Now we know why this Peaky Blinders death was absolutely necessary (even though we never expected it)

Disclaimer: This article may contain parts with the writer's opinion. Readers' discretion is advised.

BBC's true-story based cult period crime drama Peaky Blinders has been a fan-favorite show in the genre ever since its inception. Not only does it perfectly portray a post-First World War England and its nuances, but it also does justice to the story by virtue of an ensemble cast line-up - all thanks to Steven Knight's creative genius!

With Oscar-winning star Cillian Murphy leading the team, the show has remained on top spots on the streaming charts and the franchise is now gearing up for a spin-off movie on Thomas Shelby titled The Immortal Man. Though Tommy has always been the heart of the show owing to his cold approach, badass lines and confident aura, there are several other characters whose impact have been pivotal to the plot.

One of those many roles is John Michael Shelby(portrayed by Joe Cole), the younger brother of Thomas and one of the leading members of the Peaky Blinders. John's sudden demise in the fourth season naturally came with a shock and was something the fans never expected.

While asked on an interview back in 2017, Cole reportedly addressed his death on Peaky Blinders saying:

"I had other projects on and I felt it was the right time to go, really."

Why was John Shelby aka Joe Cole written off Peaky Blinders?

John Shelby, though infamous for his wrecklessness, short temper and aggressive approach, has been a favorite character among the viewers owing to his classy aura. His quick sense of humor, presence of mind and dedication and love towards his family's safety has won him millions of hearts over the years of success for Peaky Blinders.

His bond with the elder Shelby brother Aurthur has been beautifully portrayed all throughout the show. Moreover, the way Aurthur was affected by John's death was nothing close to how it impacted the other members of the Peaky Blinders.

Such a character's out-of-the-blue death in Season 4 Episode 1 titled 'The Noose' caught the fans totally off-guard. Luca Changretta (portrayed by another Academy Award winner Adrien Brody), an American gangster originally from Italy, cropped up as the biggest rival of the Peaky Blinders (owing to a past encounter) during Season 3 and 4.

He hired a few gun men to launch an ambush on the Peaky Blinders at their home and John accidentally gets killed during the encounter. The sudden decision to write Joe Cole off the BBC crime drama was not received very well. Later on an interview with Independent, the star himself opened up about his exit and said that it was the right moment for him to leave. He also wanted 'the other characters' to evolve and felt that it was not possible in his presence.

His exact words were:

" So it was just a case of feeling like letting some of the other characters grow."

Joe Cole further added that he was busy with 'other projects' going on simultaneously at that moment and was not able to squeeze time out from his busy schedule to invest into Peaky Binders. Thus, letting go of it, according to Joe Cole's statements, was the best decision at that point of time.

Also he wanted to leave the show in a way that would absolutely do justice do justice to his character. According to Joe Cole, John had always been a fighter and to die while at a war to protect his close ones was the perfect conclusion to his story.

Speaking to Independent in an exclusive conversation, Cole later mentioned:

"I don't think a satisfactory exit is to leave and go farm chickens in the countryside [what John was up to in episode 1], so that was the decision and one I was happy with."

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Also read - "My suits are on the house": When Tommy Shelby from Peaky Blinders proved once again how he runs the show

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