While fans are currently counting down the days until the highly anticipated Peaky Blinders feature film arrives in March, a new documentary is arriving just in time to bridge the gap between history and Hollywood.
Peaky Blinders: The Real Story, directed by Robin Bextor (McCartney: Now and Then), offers a deep dive into the smoke-filled cobbled streets of 20th-century Birmingham. The documentary arrives on digital platforms on 23 February via Reel2Reel Films and explores how a local street gang evolved into a global cultural sensation.
From Small Heath to Global Sensation
When Steven Knight’s gritty crime drama first aired on BBC Two in September 2013, it was a bold experiment. Led by the magnetic Cillian Murphy alongside the late, great Helen McCrory and Sam Neill, the series redefined the period genre with its “genius needle drops” and cinematic flair.
However, as the documentary reveals, the “Peaky” phenomenon grew far beyond the screen. From inspiring baby names and high-street fashion to earning famous fans like David Bowie and Snoop Dogg, the show has become one of Britain’s most beloved TV exports.
Separating Fact from Folklore
The documentary isn’t just a tribute to the show; it is a thorough historical investigation. To separate fact from fiction, Bextor enlists the help of leading experts, including:
- Carl Chinn: The world’s foremost Peaky Blinders expert and great-grandson of real-life member Edward Derrick.
- Steven Knight: The series creator shares his personal family connections to the criminal empire.
- Grant Montgomery: The production designer discusses the visual evolution of the series.
Through historical documents and archival research, Chinn “peels back the gang’s persona” to reveal the true outlaws who terrorized Birmingham over a century before Tommy Shelby became a household name.
Watch the trailer here:
6 Fascinating Facts About the Real Peaky Blinders
- Family Ties: Creator Steven Knight’s connection to the Birmingham underworld is personal. His mother was a “bookie’s runner” as a child, and his father’s family had direct links to the notorious Sheldon family—the real-life inspiration for the Shelby clan.
- The “Millionaire” Connection: Before Tommy Shelby, Steven Knight changed TV forever in 1998 as a co-creator of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. The global success of the quiz show gave him the creative freedom to eventually bring the Peaky Blinders to life.
- A “Bell Bottom” Beginning: Long before they were known for the sophisticated tailoring worn by Cillian Murphy, the original gang was nicknamed the “Bell Bottom Crew” due to their signature wide-flared trousers.
- The Origin of the Name: While the show features razor blades in caps, the name actually stems from bowler hats. Gang members would mold them into a funnel shape and pull the brim over one eye, effectively “blinding” their own peak.
- Battle Scars: That distinctive cropped haircut wasn’t just a style choice—it was a badge of honor. The short sides were designed to show off scars and wounds earned during brutal street fights with rival gangs and the police.
- The Real Alfie: Tom Hardy’s Alfie Solomons was based on the real-life Alfie Solomon (without the ‘s’). Unlike their onscreen rivalry, the real Solomon was actually an ally of Italian mobster Darby Sabini, not his bitter enemy.
Don’t miss Peaky Blinders: The Real Story on digital from 23 February.
