Peaky Blinders Creator Steven Knight Once Revealed That His Father Used To Tell Him Stories Of The Real Gangster Family (Pic credit – Getty Images / Steven Knight )
Advertisement
Peaky Blinders made its debut in 2013 and since then it has become one of the most loved series in the world. The British period drama, set in the 1920s, has seen 5 seasons so far and the 6th one is eagerly awaited.
Peaky Blinders is said to be inspired from real-life gangster group of that time in England. But do you know, creator Steven Knight’s father was actually related to the group? Well, he has revealed this himself in the past.
Advertising
Advertising
Speaking to Royal Television Network, Steve Knight once revealed that he used to hear the stories of Peaky Blinders from his father in childhood. That’s where he got the inspiration for the show. He has also revealed that the actual family which used to run the gang was Sheldon. However, they changed it to Shelby on legal advice.
Talking about how his upbringing had parallels with Peaky Blinders, Steven told Birmingham City podcast Blue Noise, “My mom was a bookies’ runner when she was a kid in Small Heath.”
Advertisement
Talking about how his father was related to the group, he said, “And my dad’s uncles were, in spite of what people say about there not being Peaky Blinders after 1910, my dad, his uncles were the Sheldons.”
Advertisement
“The Sheldons were bookmakers and my dad’s uncles and everybody knew them as the Peaky Blinders, everybody called them the Peaky Blinders,” Steven added.
Now that’s quite interesting!
He also recalls one incident and shares, “My dad, when he was little, about eight years old, no shoes or anything, his dad gave him a message, it might even have been a bet, and he ran through the streets terrified to the Sheldons.”
Advertisement
“He said there was a smell of booze and cigarettes and he walked in to see a table covered with coins – in a place where nobody had anything. He said the men were immaculately dressed, and everything was perfect, but they were drinking whiskey and beer out of jam jars. They wouldn’t spend that money on fine glasses. That image really struck me.”
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments section.
