Peaky Blinders fans shed tears as actor pays tribute to Helen McCrory’s Aunt Polly

Peaky Blinders series six begins with Tommy Shelby and the rest of the family saying goodbye to actress Helen McCrory’s character, Aunt Polly, in a very heartbreaking scene.

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Peaky Blinders: BBC release trailer for final series

Peaky Blinders fans were emotional on Sunday night as the much-loved BBC series finally returned for a sixth season.

Tommy Shelby et al did not disappoint as the first episode of the series finally got off to a dramatic start.

Tommy (Cillian Murphy) seems to have started a war in Boston as he plots a major drug deal – and gets Michael Gray arrested in the process.

Viewers will learn that Michael (Finn Cole) is the son of Aunt Polly (Helen McCrory) and that she has been adamant that he will not get involved in the family business.

However, he went against his mother’s wishes and abandoned Tommy and is now working for the opposition.

At the beginning of the episode, viewers see Michael grieving for his mother after her body is apparently moved to Tommy’s estate.

When Tommy examines three body bags left outside his home, he breaks down as he looks inside the last bag and realizes the consequences of his actions.

The following scene shows Michael setting fire to Polly’s motorcade as his body lies inside and the rest of the family watches on.

Michael was then heard saying, “Mom, it was one man’s ambition and strategy that caused this.

“And I swear in the name of Almighty God, no matter what happens, no matter how many lies I tell, I will avenge Tommy Shelby.”

As the convoy caught fire, Aunt Polly’s face could be seen in the smoke as it rose into the sky in a rather sad sight.

Viewers were moved to tears and immediately took to Twitter to comment.

One tweeted: “I’m sobbing btw. #PeakyBlinders,” while another said: “Oh Pol, I’m sobbing. #PeakyBlinders.”

Another viewer wrote: “thanks to Helen, my heart #PeakyBlinders.”

A fourth posted: “Cried at the sight of Aunt Pol #PeakyBlinders.”

Actress Helen sadly passed away in April 2021 at the age of 52 after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Announcing the death on Twitter, Helen’s husband Damian Lewis said she passed away “peacefully at home, surrounded by a wave of love from friends and family”.

She kept her diagnosis a secret, and very little was known about her illness before her death.

Peaky Blinders continues Sunday at 9pm on BBC One.