BBC drama Peaky Blinders was a global hit on Netflix but Americans had to use subtitles to understand the thick regional accent of the main characters
The Brummie gangster saga Peaky Blinders was a massive hit in America – but only after viewers turned on their TV subtitles to understand it, figures show.
Classic Brummie phrases like “Bostin” meaning brilliant and “Tara-a-bit” meaning goodbye and “down the cut” for going down to the canal left US viewers utterly baffled. The BBC drama went global on Netflix but it was only when eight out of ten Americans used subtitles that they could understand what was being said in the gritty gangland epic starring Cillian Murphy and Paul Anderson.
Researchers found 83 per cent of US viewers resorted to using subtitles to make sense of other Brummie phrases like “Bab” meaning baby, “Cob” for a bread roll, “Yampy” for someone losing the plot and “Blartin’” for crying.
The online language tutor Preply asked 1,200 US adults how they watched the classic UK show and other UK TV dramas featuring regional accents to come up with the findings.
A spokesperson said: “The Brummie accent left American audiences scratching their heads – until they switched on the subtitles. Peaky Blinders and the thick Brummie accents in particular proved difficult.
“British regional accents, for many Americans, are challenging.”
Peaky Blinders is set in Birmingham between the 1880s to the 1920s and ran for six series first on BBC2 and then on BBC 1 from 2013 to 2022.
Cillian Murphy played ruthless gangland boss Tommy Shelby and Paul Anderson his brother Arthur and Murphy became an international star when Netflix bought the rights to release the show in the United States and around the world.
A feature length film titled The Immortal Man, which is set a few years after the series finale, began filming last year (2024) and will be distributed by Netflix.
The poll also found American audiences struggle with other British accents including Geordie, Scouse and Cockney.
They reach for their remote controls to switch on subtitles for Geordie phrases like “Alreet pet?” meaning are you okay? and Scouse “G’wed” meaning to go ahead.
Overall 17 per cent of Americans said they could not understand any UK regional accents.
But 50 per cent said they are left even more baffled by the Scottish accent with phrases like “Dae” for do, “Sair heid” for sore head and “Eejit” for idiot leaving them utterly stumped.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
