Peaky Blinders fans can’t quite believe those characters are really dead after series 4’s shocking first episode

***SPOILER ALERT. DO NOT READ ON IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN PEAKY BLINDERS SERIES FOUR EPISODE ONE***

Just when they thought their beloved boys had made it to the end of episode one in one piece, fans of Steven Knight’s Peaky Blinders got a nasty shock in the last 60 seconds of the series opener when main characters John Shelby and Michael Gray were hit with a barrage of bullets.

The pair were intercepted at John’s rural home by Luca Changretta’s (Adrien Brody) Mafia hit squad, who wasted no time in following their orders to take out Tommy Shelby’s brother and cousin.

• Peaky Blinders series four preview: an explosively brilliant first episode as the Mafia come to Brum
• Who were the real Peaky Blinders?
• Watch the gloomy first trailer for Peaky Blinders series four

John’s wife Esme watched on helplessly as the boys hit the ground, and so did astonished viewers.

Some fans were quite simply lost for words and left it to Thomas Shelby to do the talking for them.

That ending of peaky blinders tho pic.twitter.com/DHiwLrF7wD

— Louise Moorhouse (@louisemoorhouse) November 15, 2017

They quite simply couldn’t believe what had happened.

Literally my face at the end of #PeakyBlinders pic.twitter.com/ved656Lt64

— Emma Duffield (@emmajayduff1) November 15, 2017

One heartbroken fan asked the BBC who they should send the bill for their therapy to.

Dear @BBCTwo who do I send my counselling bill to after the emotional trauma just caused? #PeakyBlinders pic.twitter.com/n2Qu2KZ5cw

— Samantha Clayson (@SamanthaClayson) November 15, 2017

While others, still reeling, hoped for the best.

John and Michael best not be dead????????#PeakyBlinders4 #PeakyBlinders pic.twitter.com/hqIiSpaVxV

— Harvey (@harv_godz) November 15, 2017

In fact, the majority of fans appear to be doing just that. RadioTimes.com asked 2,500 fans if they thought John and Michael were really dead – and nearly 66% of them said no.

Hope everyone enjoyed Peaky Blinders last night. Love to hear your thoughts. Thank you for the kind messages x

— Finn Cole (@FinnCole) November 16, 2017

Real-life brothers Finn and Joe Cole (who play John and Michael) are keeping silent – much to the frustration of fans who’ve been bombarding them with “ARE YOU ALIVE THOUGH?” tweets.

View this post on Instagram

Enjoy the show. #peakyblinders #johnshelby #byorderof

A post shared by Joe Cole (@theotherjoecole) on Nov 15, 2017 at 12:40pm PST

And if the worst should come to pass, one enterprising fan already has a plan PB.

#PeakyBlinders petition for them to cancel the whole season to reshoot it so John survives pic.twitter.com/aU46NTd2Vw

— Ellie Howorth (@EllieHoworth) November 15, 2017

Either way, the wait for the next episode will be torture.