Former Peaky Blinders star Joe Cole reveals exit from drama was 'a no-brainer'

Peaky Blinders made a welcome return to our screens recently, with the sixth and final series of the hit drama currently airing weekly on BBC One. Cillian Murphy takes centre stage one final time as Birmingham-based gangster Tommy Shelby, while other stars such as Tom Hardy and Paul Anderson have also reprised their iconic roles for the sixth series.

Tom Hardy has returned to season six of Peaky Blinders as Alfie Solomons after he was shot in the face by Tommy Shelby in series four. The 44 year old actor, whose character has suffered facial injuries after the brutal shot in series four, is said to 'love' playing the role of the leader of a Jewish gang in the British period crime drama which is set in Birmingham. Meanwhile fans have praised his return to the hit BBC One series with one tweeting: "Tom Hardy’s performance in Peaky Blinders truly deserves an award." But while Tom, who married actress Charlotte Riley in 2014, is very committed to his acting, he also has a very impressive tattoo collection and has 30 inkings on his body.

Line of Duty star Martin Compston in a thriller series that sees a woman arrive home to find her house has been sold behind her back - and new tenants are moving in. Martin stars as Bram Lawson, the ex-husband of Tuppence Middleton's character Fi.

BBC EastEnders star John Partridge has released a heartbreaking statement after the death of his co star. Lynda Baron has died aged 82.

Forget all the drama with the Shelby family down the back streets of Birmingham in BBC One’s Peaky Blinders – this Sunday it’s all about family fights in real-life. Acting brothers Joe Cole and Finn will be competing in a TV ratings war as their mega dramas, Peaky Blinders and new ITV spy thriller Ipcress File go head-to-head. We can only imagine the two of them sitting down in front of the box and fighting over the remote control.

Peaky Blinders have spoken to NME about the death of Helen McCrory, and paying tribute to both her and her character Polly Gray.The first episode of the sixth and final season of the Birmingham-based period crime-noir drama premiered tonight (Sunday February 27), marking the first new instalment of the show since McCrory sadly passed away from cancer last year.Speaking to NME, show creator Steven Knight remembered the first time that McCrory appeared before him to take the part of the Shelby family matriarch.“It was the perfect match,” said Knight. “She just absolutely took control – not just of that role, but the family and often the shoot. She was such a strong human being and a great actor that you knew, ‘This is exactly who this should be’.

Hollywood actor Cillian Murphy returns to screens this weekend in the trademark grey flat cap as he embodies perhaps his most famous role - Peaky Blinders' Tommy Shelby.

The wait is nearly over for fans of Steven Knight’s epic Birmingham gangster drama Peaky Blinders.  Sunday 27 February sees the return of the legendary Tommy Shelby, played by Cillian Murphy, and his mob for the sixth and final series of the smash hit saga. But what can we expect from Tommy and his friends – and enemies – when we catch up with them? Fans are also keen to know about the new arrivals joining the series for its finale, including acclaimed star of Time and Line of Duty, Stephen Graham. Get exclusive celebrity stories and fabulous photoshoots straight to your inbox withOK!'s daily newsletter .

Cillian Murphy will return to our screens as Tommy Shelby once again as the sixth and final series of Peaky Blinders begins on BBC tonight.

The leading ladies of Peaky Blinders were out in full force on Thursday night as they attended the premiere of the sixth and final season of the hit BBC show in Birmingham.The actresses looked as glamorous as ever as they celebrated the last run of episodes of the period drama — however the mood was also sombre as cast member Helen McCrory was deeply missed.The 52 year old, who appeared in Peaky Blinders as Polly Gray since its debut in 2013, tragically passed away in April last year following a secret battle with breast cancer and did not film any scenes for the latest series. Get exclusive celebrity stories and fabulous photoshoots straight to your inbox with OK!'s daily newsletter.

Peaky Blinders attended the premiere for the show’s sixth and final season on Thursday (February 24) at Cineworld in Birmingham.Sophie Rundle (Ada Shelby), Kate Phillips (Linda Shelby) and Natasha O’Keeffe (Lizzie Stark) were among those at the event, alongside Finn Cole (Michael Gray), Ned Dennehy (Charlie Strong) and Harry Kirton (Finn Shelby).Amber Anderson and Charlene McKenna were also in attendance, along with James Frecheville who is a newcomer for the final season.Cillian Murphy, who plays Tommy Shelby, was unable to make the premiere due to filming commitments on Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film Oppenheimer.The actor will play the lead role of J. Robert Oppenheimer in the biopic, an American physicist whose involvement in the Manhattan Project led him to be dubbed the “father of the atomic bomb”.Speaking about the role recently, Murphy said: “I’m interested in the man and what [inventing the atomic bomb] does to the individual.