Fans of cult TV show, Peaky Blinders can follow in the footsteps of Birmingham gang leader Tommy Shelby at this weekend’s Scottish Traditional Boat Festival in Portsoy.
Two of the original classic 1938 Renault Primaquatre cars will be on display in the Aberdeenshire village’s historic harbour, where two episodes were filmed.
Stars of the show Cillian Murphy, who plays Tommy Shelby, and Finn Cole, who plays Michael Gray, stayed in Portsoy for five days in early 2021 to shoot the final episodes, with the harbour being transformed into the French island of Miquelon in North America during the 1930s.
Thousands of boat festival visitors
The cars will be in position on the harbour as they were in the explosive scenes where Michael Gray met his fate, while traditional fishing boats which were used in series six will drop anchor for the two-day event.
The 29th annual Scottish Traditional Boat Festival will celebrate maritime heritage with boats, music, crafts and food, as well as Celtic rock band Skerryvore kicking off events tonight.
It is expected to attract around 16,000 visitors and will see the finest craft in the Scottish historic fishing fleet drop anchor in Portsoy, including the Isabella Fortuna.
‘A real coup for Portsoy’
Chairman of the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival committee, David Urquhart, said: “It is a real coup to bring the original cars from Peaky Blinders to Portsoy.
“The show has captivated fans all over the world and we are giving visitors to the festival the unique opportunity to sit inside and see these vintage cars up close and take a ‘Shelby selfie’.
“The final series of Peaky Blinders attracted an audience of over seven million and for Portsoy to have an association with a production of that magnitude, it really is something for our community to be proud of.
“We felt that the addition of the Peaky features this year would not only bring a new element, but also attract some of the show’s following to Portsoy.
“There is a real buzz around this year’s event, the whole community has really missed it over the last two years and the support we have received has been phenomenal.”
Producer of Peaky Blinders’ series six, Nick Goding explained he the crew was “thrilled” to hear of the return of the boat festival.
He said: “The Peaky Blinders team was so grateful to Scotland, and in particular Portsoy, for embracing our shoot at such a difficult and threatening time.
“Without the support and enthusiasm given to us in February last year, the world would not have another series of Peaky on their televisions this year.
“We were made to feel so welcome in the towns and surrounding areas and we are delighted that you have secured the vehicles that were used in the staging of the series elements that Portsoy offered.
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