Stephen Graham emerges on the set of Peaky Blinders series 6 for first time

Stephen Graham was seen on the set of Peaky Blinders’ sixth and final series for the first time at Bramley Moore Dock in Liverpool on Monday.

The former Line Of Duty star, 47 – whose character on the show is currently a mystery – joined Tommy Shelby actor Cillian Murphy as he kicked off his duties in the period crime drama.

The newcomer was due to shot scenes for his role last year before the pandemic, previously sharing: ‘I was supposed to be starting Peaky Blinders but that has been put on hold indefinitely.’

‘My agent spent a lot of time putting that together’, the Lancashire native added on the Pound For Pound podcast last year.

Stephen, who recently featured in Peaky Blinders writer Steven Knight’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol, looked sharp in a striped shirt, a waistcoat and a straight-leg trousers during filming.

The cast also filmed for the first time since former co-star Helen McCrory passed away from cancer aged 52.

Late actress Helen, who played Aunt Polly on the crime drama, was recently honoured by the programme’s showrunners.

They said a statement, saying: ‘Helen’s performance as Polly Gray was inspirational, joyous, transgressive, hilarious and incredibly moving. 

‘As a person she was off-the-scale charismatic, and deeply caring. We feel so privileged to have worked with her over the last decade. All our thoughts and love are with Damian and family.’ 

Earlier this year, Peaky Blinders creators revealed the fate of Oswald Mosley (Sam Clafin) in a tweet: ‘Sam Claflin returns as Oswald Mosley in #PeakyBlinders series 6’. 

The Hunger Games star played the fascist leader, who rose to fame in the 1920s as a Member of Parliament and later in the 1930s, having become disillusioned with mainstream politics.

The sixth series will pick up where the fifth series left off on 7 December 1929, the morning after a rally led by Oswald. 

The final tweaks were made to the Manchester-based sets in February after the cast had been filming in Scotland.

The locations, however, are portraying Birmingham – the actual setting of the hit gangster drama.

Peaky Blinders centres around its eponymous gang which is run by the ruthless Tommy and his family, and sees them build their power and influence over Birmingham and beyond. 

The fifth season ended on a cliffhanger, with Tommy seeing visions of his late wife Grace (Annabelle Wallis) and turning a gun on himself following his botched assassination attempt of the British Union of Fascists leader.

Production on the show was delayed last year by the Covid-19 crisis, but shooting was able to begin in February with cast and crew adhering to strict coronavirus restrictions.

The BBC show has been running for eight years and has enjoyed huge popularity but the sixth season has been confirmed as the final one, with creator Steven Knight confirming the story will return ‘in another form’.

Creator Steven Knight recently hinted Peaky Blinders could continue without Cillian’s pivotal character, telling Birmingham Live: ‘There may be worlds that are part of the Peaky world that are about someone else.’