Peaky Blinders Creator: Snoop Dogg Opened My Eyes to the Show's Global Appeal

Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight has revealed how a chance encounter with American rapper Snoop Dogg changed his perspective on the show, which he initially envisioned as a love letter to his hometown of Birmingham.

The prolific writer and producer, whose work has garnered acclaim from A-listers like Barack Obama, Tom Cruise, and Brad Pitt, found himself reflecting on the show's global reach after meeting Snoop. He realised that Peaky Blinders had transcended its Birmingham origins, resonating with audiences from Eastern Europe to Buenos Aires, who all felt a connection with the story.

Knight, whose childhood in Birmingham inspired the show, drew on stories about local gangsters, known as "peaky blinders" for their distinctive peaked caps. During a BBC Desert Island Discs interview, he shared Snoop's insightful observation about the show's themes: "He told me it reminded him of how he got into gang culture. It was all about family keeping you in, and escaping from family to do the bad stuff, and then the family relocating their emotions and loyalties to follow you, and then escaping again."

This revelation, Knight said, made him understand that there was a universality to Peaky Blinders, something that connected with people across cultures and backgrounds. He described Snoop as a "great bloke" and fondly recalled their conversation.

Beyond Peaky Blinders, Knight has a wealth of experience in the film and television industries. He wrote the screenplay for Dirty Pretty Things and co-created the hit quiz show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? He's currently working on a new Star Wars script and recently opened a TV and film studio in Birmingham, the setting for the upcoming Peaky Blinders film.

With Oscar-winning Cillian Murphy returning as Tommy Shelby for the film, Knight envisions the project as a fitting conclusion to this chapter of the Peaky Blinders story. He sees it as a legacy for Birmingham, a place where filmmakers can push boundaries and create bold, ambitious projects. He told the BBC, "It’s a fitting end to this part of the story, and we’ve got an absolutely fantastic cast. I want it to be a sort of legacy for Birmingham, but also a place where people come who want to do different stuff, brave stuff, bold stuff.”