Peaky Blinders: Cillian Murphy says series 6 is a ‘tribute’ to Helen McCrory

Actor said that Aunt Polly’s presence was ‘very much still felt in the series’

Cillian Murphy has said that the final series of Peaky Blinders is a tribute to the late Helen McCrory.

The actor, who played Aunt Polly in the gangster drama series, died of breast cancer last April aged 52.

While filming on the sixth and final series of Peaky Blinders began in January 2021, McCrory did not feature on the show due to her illness.

Speaking to Variety, Tommy Shelby actor Murphy said that while the show wasn’t “the same” without McCrory, he hoped it would “honour” her.

“I think the whole series is really in tribute to her and to honour her,” he said.

“Her presence and her character’s presence are very much still felt in the series, and it is very much part of Tommy’s journey in the season.”

Murphy continued: “It’ll be different without her, you know. It simply won’t be the same. I’ve spoken about how phenomenal she was as an actress and as a person and it is an enormous loss to the whole acting community and not just for our show.

“My thoughts are always with Damian [Lewis] and her kids. I just hope that the show will live up to her memory and our memory of her.”

Earlier this month, Murphy admitted that the cast were left “reeling” by McCrory’s death, calling the actor “the beating heart of the show”.

McCrory’s diagnosis had not been made public before her death, with her actor husband Lewis saying that she had died surrounded by loved ones at home.

Peaky Blinders series six is expected to arrive on BBC One this spring.