Peaky Blinders fans left ‘sobbing’ after ‘heartbreaking’ tribute to Helen McCrory in series 6 premiere

‘That must’ve been so hard for the cast to film. They look heartbroken,’ wrote one person

Peaky Blinders fans have praised the show’s tribute to Helen McCrory in its season six premiere.

McCrory, who played aunt Polly on the hit BBC crime drama, died of cancer last April at the age of 52.

In the first episode of the new season of Peaky Blinders, Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) is informed via a phone call that Polly has been killed.

A funeral scene then sees Polly laid to rest, with a portrait of McCrory next to her body at the cremation.

As the smoke rises up, Polly’s eyes can briefly seen in the sky.

Viewers shared their reactions to the moment on social media, with many describing the tribute as “beautiful”.

“Great tribute to Helen McCrory. RIP Aunt Polly, you will be missed,” wrote one person.

“What a beautiful tribute to the late Helen McCrory,” another tweet read. “The birdsong at the end. An absolute icon, Queen and the heartbeat of Peaky Blinders.”

“So pleased that the tribute to Helen McCrory ran throughout that episode,” one commenter added. “With what they had to work with it was a fitting end to Aunt Polly.”

“Sobbing at the opening scene of #PeakyBlinders,” wrote another fan. “That must’ve been so hard for the cast to film. They look heartbroken. Helen McCrory was truly outstanding.”

The episode also ended with a written dedication to McCrory.

Peaky Blinders airs Sundays at 9pm on BBC One.