Peaky Blinders Fans Are Just Discovering May And Alfie Are Married IRL

Peaky Blinders returned on Sunday night for its very final season – with fans preparing to say goodbye to their favourite Brummie-based gangsters.

The first episode of season six sees Tommy Shelby heading off to North America, as the end of Prohibition brings new opportunities for the Blinders.

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However, fans were more interested in discovering this secret link between wealthy widow and racehorse owner May Carleton and one of Tommy’s most dangerous adversaries, Alfie Solomons.

May is played by Charlotte Riley, who is actually married to Tom Hardy, who plays Alfie, in real life.

Mind = blown.

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Many took to Twitter to express their surprise at the fact two Peaky Blinders stars have a ‘hidden’ connection.

"Did y’all know Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley (Alfie Solomons & May Carleton) are married irl?” one person asked.

“Ok so who else knew Alfie and May are actually married with 2 kids??” quizzed another.

“Did not know Alfie Solomons and May Carleton are married in real life. Love that,” said a third, while a fourth said: “Damn. May Carleton is married to Alfie Solomons in real life."

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Yep, heartthrob Hardy has been off the shelf for quite some time, having struck up a romance with Riley after the pair worked together on Wuthering Heights in 2009. Having got engaged in 2010, the pair tied the knot in a very private ceremony in July 2014, and now share two children.

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However, their romance was a slow burn, according to Riley, with the pair going for tea on their first date.

“It wasn’t love at first cup. In fact, I was a bit unnerved when he suddenly switched into the persona of Charles Bronson [Britain’s most dangerous prisoner who Tom had just played in Bronson],” she told the Daily Mail in 2013.

“After a few cups of tea I realised it was something he did mainly to make people laugh.”

Peaky Blinders continues Sundays at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.