Charlie Heaton Joins Peaky Blinders as Charles Shelby!

The  has unveiled a first look at the 'new era' of as has been seen as Charles Shelby for the first time. 

Worlds away from his role as American teen Jonathan Byers in smash hit series , British actor Charlie, 32, transformed with a short hair cut and a tailored suit. 

The teaser image of the series, which is currently in the works for BBC One and iPlayer, sees the actor looking tense as he stares down the camera lens. 

Charlie will play Charles Shelby, the son of 's Thomas Shelby and his first love, Grace Burgess, and the half brother of Duke Shelby, who recently featured heavily in the Peaky Blinders film, Immortal Man. 

The series, which is currently filmed in and was created by Steven Knight, will see Charles take centre stage. 

The BBC teased: 'Having fought a violent war, much of it behind enemy lines, Charles Shelby is now embracing normality. 

'He hasn’t seen his half-brother Duke – played by  (All of Us Strangers, Rocketman) – in years. Charles severed all ties to the Peaky Blinders gang, and the hedonistic Shelby lifestyle. But can you ever escape your own blood?

'In this new era of Peaky Blinders, set a decade after World War Two, the race to rebuild Birmingham becomes a brutal contest of mythical dimensions. 

'This is a city of unprecedented opportunity and jeopardy.'

The new series will also feature Silo's Jessica Brown, The Day of the Jackal's Lashana Lynch and Stereophonic's Lucy Karczewski.

While it's not yet known who the famous faces will play, or when the series will hit screens, it will premiere on both BBC One and Netflix.  

Last month, it was confirmed that Stranger Things star Charlie would join Billy Elliott's  in the series - who will act opposite him as step-brother Duke. 

The actor, 40, will take the mantle of his step-brother in a story set ten years after the events of Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.

The actor shot to fame when he was just 14 years old with his BAFTA-winning role in Stephen Daldry's comedy drama Billy Elliot.

Since Billy Elliot's release in 2000, Jamie went on to land roles in King Kong, Jumper, The Adventures of Tintin, Rocketman and All Of Us Strangers. 

Last year it was confirmed the hit series would return with a bang to the BBC and Netflix, telling the story of a new generation of Shelbys, from writer and creator Steven Knight.

Of the casting announcement, Steven said: 'I am thrilled that we are announcing a new era of Peaky Blinders, moving the story to post-war Birmingham in the early 50s. 

'We are incredibly fortunate to have Jamie Bell taking the role of Tommy Shelby’s oldest son, Duke, and to have Charlie Heaton also leading the cast. There are more exciting cast announcements to come, and Peaky is on the road again.' 

The synopsis reads: 'In this new era of Peaky Blinders, a decade after World War Two, the race to rebuild Birmingham becomes a brutal contest of mythical dimensions.

'This is a city of unprecedented opportunity and jeopardy. At its blood-soaked heart is Duke Shelby (Jamie Bell): older, wiser, more ambitious, and most certainly more dangerous.' 

Jamie will take on the role of Duke after Barry Keoghan played Tommy's son in The Immortal Man.  

Two new series have been commissioned and filming has already started, with Lashana, 38, seen in Birmingham last month.

Peaky Blinders originally ran from 2013 to 2022, following the Shelby family from 1919 through the 1920s and 1930s. 

Series six of Peaky Blinders ended in the 1930s, and the film is set during the Second World War, so an upcoming series would jump forward several years. 

The new episodes are expected to pick up in the fifties, a time of violent Teddy Boy gangs and the rise of the infamous Kray twins in London.  

Peaky Blinders is available to stream on BBC iPlayer and Netflix.