Peaky Blinders boss says ‘believe in us' after much-needed Birmingham boost
Peaky Blinders writer and acclaimed film-maker Steven Knight has declared a Birmingham 'renaissance' is under way and called on Brummies to 'back our incredible city'.
'Birmingham is on the up, I firmly believe that. We need to stop putting ourselves down and believe in ourselves.'
Speaking after BirminghamLive exclusively confirmed details of a new series of the BBC show, Knight said it would start filming this year and be transmitted next year. For the first time the series will be almost wholly shot in Birmingham.
The Peaky Blinders news provides a huge filip at a time when the city's wider reputation has largely been rubbished by the impact of the bin strike running since early March. 'The bin strike is a low ebb and from here we will go up,' he said.
Read more: Inside the life of Peaky Blinders' Brummie founder
Knight, a born and bred Brummie, spoke of his most famous artistic creation while hailing his love for the city and its bright future.
Multiple landmark projects and initiatives are currently reaching critical points that will put Birmingham on the map for the right reasons, he said, referring to his Digbeth Loc project, including the Masterchef complex, the Sports Quarter vision of Tom Wagner at Birmingham City's planned new stadium in Bordesley Green, and several major citywide homes and business developments coming to life.
It is not just the city's creative sector and biggest sports teams who are enjoying a renaissance, fuelled by private investment.
READ MORE: Inside the Peaky Blinders film set along a Black Country canal
City and regional leaders will be 'selling Birmingham' on a global stage next week at an international investment conference in Leeds, while the council is currently taking a roadshow out to communities about its vision for Birmingham by 2045.
Knight urged young Brummies in particular to 'have faith' and to 'push themselves forward' to create and make the most of opportunities coming down the line.
'What is happening in Birmingham now won't happen overnight, it is incremental, but we are making big steps forward, and we have to believe in ourselves more.
'The new BBC investment in the city is just incredible, its new place will be amazing, the Birmingham City FC Sports Quarter is happening, Masterchef is the BBC's biggest international franchise and that's happening now in Birmingham, and then there is Digbeth Loc, which I'm involved in.
'It is going to be a fantastic television and film studio and creative place, we have got the Peaky Blinders spin off series coming, the film is already shot, I have got a pipeline of lots of television that is not necessarily set in Birmingham but we are going to shoot in Birmingham, we are bringing Netflix and all kinds of film makers and TV people to the city.
'It's all really exciting. It is not all going to happen overnight but the bits that have started to happen, we should be very proud of.'
He also urged those Brummies who thought they stood no chance of taking advantage of new opportunities, and the organisations creating them, to 'think differently.'
'It's a 50/50 deal really. People themselves have to decide they want to be part of it, whatever it is, and not wait for the invitation necessarily.
'And those people planning and financing this stuff need to make a very simple calculation - if you are only going to select from the well off, the elite or the top 20%, you are only ever going to tap into 20% of the talent. Why not make opportunities available for all?
'We have an incredible talent pool of young people - they have desire and have not yet decided they are not good enough. People have to do it for themselves and make that leap.
'It's different in every industry but in my business it's about stepping forward. Make a film on the phone - if you make something good, and it has to be good, then it will get noticed.'
He said the city was also blessed with lots of tradespeople and trainees, and switching those skills from a traditional career to the film, TV and creative industries often involved 'a small retrain'. 'We need electricians, carpenters and so on, it's just a retrain to prepare them to work in the film and TV industry.'
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