new season will be released “very soon”.
Line Of Duty star Stephen Graham, who played Detective Sergeant John Corbett on the BBC show, will be joining the cast for the final run of the period drama.
Peaky Blinders is also being adapted into a film – with production starting once the final season has aired – as well as a dance show.
