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'Peaky Blinders' Season 5: Who is the real-life drug dealer behind the new entrant Brilliant Chang?

In Episode Four of Season Five, Thomas Shelby (Cillian Murphy) and Arthur Shelby (Paul Anderson) come face-to-face with an eccentric but charming drug dealer called Brilliant Chang.

Set in Birmingham in the early 1920s, the BBC show 'Peaky Blinders' is known for adding a fictional element to real-life historical incidents and people. Did you know Peaky Blinders was a real urban street gang based in Birmingham, England, who lapped up social power from robbery, violence, political influence and the control of gambling? From Darby Sabini to Billy Kimber and Oswald Mosley, several antagonists in the series are also based on real people.

In Episode Four of Season Five, Thomas Shelby (Cillian Murphy) and Arthur Shelby (Paul Anderson) come face-to-face with a drug dealer Brilliant Chang. After he sends a girl to kill Finn (Harry Kirton), Arthur points a gun at him and says: "Do you wanna die again, Chang?" The opium drug dealer strikes a deal with Tommy to transport opium from Shanghai to Limehouse in London onto Birmingham and then through to Liverpool.

Born as Chan Nan in Canton, Brilliant Chang was a Chinese restaurateur and drug dealer who traveled to England in 1913 as a student and opened a restaurant in Birmingham. An expert in chemistry, he spoke several languages and first came to police attention when his name was found in paperwork after a drug raid in 1917. He was found to be involved in a controversial case of supplying drugs that killed Freda Kempton in 1922. After the fiasco, he was portrayed as an international drug mastermind and the Dope King of London by the British press.

After spending a few years in Birmingham, Chang moved to London to look after his uncle's business, which included a restaurant at 107 Regent Street and contracts with the British Admiralty. Several newspaper reports chronicled his deals with young women. He would bribe waiters to pass a note to pretty girls in his restaurants and invite them to have a quiet dinner with him. Enticing them with his charisma and exotic appeal, he took some as his customers and others became his lovers.

A number of raids in his business forced Chang to move to Limehouse in October 1923. His association with chorus girl Violet Payne, also known as Mary Deval or Ruby Duval, led to his eventual downfall. Payne was caught with a packet of unknown substances. Upon investigation, she mentioned Chang's name after which he was searched and subsequently arrested. Later, Chang was deported from Britain in 1925. There is not much proof of his later years as it is said he opened a dance club in Nice, France, where he rose to become the Dope Emperor of Europe. Several reports also say he died. 

However, the series contradicts the theory to show how Chang survived and made his way back to Britain to make a deal with the Shelby clan. 'Warrior' actor Andrew Koji essays the eccentric character in the hit thriller. As the season progresses, it is to be seen whether Chang turns out to become a major player or just a sidekick. The fifth episode of 'Peaky Blinders' rolls out on BBC One on September 15 and will show what ensues after the dramatic cliffhanger where Linda and Arthur stand at death's door.