Peaky Blinders: Why did Esme Shelby star Aimee-Ffion Edwards really leave?

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Peaky Blinders: BBC release series five bonus scene

Peaky Blinders first debuted on BBC Two in 2013. The show from Steven Knight had a stellar cast led by Hollywood A-lister Cillian Murphy and a contemporary soundtrack giving an edge to the period drama series. Knight had been inspired to create the series as a love letter to his hometown of Birmingham, growing up with stories of gangsters with razor blades said to be concealed in the peaks of their flat caps.

WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Peaky Blinders

Why did Esme Shelby star Aimee-Ffion Edwards leave Peaky Blinders?

The character of Esme Shelby (played by Aimee-Ffion Edwards) was introduced to Peaky Blinders in season one.

She wed John Shelby (Joe Cole) as part of an arranged marriage in a bid to bring peace between the gang and the Lee family.

John was married to Esme after being widowed and left with four children.

Both Esme and John seemed open to the nuptials and later formed a close relationship.

However, she firmly kept out of the business affairs of the family which John tended to with his brothers Tommy (Cillian Murphy) and Arthur (Paul Anderson).

Season four saw John meet a tragic end after he was murdered at their country home by Luca Changretta (Adrien Brody) and the Sicilian mafia.

Esme was left deep in mourning by her husband’s death and cursed both Tommy and Arthur, blaming them for the brutal assassination.

The last fans saw of Esme, she took to the road with her gypsy family and didn’t feature in season five.

While it’s not clear why the actress left the show, it appears to be part of the narrative.

Speaking about a potential return to Peaky Blinders, actress Aimee-Ffion told Cosmopolitan in an interview from earlier this year: “It depends on the script.

“I feel like I got to do some really good stuff, and the storylines were really strong, and I could make the best of Esme.

“I think there’s an element of feeling quite protective over the characters you play, and if you feel like you aren’t doing that character justice… It’s such a brilliant show, and such an amazing following.

“It’s really exciting to be a part of. I think if the storyline was good, I would consider that, but I’m quite satisfied with what I got to do with her.

 

“I’m open-minded but sometimes it’s nice to leave on a high.”

She added: “The relationship between the Lees and the Shelbys is such an interesting one, and she’s got plenty of kids – she has an army of kids, hasn’t she? So I’m sure we’ll see them again at some point!”

Since departing from Watery Lane, the Welsh actress has starred in some big projects including the Eve Myles-fronted thriller Keeping Faith, BBC drama Troy: Fall of a City, dystopian Sky series Curfew and Hulu’s Four Weddings and a Funeral TV series.

With Peaky Blinders wrapping up, the actress made a comeback to the show leaving viewers surprised.

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Esme had a big role to play as Tommy sought help to save his daughter from consumption.

The character also provided Tommy with information about the person who had supposedly cursed his family, leading the gangster to take revenge on them.

Season six is slated to be the last but there have been reports of a possible film to end Peaky Blinders. 

However, at the time of publication nothing has been confirmed but fans will be hopeful for more.

Peaky Blinders season 6 is streaming on Netflix now

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