Paul Anderson Reappears in London After Peaky Blinders Film Exit

British actor Paul Anderson, best known for playing Arthur Shelby in Peaky Blinders, was photographed counting cash while taking a break during errands in London on October 10, 2026. His latest public appearance has drawn attention following his absence from the Netflix film Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man and amid reports of past legal difficulties and ongoing acting projects.

According to the Daily Mail, Anderson was sitting on an electric bicycle while handling a bundle of banknotes. He wore a light green bomber jacket, cropped trousers, orange socks, Vans sneakers, and sunglasses, with a Pret a Manger paper bag resting on the bicycle's handlebars.

The October sighting renewed discussion among fans about the actor's career and personal circumstances. However, his representative has rejected speculation that Anderson has been working as a delivery driver, describing that claim as false in a statement published by the Irish Star.

Anderson's absence from The Immortal Man also prompted questions about Arthur Shelby's fate. The film, released in March 2026, depicts Arthur's death in a 1938 flashback in which his brother Tommy Shelby, played by Cillian Murphy, strangles him.

Speaking to SlashFilm in March 2026, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight explained that Arthur's death served a central purpose in Tommy's story.

"Now, for Tommy to have done what he did, for him to have killed his own brother, is huge. It's the thing that has made him the person he is when we first join the film. So, it's a question of giving him something that big that he then has to redeem himself through doing the good thing at the end."

Knight said the event shaped Tommy's guilt and subsequent attempt at redemption, ultimately contributing to the character's demise. Fan speculation has linked Anderson's absence to his personal difficulties, although Knight's explanation focused on the film's narrative.

Anderson's legal troubles date back to an incident in 2023, when authorities found him in possession of crack cocaine and amphetamines in a pub toilet. According to the Irish Star, he pleaded guilty to possession charges in January 2024 and received a £1,345 fine. A drug test that month reportedly detected cocaine and opiates in his blood.

In January 2025, Anderson faced further court proceedings after allegedly failing to attend an assessment meeting with a social worker concerning his drug use. An arrest warrant was issued by Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court but was subsequently withdrawn after authorities were unable to locate him.

The Irish Star also reported that Anderson was convicted of driving without insurance at Bexley Magistrates' Court on March 6, 2025, after failing to attend the hearing. The report said sentencing remained outstanding and authorities had been unable to establish his current address after he moved out of his £1.2 million home near Hampstead Heath.

Anderson previously addressed his personal difficulties in an online video, encouraging people experiencing hardship to seek support and help others. In the message, he acknowledged that he continued to face challenges himself.

"Just like you, search inside. Find it for yourself, overcome the struggles, the tribulations, the pain that you are feeling. There is no story without struggle…"

He also spoke directly about his continuing difficulties.

"Take it from me: I have struggled and I struggle today, the same way you do."

Despite the setbacks, Anderson has continued to secure screen work. He appeared in The Gray House, a historical drama starring Mary-Louise Parker and Daisy Head that premiered on Prime Video in February 2026.

According to the Irish Star, Anderson also filmed The Prince, a television series directed by Stephen Hopkins for Shahid, alongside Ahmed Ezz and Pedro Alonso. The production is scheduled for release in 2027.

Anderson is also set to appear in Fortitude, a historical spy action film directed by Simon West and starring Nicolas Cage. He plays Bernard Montgomery, the British Army officer who served during the First World War.

His representative, Nav Salimian of Never Before Talent, has cited these projects and other professional engagements in rejecting suggestions that the actor's career has stalled. The representative also highlighted Anderson's appearances at the Joy Awards in Riyadh in January 2025 and January 2026, as well as his participation in Comic Con Astana from August 6 to 9, 2026.

Anderson played Arthur Shelby throughout Peaky Blinders, which ran from 2012 to 2023. Although the character does not appear alive in The Immortal Man, Anderson's subsequent projects include the upcoming television series The Prince and the film Fortitude.