Blue heaven

Move over, Wrexham... A new docuseries follows the fortunes of Birmingham City

- Richard McClure, Alison Slade

As the creator of the BBC's hit gangland drama Peaky Blinders, Steven Knight can take huge credit for putting his home city of Birmingham firmly on the map.

NEW DOCUMENTARY

Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues
From Friday 1 August, Prime Video

Now, the 65-year-old writer – a lifelong fan of Birmingham City FC – is highlighting the UK's second city once again as an executive producer of Prime Video's new behind-the-scenes football docuseries, Built in Birmingham: Brady & the Blues.

Just as Welcome to Wrexham has charted the renaissance of the Welsh football club following its takeover by Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, so this five-part series follows the fortunes of Birmingham City under the new ownership of an American consortium that includes the NFL's legendary quarterback Tom Brady.

For Knight, the documentary provides a chance to show off his beloved team to a worldwide audience.

'The joys and sorrows of supporting this club may have given me a taste for drama, tragedy and comedy,' smiles Knight, who began supporting the team as a young boy. 'It was by going to Blues matches that I went to the pubs and streets of Small Heath, and my dad and uncles would tell me stories of their childhoods – and some of those stories formed the basis for Peaky Blinders.'

ALL CHANGE