BBC developing ‘spiritual successor to Peaky Blinders’ set in London

The BBC is reportedly developing a new historical crime series that is being billed as a “spiritual successor” to Peaky Blinders.

Set in early 20th-century Soho, London, the high-budget series would be based on the non-fiction book Dope Girls: The Birth of the British Drug Underground by Marek Kohn.

According to a report in Deadline, the BBC is looking to commission a six-episode series, produced by Bad Wolf Productions, previously responsible for the broadcaster’s adaptation of Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy.

The outlet also reports that Polly Stenham (The Neon Demon) and Alex Warren (Eleanor) are in the process of writing the series.

It is claimed that the series will blend historical fact with storytelling invention, and will focus on the criminal underbelly of old Soho.

At the centre of the story, claims the report, is conservative single mother Kate Meyrick, who builds a nightclub and criminal empire from the ground up.

Filming will begin later this year, with casting announcements forthcoming.

The Independent has contacted the BBC for comment.

Peaky Blinders is one of the BBC’s biggest recent success stories, having run for six series on the UK’s public broadcaster.

Created by Steven Knight, the show followed the life and crimes of Birmingham gangster Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) and his co-horts.

A number of big-name actors had roles on the series down the years, including Tom Hardy, Sam Neill, Anya Taylor-Joy, Adrien Brody and Stephen Graham.

The eventful series finale last year received a mixed response from fans, with some viewers branding it “utter tripe” and others a “masterpiece”.

Though the Dope Girls news suggests that the BBC is exploring its options in a post-Peaky world, fans haven’t seen the last of Shelbey yet: Peaky Blinders is also set to return as a film.