Gangs of London star Joe Cole hits out at drama cuts in state schools: "It's pretty sad"

He was a Brummie gangster in Peaky Blinders, a Scouse boxer in A Prayer Before Dawn (for which he won a British Independent Film Award) and a heroic former Met cop in Nightsleeper.

He plays another gangster in the action thriller Gangs of London, which now returns for a third season.

You've made a name for yourself as a bit of a tough man. Is that what you're like in real life?

I can certainly handle myself, to give a simple answer! But it’s a difficult question. Have you seen A Small Light?! [Cole starred as a real-life Dutch resistance member who helped his wife shelter Anne Frank’s family.] "Tough" covers many different facets.

How do you choose your roles?

It’s not by choice that I’ve done two action shows, two gangster shows and prison films – it’s because the roles I’m offered within them are great. I played a boxer from Liverpool who got locked up in a Thai prison in A Prayer before Dawn. An incredible experience. But a lot of this industry is out of an actor’s control; you’re at the mercy of casting agents, producers, directors.

Your character, Sean Wallace, has been left for a dead a few times in Gangs of London. How does he keep surviving?

Ha-ha! It’s in his genetic makeup! He seems to have nine lives, and he’s now been given one more chance. He started as an adolescent figure making rash decisions, developed into someone a little more calculated, cut-throat, almost a proper gangster, and now he has a new life to adapt to.

Gangs of London is known for its intense fight scenes — is it as relentless to film as it is to watch?

Yes! It can be quite gruelling, especially when you have to do a fight 100 times in a row, but the stunts are choreographed and there’s always a buzz on set. Action sequences on TV are being elevated. These are film-makers trying to punch bigger than the budget in high-level action series.

Is it perhaps too violent?

It’s the USP of the show. These days people are exposed to all sorts of graphic content so we’re quite desensitised. Video games are more violent than Gangs of London. But it’s not my decision to make. Violence for violence’s sake isn’t my cup of tea. It needs to serve the story: if you’ve got high stakes, interesting characters and strong story arcs, then it’s justified.

How do you switch off from that?

I love a dip in cold water followed by a sauna. It’s the easiest way to change your state in a matter of minutes. I recommend everybody gives it a go. I’m in the gym at least four times a week, lifting weights. And I love hiking, getting out into nature and clearing my head.

Are you recognised for your roles?

Peaky Blinders, because it was sold worldwide. I was in Costa Rica recently and a woman washing sheets recognised me. The show resonated with a working-class audience, so it’s lovely when people ask me about it. But Gangs of London is hot on its heels. I get recognised for that all the time now. I’m tired of being recognised, to be honest, and having the same conversation 20 times a day, but I understand it’s part of the job. I can’t complain!

Are you sad not to be in the upcoming Peaky Blinders film, or are you glad not to have that haircut again?

Ha! I had an amazing time on that show, but it was a long time ago. I’ve got a bunch of friends in the movie, I’ve heard a few stories from set, and it all sounds very exciting. I’m buzzing to see it.

Your younger brother Finn acted alongside you in Peaky Blinders. Are you competitive with him?

Only at Monopoly! Is he better than me? Hmm… probably, yes. I’m the eldest of five boys and we went to quite a rough state school in south London, but it had an amazing drama department, and we all developed a love of the camaraderie involved in putting a show together. I can’t believe that so many of those classes are being cut in state schools. It’s pretty sad.

And finally… any plans for another season of the BBC's Nightsleeper?

Not to my knowledge. I quite liked it as a standalone. The train has to get from A to B, and then it’s over. I’d say that train has very much left the station!

The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here.

Gangs of London returns to Sky Atlantic and NOW on Thursday 20th March 2025.

Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.