Peaky Blinders: 10 Best Characters Who Appeared After Season One
6. Linda Shelby
Linda Shelby is a relatively late addition to the show. Portrayed by Kate Phillips, the character first appeared in season three of Peaky Blinders, attending Tommy's wedding as Arthur's wife. The couple's wedding appeared to have happened off screen in between seasons.
It's not a huge surprise that things played out this way as Linda and Arthur are an unlikely couple. Arthur Shelby is known for his volatile and troubled outbursts, whereas Linda follows Quaker Christian values - something she tries to imprint on Arthur. It's clear that Tommy isn't keen on her influence on him, so it can be assumed that their wedding was a quiet affair that the family weren't keen on celebrating.
It's Linda's downfall that makes her such an engrossing character to watch. The show poses the question: can someone with a strong moral compass remained unchanged after spending time with the Peaky Blinders? The answer is evidently no.
By season four, Linda is already using cocaine to deal with the stress of Luca Changretta's threats following John's death. It's an even worse state of affairs by season five. No longer able to deal with Arthur's outbursts, Linda seeks a divorce and companionship elsewhere resulting in her pointing a gun at Arthur in preparation to kill him.
Thankfully, she's stopped by Polly just in time. Following her dramatic exit, it's unlikely that we'll see Linda cross paths with the Shelby family again but it's not entirely out of the realm of possibility.
It would be great to see Linda reappear working for the opposition, completing the arc the show set out to prove with the character - corrupting someone wholly good to evil.