First look at Tommy Shelby in season 5 of 'Peaky Blinders'

Fans of the hit BBC period crime drama Peaky Blinders have been desperate for the return of Tommy Shelby and his gang, and it feels like ages since we last dived into the grim and gritty world of Birmingham in the 1920s.

Set in the aftermath of the Great War, the series follows the Romani Shelby family, led by Tommy Shelby (played by Irish actor Cillian Murphy), as the shellshocked men return home to build a criminal empire.

Tommy himself is a brooding, manipulative Chessmaster with an egotistical power complex and a Machiavellian ruthlessness that sets him apart from the rest of his family. As a result, it was only natural that season four would end with him trying to make it as a corrupt politician.

Now the BBC has released a promotional teaser for the upcoming series, which shows Tommy looking far more stately and respectable in his guise as Labour MP for Birmingham South. Indeed, based on this image, fans have speculated that season five will deal with themes such as the rise of fascism and the Wall Street crash, as well as a clash with one of Glasgow's infamous razor gangs.

The official synopsis for the show states:

"Series five of Steven Knight's crime family saga finds the world thrown into turmoil by the financial crash of 1929. Opportunity and misfortune are everywhere. When Tommy Shelby MP (Cillian Murphy) is approached by a charismatic politician with a bold vision for Britain, he realises that his response will affect not just his family's future but that of the entire nation."

Speaking to the Metro, actor Paul Anderson, who plays Tommy's older brother Arthur, explained how the Shelby's newfound power will only serve to make them a more dominant force:

"What it gives Arthur and his family is more power. Tommy is in a position of power, and he can only get stronger in that position. We’ll all have more cover, more opportunity and more protection.

"Becoming an MP is just Tommy expanding his empire – his ambition is to have power in a lot of areas and that’s just another extension of his power."

Shooting on Season 5 has wrapped up, and the show has now entered post-production, meanwhile, creator Steven Knight has confirmed that he is already writing Season 6 – and has spoken of how everything will end at the end of season 7.

Game of Thrones actor Aidan Gillen is also due to return to his role as Aberama Gold, and per the Radio Times, Hunger Games star Sam Claflin and former Hollyoaks actor Emmett J Scanlan are among the list of new cast members to join the Shelby clan in series five.