Peaky Blinders series 4 has come to an end, and what a ride it was! From the very first episode, when we were introduced to Linda Shelby’s character, to the last episode of the season, where she struggled with her loyalties to her family and her job, Linda has been the glue that holds Peaky Blinders together. She gives strong performances that often steal scenes and episodes in which she appears. Read on as we look at some of her best moments this season and think about why she’s such an important part of the series. Linda Shelby is the glue that holds Peaky Blinders together Linda Shelby is the glue that holds Peaky Blinders together
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Who is Linda Shelby?
If you haven’t yet seen BBC 2’s critically acclaimed new drama, Peaky Blinders (and why not? The first season has aired in both UK and US and season two is already shooting), you should know one thing: there are strong women everywhere. But one of those strong women who stands out amongst all others is Linda Shelby, played by actress Kate Phillips. She’s an educated woman from a higher class background, but finds herself surrounded by a rough-around-the-edges family of men and brothers who expect her to live up to their standards. So she does.
Who played her in Peaky Blinders?
Kate Phillips played Linda Shelby in BBC2’s period drama ‘Peaky Blinders’ from series 1-4. The character, who was a prominent feature throughout all four seasons of Steven Knight’s gangster epic, was portrayed as an independent woman with a penchant for whiskey and waistcoats. She appears to have been involved with Thomas Shelby (played by Cillian Murphy) when they were younger and even married him at one point in time but parted ways following his emigration to America. This didn’t seem to diminish her strong feelings for him however as she later admits: I always loved you.
It remains unclear whether she ever followed him across the Atlantic or if her marriage remained intact after he returned to England.
Where was she born and where did she grow up?
Kate Phillips was born and raised in Derbyshire, England. She grew up with a love for acting and has been doing it since she was very young. She started out in theatre but eventually made her way into film and television acting as well. Her first role on TV came when she appeared on Casualty back in 2001 where she played a nurse named Tina Roberts who ended up dying of a brain tumor at just 21 years old. This role earned her two nominations for Best Newcomer at both The British Soap Awards and The British Comedy Awards.
What was her childhood like?
An only child, Linda was raised in London by her mother Jeanette and her stepfather. She was born with a muscular condition, which made her small for her age and left her weak and sickly, forcing doctors to recommend a warmer climate. She spent two years in Andalusia in southern Spain where she fell in love with horses. It was also there she met Tom Hardy.
When did she get married to Tommy (Cillian Murphy)?
Tommy Shelby and Linda (Kate Phillips) get married in season 3 episode 2. They first met during season 1 but their relationship didn’t really kick off until a year later in season 2. The couple had a church wedding and their marriage happened right after Tommy saved his brother Michael from being executed at his trial. On their wedding day, Tommy promised to take care of Linda for life as she vowed to never leave him or make him unhappy ever again. Fast forward two years later, we see them living an extremely happy life and seem like one of TV’s strongest couples; well worth waiting for!
What was it like working on Peaky Blinders with Cillian Murphy?
The first day was a little daunting. I mean, it’s Cillian Murphy! But he was so lovely and welcoming and he knew his character inside out, so between us we built a brilliant father-daughter relationship. We were very lucky to have two amazing directors [David Caffrey and Tim Mielants], who kept everything clear of exposition and backstory – you only got what was relevant for each scene in that episode. And our writer [Steven Knight] makes sure every new character has an arc and a point in terms of where they’re going, so Linda’s not just there to push Tommy one way or another. She gets her own stories too.
What are her acting plans now?
With Peaky Blinder s reaching cult status, Linda plans to keep working on various projects. She also has a busy life with her daughter, so she isn’t planning on taking any big acting roles. As for what she wants to do instead of acting? I’m going back to work in a school, because I loved teaching before I went into modelling and acting. Now it seems like it’s time to go back and help some of these kids out – they have serious issues and sometimes not enough money or support at home. She says: We had quite an amazing time filming in Birmingham – it was intense, though, being away from my family for such long periods.
What religion is Linda Shelby?
* It was revealed in series 5 that Linda is not religious. She says, I’m a lapsed Catholic. I just don’t believe anymore.
What does she think of Tommy? : * Linda and Tommy have a strong relationship based on mutual respect and trust, even though they do not always agree with each other’s methods or actions. They are both willing to sacrifice themselves for one another if necessary and would never deliberately put each other in danger. In episode 1 of series 4, when Arthur has been arrested by Chief Inspector Campbell and taken to his house for questioning, Tommy believes he will be tortured and killed there.
What happens to Linda in Peaky Blinders?
Peaky Blinders has been renewed for three more seasons, but what about Cillian Murphy’s wife and mother of his children, Linda? Surely she can’t stick around to become a granny? Well there’s good news! For those worried Linda will be killed off in season four, creator Steven Knight has revealed he may have a different future in mind for Cillian Murphy’s co-star. Speaking to Digital Spy, Knight said: What I want to do in season five – we’re talking about it now – is [to] keep them all on board; Tom Hardy as well. That sounds madly ambitious because you’d have to start filming next year. But we wouldn’t start until next year anyway.
