At the beginning of the year, a new Blackadder special was announced for Comic Relief, but fans of the classic historical sitcom have a lot more coming their way this year including the chance to see the never before seen pilot.
British broadcaster UKTV has announced not one but two new Blackadder programs coming.
First up is Blackadder: The Lost Pilot. Fans of the original show might know that the original pilot of Blackadder, named "The Black Adder," has never been aired before, but this new 80-minute documentary follows Baldrick actor Tony Robinson as he delves into this episode and its history.
Tony Robinson wasn't actually in the Blackadder pilot, but he's still our guide to understanding this pivotal part of the show's history. Plus, the original pilot will be shown in its full, letting Blackadder fans get one more brand-new episode.
Tony Robinson said: “Blackadder holds a special place in the nation’s heart and in mine too. I’m delighted to be part of its 40th Birthday celebrations on Gold. It’s been wonderful to journey back to where it all began and chat to some of the biggest names in comedy who made it all happen.”
The second documentary is Blackadder: A Cunning Story. This feature-length documentary explores the entire history of Blackadder, not just its mysterious first episode, and will include segments from several celebrities and self-proclaimed Blackadder fans.
Both of these special documentaries have been commissioned because it's the 40th anniversary of Blackadder — the first season came out in 1983 (and this was possibly the only season too, the BBC1 controller admitted a few years ago).
UKTV hasn't said exactly when these two documentaries will air, but they'll both be out in the month of June, as comedy channel Gold is dedicated to Blackadder through the month, due to the first season debuting on June 15.
Gold will be showing classic episodes, the various Blackadder specials, and of course these two docs, over the course of the month.
