PEAKY BLINDER LOOKALIKE
In early 2019, I took my first steps into the exciting world of professional lookalikes. A friend and I decided to "suit up" for a night out in Liverpool to celebrate his birthday since we are both huge fans of popular culture, including James Bond, Peaky Blinders, and Kingsman.
Our plan was simple: we would grab a meal in the Baltic Triangle, have a few drinks at the Peaky Blinders bar, try our luck at the casino with a hand of blackjack, and then enjoy a night on the town. While at the bar, we were approached by none other than Arthur Shelby and Alfie Solomons! After chatting with them, we learned they were professional lookalikes hired by the bar to enhance the atmosphere. And let me tell you, it worked!
During my conversation with ‘Alfie,’ I mentioned my background as a professional magician and my brief experience in acting, he suggested that I would make a great lookalike myself. Long story short, he invited me to join him the following week at a new bar that had recently opened in Manchester. "Buy a flat cap and bring your suit," he advised.
We exchanged contact details, and the following week I arrived at the Manchester bar to meet Alfie and the team. I was introduced to the manager as "our new John Shelby lookalike" and was told to return at the end of the night to receive my payment. Nearly six years have passed, and since then, I have travelled across the country working at various events, festivals, parties, and venues.
Our "fame" escalated dramatically towards the end of the pandemic. As the world emerged from lockdown and everyone had just finished binge-watching Peaky Blinders on Netflix, it was announced that filming for Season 6 would take place in Deansgate Castlefield along the canal. This was the perfect opportunity to capture some updated photos for our social media and generate interest as things were starting to return to normal. The only catch was that, at that time, gatherings of more than ten people were prohibited due to government restrictions aimed at keeping everyone safe.
We set a date and time for the three of us—Tommy, Alfie, and John—to meet up, along with Jonny and Fiona, who would help with the photoshoot. As we walked down the cobbled street in full suits with cameras pointed at us, the security guards at the film set shouted, "I didn't expect to see you again today." As we got closer, his face turned red with realisation that we were not who he thought we were! After explaining our intentions, he kindly agreed to open the gates so we could take some photos with the set in the background. Just then, a group of four passersby stopped, stunned to see Tommy Shelby and the gang walking by! Before we knew it, that small group swelled to a hundred people; prompting us to call off the photoshoot for the day and attempt to leave without being followed.
We politely manoeuvred through the crowd of mobile phones and selfie sticks and rushed back home. Later that day, I came across a Twitter article headlined, "Police called to Deansgate Castlefield after 'mob' of over 100 gathered during Covid restrictions," with social media buzzing about sightings of Peaky Blinders on set for Season 6! Little did most people know that we were the lookalikes behind it all! I quickly turned to TikTok to clarify the confusion, and some clips garnered over 6 million views by the time I created my profile. I am thrilled to have 20,000 followers and to see so many comments praising a style I once thought was "out of date" and asking as to how they could create a similar look. I didn’t realise that some people still want to look sharp in a suit but may not know how to achieve that! I hope to share more content to inspire men to wear suits and look their best!
Over the years, I have developed a passion for dressing smartly. I now own far too many shoes, ties, cufflinks, flat caps, overcoats—you name it! Along the way, I built wonderful relationships with local businesses in Manchester that provided me with everything I needed to stay sharp. These are the same companies I work with today to offer high-quality products and services that I can trust.