All Peaky Blinders villains by season: who Tommy faced from series 1 to 6
Tommy Shelby spent six seasons fighting his way through an escalating roster of enemies.
Each series introduced a new primary antagonist, and each one tested Tommy in a different way. Here's who stood in his path.
Series 1 — Inspector Campbell (Sam Neill).
A ruthless Royal Irish Constabulary officer sent to Birmingham by Winston Churchill to recover a stolen crate of guns. Campbell was fanatically driven, self-righteous, and willing to use any means necessary. He represented institutional power bearing down on the Shelbys for the first time.
Series 2 — Darby Sabini (Noah Taylor).
A real historical figure — an Italian-British gangster who controlled the racetracks in London. Tommy's expansion into legitimate horse racing put him directly in Sabini's territory. Campbell also returned in series 2, continuing his vendetta until Grace shot him dead.
Series 3 — The Economic League / Father John Hughes (Paddy Considine).
The threat shifted from street-level crime to political conspiracy. Hughes was part of a shadowy organisation with links to British intelligence and a horrifying secret — he was a paedophile who abused children in his care. He was among the most disturbing antagonists the show ever produced.
Series 4 — Luca Changretta (Adrien Brody).
A Mafia boss from New York who came to Birmingham to avenge his father's death at the Shelbys' hands. Changretta brought a new level of sophistication and menace. His vendetta was personal and brutal, culminating in a bloody war that cost the Shelby family dearly.
Series 5 — Oswald Mosley (Sam Claflin).
Based on the real leader of the British Union of Fascists, Mosley was Tommy's most politically dangerous opponent. Unlike previous villains, he couldn't simply be shot — he was a sitting Member of Parliament backed by powerful allies. The season ended with Tommy's assassination attempt on Mosley failing spectacularly.
Series 6 — Jack Nelson (James Frecheville) and Oswald Mosley (continuing).
The final season introduced Jack Nelson, a fictional character inspired by real American political figures, who controlled organised crime from Boston. Mosley continued as a threat. The ultimate antagonist of the final series, though, was arguably Tommy's own mortality — his battle with tuberculosis and the question of whether he could secure his family's future before dying.
Each season raised the stakes. Street gangsters gave way to intelligence services, fascist politicians, and transatlantic crime networks. The pattern reflected Tommy's own trajectory: the higher he climbed, the more dangerous the enemies he attracted.