Production on season 6 has been postponed, by order of the Peaky Blinders.

Filming of Peaky Blinders upcoming season 6 has been suspended this week, leaving fans in the lurch over whether the new episodes would be released later this year or next. The hit BBC show isn’t the only one to become a casualty of the pandemic, either, with production on police drama Line of Duty also coming to a standstill for the safety of the cast and crew.

Confirming the news, a BBC spokesperson said:

“In light of the spread of Covid-19, after much consideration, the producers Caryn Mandabach Productions and Tiger Aspect Productions of Peaky Blinders S6 have postponed filming, and World Productions on Line of Duty S6 have suspended filming, both in consultation with and supported by the BBC.

“In light of the spread of Covid-19, after much consideration, the producers Caryn Mandabach Productions and Tiger Aspect Productions of Peaky Blinders S6 have postponed filming, and World Productions on Line of Duty S6 have suspended filming, both in consultation with and supported by the BBC.”

There are currently no further details on how long the hiatus will last for, however, the delay could impact the release date significantly. Cillian Murphy will return as Tommy Shelby for the new episodes, with the season 5 finale ending on a cliffhanger when Shelby’s plans fell apart at the last minute.

The two BBC shows aren’t the first to be affected by the outbreak, with Netflix closing down production of all original shows and movies last week, including Stranger Things and The Witcher, and Fantastic Beasts 3 suspending all production in London.

Need your fix while the show’s away from our screens? Peaky Blinders Manchester bar is situated on Peter Street, so you can enjoy a cocktail or two by order of the Peaky Blinders until it’s back.