The Real Peaky Blinders

While the popular drama series has captured global attention, the BBC Two documentary "The Real Peaky Blinders" uncovers the factual history behind the fiction. Hosted by historian Professor Carl Chinn, the series explores the harsh reality of industrial Birmingham in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chinn, whose own ancestors were illegal bookmakers, investigates the poverty and social turmoil that spawned violent street gangs. The show moves beyond the mythology to reveal the true stories of the gangs who ruled the streets, not just in Birmingham but across other major British cities. Using historical documents and expert interviews, it paints a gritty and authentic picture of a forgotten chapter of Britain's past. This insightful documentary series has ended, but sign up for a reminder just in case it returns.