Peaky Blinders star Paul Anderson fined for possession of drugs

Peaky Blinders star Paul Anderson has been fined for possession of drugs. The actor was found with drugs which included crack cocaine and other substances on Boxing Day. Paul Anderson, who is 48, and plays Arthur Shelby in Peaky Blinders, appeared at Highbury Corner magistrates court in London on 25 January 2024. He was accused of possessing crack cocaine, class B amphetamines as well as two class C prescription substances. 

After Paul Anderson pleaded guilty to all four charges, he was fined £1,345. According to the Daily Mail, “Makers of the show (Peaky Blinders), which co-stars Oscar-nominated Cillian Murphy as Anderson’s onscreen brother Tommy, are developing a feature-length climax but the conviction could have a ‘significant impact’ on the film, a source said last night.”

Moira MacFarlane who was defending actor Paul Anderson told magistrates that the actor found it easy to slip into the role of the character he plays in Peaky Blinders who is often seen taking drugs on the show. She said that “He is often recognised and does his best to please fans of the show by slipping into character. He was recognised that Boxing Day and tried to pay up for these people. And because of the lifestyle he leads people often give him inducements.”

Actor Paul Anderson recently starred in the Netflix film  Lift and was expected to play a key role in the Peaky Blinders movie and production is due to start this summer. Paul Anderson also appeared in the 2015 Kray brothers biopic, Legend, alongside Tom Hardy. 

In an interview with the Radio Times last year,, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight revealed that he was just putting the finishing touches to the script for the movie and revealed that “I’m just working on the final bits of it at the moment. I just sit down at the keyboard and start.

“It’s a bit like having a dream, for me. You sit there and all this stuff comes, and then you read it back and think, ‘That's pretty good-but where did it come from?”