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 brand-new documentary has 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, including creator Steven Knight discussing the Birmingham household folklore that inspired it.


"My mama was a bookie's runner. Gambling was unlawful at the time, she was eight years of ages and she would walk down the street with a basket of cleaning and people would drop bets into the basket," Knight said.


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


"The first reported reference of Peaky Blinders that happened at all remained in 1890, whereas the Peaky Blinders we see on screen do not begin up until after the First World War," he told BBC Radio WM.


"The real Peaky Blinders had ended up before the series starts".


The documentary also checks out the production methods of the 6 BBC series of Peaky Blinders, including its use of modern rock music together with folk and blues.


Bextor said designer Grant Montgomery desired the program to be "based on a series of Western movies that he loved".


"I brought a sort of Americana to it. I was always drawn to that aesthetic, the lawlessness of it," Montgomery informed the new production.


It comes weeks before the release of a new Netflix movie, 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 homage to Peaky Blinders' roots, and the "unparalleled" 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 movie, he's got 2 brand-new series working on TV, he's got the Peaky Blinders film ... and he was asked to write Star Wars.


"I imply, this guy is a substantial achiever. Plus obviously, what Peaky Blinders gave us was six series of a fantastic efficiency by Cillian Murphy."


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