Tom Hardy tipped for new real-life SAS drama by Peaky Blinders writer

Tom Hardy is being eyed to take on the lead role in a new real-life SAS series by the creator of \'Peaky Blinders\'.

The 41-year-old actor is in the running for the upcoming television drama - which is based on the bestselling book \'SAS: Rogue Heroes\' by Ben Macintyre - which has been created by writer Steven Knight.

Steven told The Times newspaper: "This will be a secret history telling the story of exceptional soldiers who decided battles and won wars only to then disappear back into the shadows.

"We will shine a light on remarkable true events informed by the people who shaped them."

Hardy played Jewish gangster Alfie Solomons in the 60-year-old screenwriter\'s hit BBC show \'Peaky Blinders\', which starred Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby - the leader of a gang who are based on the Peaky Blinders, a real 19th century youth gang who ran riot in Belfast in the early twentieth century.

The upcoming show is produced by Endemol Shine drama banner Kudos, and the company are delighted that the acclaimed writer will be helming the series.

Martin Haines, joint Managing Director for Kudos, said: "The sheer scale of the adventures brilliantly told by Ben, and the extraordinary and varied characters involved, make this an incredibly exciting project. With Steven on board we have the opportunity to redefine the genre completely."

Kudos\' Karen Wilson added: "Steven is the perfect writer to bring this incredibly rich and powerful story to life. Imagine the men at the heart of this story being drawn with the same colour, character and compassion as the iconic characters which feature across Steven\'s work and you get a sense of the huge potential of this project."