Creator and writer Steven Knight has confirmed that hit BBC drama Peaky Blinders will end after its sixth and final season, though the story will continue "in another form."

The series follows the story of Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) and his notorious family’s rise to power against the backdrop of working class, post-World War I Birmingham.

BBC confirmed the show’s terminus on Monday, when announcing that it had resumed production in the UK under strict COVID-19 guidelines.

Knight previously told Entertainment Weekly in 2019 that Peaky Blinders would continue until season 7, making the latest announcement a surprise twist for the fans.

A year’s delay in production due to the coronavirus pandemic is likely to have accelerated plans to wrap with season 6.

“’Peaky’ is back and with a bang," Knight said in a statement on Monday.

"After the enforced production delay due to the Covid pandemic, we find the family in extreme jeopardy and the stakes have never been higher. We believe this will be the best series of all and are sure that our amazing fans will love it. While the TV series will be coming to an end, the story will continue in another form.”

Executive producer Caryn Mandabach said:

“Along with our wonderful, supportive partners at BBC and Netflix, we have been working diligently to ensure we can get Peaky Blinders safely back into production; the safety of our cast and crew is always our priority. Thank you to all the fans who have been so unwaveringly supportive and patient. Steve’s scripts are incredible and mark the end of an epic story that has entranced audiences since it first started in 2013, but the world of Peaky Blinders will most definitely live on.”

The Shelbys are back in business. Series 6 of #PeakyBlinders has begun filming. Find out more: https://t.co/LLPzSrbhHt

Photo taken by director Anthony Byrne during filming of series 5. pic.twitter.com/1gOToza7fM

— Peaky Blinders (@ThePeakyBlinder) January 18, 2021

Season 6 is written once again by Knight, while season 5 helmer Anthony Byrne returns to direct.

The show first aired on BBC Two in 2013 and has grown to become one of the public broadcaster’s biggest hits overseas.

Throughout the most recent season, the spectre of death and mental illness has loomed large throughout.

For director Anthony Byrne, the mystery of what happens to the character of Tommy is one of the main reasons why he decided to sign up to helm season 6. The cliffhanger left the protagonist with a gun pointing to his head after his plot to assassinate Oswald Mosley goes terribly wrong.

"As a fan of the show, I also wanted to know what happened. I want to know what happens in that field because I had no idea when I filmed that scene. I know now, but at the time we were shooting it, I had no idea. Cillian didn't know either," he said.