Things didn't look good for one Peaky Blinders character at the close of last week's series 4 opener – but tonight's episode confirmed their fate.

Spoilers follow after the jump...

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John Shelby (Joe Cole) is dead, having been gunned down by Mafia goons working for mobster Luca Changretta (Adrien Brody).

Peaky Blinders creator and writer Steven Knight hinted that the busy schedule of rising star Cole prompted John's demise.

BBC/Caryn Mandabach/Robert Viglasky

"I'm not a believer in pulling a prominent character's death out of the bag in order to shock people or to get people to talk about it, because I think it's a law of diminishing returns," Knight said. "I think you have to be very careful.

"Sometimes it's to do with the character. Sometimes it's to do with… you know, Peaky is getting a huge amount of attention, in the States and here [in the UK], so our actors are being picked up for other things.

ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP/Getty Images

"When they get picked up for other things, we're not like the American system where you tie the actor in for five series from the beginning and they can't leave. All our people are free to leave whenever they want. We wouldn't have it any other way, but we have to factor that in."

Having left Peaky Blinders, Cole will next be seen in an episode of Black Mirror season 4 and has also shot a number of films, including Woodshock opposite Kirsten Dunst and Thank You for Your Service with Miles Teller.

Peaky Blinders continues next Wednesday at 9pm on BBC Two.

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