The big screen finale of Peaky Blinders was in jeopardy last night after star Paul Anderson was caught with crack cocaine after a day in the pub.
The actor, who plays Arthur Shelby in the hit BBC drama, was with a friend and a baby on Boxing Day when police found the Class A drug and a pipe used to smoke it.
Anderson, 48, admitted possessing it, as well as Class B amphetamines and two Class C prescription substances, when he appeared in court this week.
The makers of the show, which stars Oscar nominee Cillian Murphy as Anderson’s on-screen brother Tommy, are developing a lengthy climax but the conviction could have a “significant impact” on the film, a source said last night.
“(Screenwriter) Steven Knight is still writing the script,” the source said. ‘But this belief will cause enormous problems, because it will be so difficult to make a Peaky Blinders film without such a central character, while it will be difficult to have him reprise the role as if nothing had happened .
Paul Anderson, who plays Arthur Shelby in the hit BBC drama, was with a friend and a baby on Boxing Day when police found the class A drug and a pipe used to smoke it
Crack cocaine (stock image). Anderson was caught after a drinker in his local Hampstead, North West London, told the pub manager he could smell crack cocaine fumes coming from the disabled toilet after the actor had walked out
“The third option would be to cancel the whole thing. I think the best chance is that it will go ahead and only Steven will know which characters will be playing.”
Anderson was caught after a drinker in his local Hampstead, North West London, told the pub manager he could smell crack cocaine fumes coming from the disabled toilet after the actor had walked away.
The pub’s manager called police, who found ‘intoxicated’ Anderson nearby with a young man and a 17-month-old baby, Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court heard. He was taken to a police station where officers found the crack cocaine, a packet of brown powder that turned out to be amphetamines, plus diazepam and pregabalin, prosecutor Kevin Kendridge said.
Anderson, who also appeared alongside Tom Hardy in the Kray brothers’ 2015 biopic Legend, answered “no comment” to all questions during his interview, but later tested positive for opiates and cocaine – not crack cocaine – it was heard the court.
He pleaded guilty to the four drug charges during Thursday’s hearing. Wearing a cream fleece, black leather trousers and thick-rimmed glasses, Anderson spoke only to enter guilty pleas and confirm his identity and address at a £1.2 million stable block in north-west London.
Peaky Blinders characters Thomas Shelby (Cillian Murphy), John Shelby (Joe Cole), Arthur Shelby (Paul Anderson)
Paul Anderson plays Arthur Shelby. The makers of the show, which stars Oscar nominee Cillian Murphy as Anderson’s on-screen brother Tommy, are developing a lengthy climax but the conviction could have a “significant impact” on the film, a source said last night.
Paul Anderson plays Arthur Shelby. Anderson, who recently starred in the Netflix film Lift, is expected to play a central role in the Peaky Blinders film, which is set to begin production this summer.
Moira MacFarlane, defending, said when Peaky Blinders fans recognized Anderson he couldn’t resist stepping into the role of boxing hellraiser Arthur, who is often seen taking drugs on the show.
“You will recognize the defendant from a very intense role he played in a recent television programme,” Ms MacFarlane told magistrates.
“He is often recognized and does his best to please fans of the show by delving into his character. He was recognized on Boxing Day and tried to stand up for these people. And because of the lifestyle he leads, people often give him incentives.”
Ms MacFarlane insisted Anderson, who was fined a total of £1,345, had not smoked crack cocaine, but admitted: ‘He was in an unfortunate position and should have had the strength to say no.’
This month it emerged that producers were investigating his behavior on set following a complaint from a colleague. It is not known what the complaint related to, but sources close to Anderson denied anything had gone wrong and told The Sun he was confident an investigation would clear him.
Anderson, who recently starred in the Netflix film Lift, is expected to play a central role in the Peaky Blinders film, which is set to begin production this summer. Set in Birmingham between the two world wars, the drama follows the rise of the Shelby criminal family.
