Peaky Blinders star Paul Anderson addresses fans’ concern over his appearance and reveals real reason for ‘dishevelled’ look – a month after admitting to crack cocaine possession

Peaky Blinders star Paul Anderson took to Instagram on Tuesday to address fans’ concern over his changed appearance – a week after he was seen looking dishevelled. 

Sharing a picture of himself on the set of an unnamed filming project in London’s Soho, the actor, 48, said: ‘Back to business and back on set today.’ 

He added: ‘Thank you for all your love and concern to everyone. I was and have been absolutely flattened by the flu. #nofilter.’ 

Paul  looked far removed from his TV character Arthur Shelby when he stepped out in London last Wednesday.

He had wrapped up in a chunky cream fleece as well as a leopard print hoody worn with jeans and trainers as he picked up a pastry from a bakery. 

Peaky Blinders star Paul Anderson  took to Instagram on Tuesday to address fans’ concern over his appearance after he was pictured looking worlds apart from his usual self – he said he has been suffering from the flu

Peaky Blinders star Paul Anderson had looked worlds away from TV character Arthur Shelby on a day out in London last Wednesday a month after admitting to crack cocaine possession

Paul, pictured as Arthur in the hit BBC drama, was with a friend and a baby on Boxing Day when police found the Class A drug and a pipe used for smoking it

The outing came after Paul pleaded guilty to crack cocaine and amphetamines possession after spending the day at the pub on Boxing Day in London. 

The TV star was with a friend and a baby when police found the Class A drug and a pipe used for smoking it.

Paul admitted possessing it, as well as class B amphetamines and two class C prescription substances, when he appeared in court in January.

Makers of The Peaky Blinders, which co-stars Oscar-nominated Cillian Murphy as Anderson’s onscreen brother Tommy, are developing a feature-length climax but the conviction could have a ‘significant impact’ on the film, a source said at the time.

‘[Screenwriter] Steven Knight is still writing the script,’ the source said. ‘But this conviction will create huge problems as it will be so hard to have a Peaky Blinders film without such a pivotal character, while it will be tough having him reprise the role as if nothing has happened.

‘The third option would be to cancel the entire thing. I think it is most likely to go ahead and only Steven knows which characters will feature.’

Anderson was caught after a drinker at his local in Hampstead, north west London, told the pub’s manager he smelled crack cocaine fumes coming from the disabled toilet after the actor walked out.

Peaky Blinders characters Thomas Shelby (Cillian Murphy), John Shelby (Joe Cole), Arthur Shelby (Anderson)

The manager at the pub called the police, who found ‘intoxicated’ Anderson nearby with a young man and a 17-month-old baby, Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court heard. He was taken to a police station where officers found the crack cocaine, a wrap of brown powder found to be amphetamines plus diazepam and pregabalin, said prosecutor Kevin Kendridge.

Anderson, who also appeared alongside Tom Hardy in the 2015 Kray brothers biopic Legend, answered ‘no comment’ to all questions during his interview but later tested positive for opiates and cocaine – not crack cocaine – the court heard.

He pleaded guilty to the four drugs charges during the hearing. 

Anderson spoke only to enter the guilty pleas and confirm his identity and address at a £1.2million mews property in north west London.

Moira MacFarlane, defending, said when Peaky Blinders fans recognised Anderson he could not resist slipping into the role of pugilistic hellraiser Arthur, who is frequently seen taking drugs on the show.

‘You will recognise the defendant from a very intense part that he has played in a recent television programme,’ Ms MacFarlane told magistrates.

‘He is often recognised and does his best to please fans of the show by slipping into character. He was recognised that Boxing Day and tried to play up for these people. And because of the lifestyle he leads people often give him inducements.’

Ms MacFarlane insisted Anderson, who was fined a total of £1,345, had not been smoking crack cocaine, but conceded: ‘He has found himself in an unfortunate position and should have had the strength to say no.’

It emerged in January that producers were investigating his conduct on set after a complaint from a colleague. It is not known what the complaint related to but sources close to Anderson denied any wrong doing and told The Sun he was confident an investigation would clear him.

Anderson, who recently starred in Netflix film Lift, was expected to play a pivotal role in the Peaky Blinders movie, with production due to begin this summer. The drama set in Birmingham between the two world wars follows the rise of the criminal Shelby family.

Cillian Murphy plays Anderson’s onscreen brother Tommy in Peaky Blinders – pictured at the BAFTAs last week 

A dressed-down Anderson attended a VIP film screening of The Gentleman in December 2019