The latest series of Peaky Blinders will air this weekend – but for the first time in the show’s history, it will be without Helen McCrory in the role of the family matriarch Polly Gray.
The stars of the show have said that filming episodes without the actor, who died of cancer in April 2021, has felt ‘off-kilter and wrong’.
Cillian Murphy stars as Tommy Shelby in the hit series, and said that Helen’s death after a private cancer battle was ‘unbelievably sad and difficult’.
Speaking to The Guardian, he said: “I’m always careful when I talk about it. I’m a friend and a colleague, but then you think about Damian [Lewis, McCrory’s husband] and their kids.
“I don’t own that grief, you know?
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Cillian Murphy in Peaky Blinders. Credit: BBC
“But she was a remarkable human being and a remarkable actor. It was very hard to make it without her.”
McCrory also starred as Narcissa Malfoy in the Harry Potter franchise.
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Sophie Rundle, who plays Ada Shelby in Peaky Blinders, said that Helen’s death was ‘a devastating thing for all of us’.
The cast have filmed a tribute to both Polly and Helen in the new series.
Sophie continued: “So in the tribute, that’s all real, that emotion. It really was a moment to think about her and what she had been.
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Helen McCrory in Peaky Blinders. Credit: BBC
“And this show wouldn’t have been what it is without her, I really believe that. I really believe that she was fundamental to making Peaky what it is and elevating it to be more than just the script, so it was a huge loss and it was just incredibly sad.”
The show’s creator Steven Knight said that he had originally written Polly into the final season, but changed the script when ‘it became apparent that there was less and less she would be able to do’.
He said to the Radio Times: “The loss of the human being, the loss of Helen is the tragedy. That’s the thing. The loss of the character is infinitesimal compared to that. However, it’s our job to deal with that.
“To begin with, Polly was in the series and then incrementally bit by bit, it became apparent that there was less and less she would be able to do. And so in the end, we’d reached a point where we knew that she couldn’t be in it at all.
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“And then you have to first of all deal with the consequences in terms of the story, taking a moment to deal with the loss of the character, but then knowing that that has a reflection in the real world with the loss of the person. So it was trying to balance all of that, and I think we’ve done it right.”
The sixth season of Peaky Blinders will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 9pm on Sunday February 27.
Featured image: BBC
TV & Showbiz
Boyzone to reunite for exclusive New Year’s Eve special on the BBC
Danny Jones
2025 has very much been the year of the comeback – be it Oasis, Britpop fashion in general, or short bobs and pixie cuts – so it’s only fitting that we round off the calendar with one last reunion, as throwback boyband Boyzone are set to feature on a TV special on the BBC this New Year’s Eve.
Turns out ‘All That I Need’ to make a year memorable is a load of 1990s nostalgia.
Now, obviously, despite plenty of other music names enjoying a second renaissance over the past 12 months or so, nothing is ever going to be quite as big as the Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour.
However, if you asked us to guess which group from the era were also going to reunite this year back in January, there’s not a chance we would’ve said Boyzone.
Boyzone are telling us about coming back together for one final run in their most unforgettable concerts yet 🎤
After news first began circulating earlier this week, it has now been confirmed that musician turned presenter Ronan Keating will be getting back together with two of his former bandmates.
Joining the 48-year-old for ‘Ronan & Friends: A New Year’s Eve Party’, ex-Boyzone members Keith Duffy and Shane Lynch are part of an exciting live music lineup.
Other names include actor and singer, Shona McGarty, who recently starred on season 25 of I’m A Celeb, as well as fellow 90s pop artist Louise Redknapp and singer-songwriter Calum Scott.
The exclusive reunion comes after the success of the recently aired Boyzone: No Matter What documentary show.
Spread across three parts on Sky, the docuseries (named after their hit song from 1998) looks back on the career and journey up the charts back in their heyday, all the way up to the present. After seemingly striking a chord with fans and the lads themselves, it looks like they’re not done after all…
Yes, not only is the festive TV special going to see three of the original members performing alongside each other again, but
Here’s hoping that turns into a springboard for something even bigger, and we get a Manchester arena show sometime soon.
As for the programme itself, ‘Ronan & Friends: A New Year’s Eve Party’ will be broadcast on BBC One and made available on BBC iPlayer from Wednesday, 31 December 2025.
Channel 4’s The Dog House is looking for people who want to adopt dogs in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
If you’ve always wanted to rescue a dog and provide a forever home to an animal in need, this might be your sign – Channel 4 is looking for Mancs to take part in the next series of The Dog House.
The programme is looking for local applicants who may be thinking of adopting a rescue dog, with rescue centres around Greater Manchester feeling the strain.
Rehoming charities have said they’re facing an unprecedented surge in demand.
So now the BAFTA-nominated show The Dog House is keen to hear from people in Manchester who are interested in rehoming a dog, particularly individuals and families with touching, heartfelt reasons for wanting to rehome.
Whether you’re a first-time dog owner, a family looking for a new companion, or looking for a new furry friend for your existing pets, The Dog House and its chosen rescue shelter can help.
The show launched in 2019 and is filmed at Woodgreen Pets Charity, shining a light and raising awareness for the joys and realities of rescuing dogs.
Channel 4’s The Dog House is looking for people to adopt dogs in Manchester
Around 90% of dog owners say their pet improves their life, 86% report being physically healthier, and 88% say it benefits their mental wellbeing, according to data shared by Channel 4.
Channel 4 has said that more than 47,000 people contacted Dogs Trust about giving up their dogs last year alone, with the RSPCA reporting that the number of dogs in their care has doubled since 2020.
The Dog House team is now seeking people in Manchester who may be thinking about adopting a rescue dog – whether for companionship, support, wellbeing, or simply the joy of bringing a four-legged friend into their life.
If you or someone you know is considering adopting a dog, you can apply HERE or email [email protected].
Daisy Jackson -
25th February 2022 
