Peaky Blinders' Helen McCrory is stunned by success of show in America

Helen McCrory as Aunt Polly Gray in Peaky Blinders (Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd / Tiger Aspect Productions Ltd/ Robert Viglasky)

But star Helen McCrory says she’s still stunned by the transatlantic success of Peaky Blinders.

“I was genuinely surprised Peaky Blinders was so popular in America,” said Helen, who’s married to Homelands and Wolf Hall star Damian Lewis.

“I went over to New York for the summer and people were complimenting my work.

“I assumed it was in relation to another series I’d recently finished that had aired in the US.

“After a while someone mentioned they had to watch it with subtitles, which is when I realised it was Peaky they were talking about.

“I’ve also had fellow actors and producers and directors say that they are really big fans.

“That’s so pleasing as everyone works very hard to try and make something original and fresh.”

The previous two series of the gritty historical drama, which stars Cillian Murphy as crime lord Tommy Shelby, have picked up awards as well as millions of BBC2 viewers.

This new series which started on Thursday night has moved on a couple of years to 1924.

And Helen, who plays Tommy’s Aunt Polly, says it meant pretty much a whole new look.

“There is a huge shift from last series to this series in the way that we are all styled and dressed.

“The biggest change for Polly is that they cut all my hair and I was really nervous about that. And the shapes of the costumes have changed dramatically, as you lose the waist in the 1920s.

“I think that the audience will accept the change as they do with other long-running series where the style changes across a time period.”

Peaky Blinders, BBC2, Thursday, 9pm.

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