Sir Tony Robinson is set to reprise his role from Blackadder for the first time in more than 20 years for Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day appeal. The actor, 76, starred as Edmund Blackadder’s servant and sidekick Baldrick in the classic BBC sitcom from 1983 to 1989 and in a number of subsequent specials.
Comic relief co-founder and director Richard Curtis, who co-wrote the hit series, announced Sir Tony’s return but confirmed Rowan Atkinson would not be reprising his titular role. Speaking to Gary Davies on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show on Tuesday about the charity show, Curtis said: “I’m really nervous about saying this but I think for the first time in 20 years, Baldrick is going to be giving some kind of performance.
“We’re just conspiring about it now, so I think there’s going to be a marvellous, turnip-based thing with Tony Robinson now back in action. So I’m excited about that.” Davies asked whether Atkinson was also going to be involved, to which Curtis replied: “No, Rowan’s far too serious to do any of that.”
Sir Tony previously reprised his role for a Comic Relief Red Nose Day sketch in 1988 alongside Atkinson. The special, which was set in the English Civil War, saw Edmund Blackadder and his servant Baldrick as the last two men loyal to the defeated King Charles I of England. Sir Tony also returned to the role in 1999 for the short film special Blackadder: Back & Forth.
In 2020, Stephen Fry reprised his Blackadder role of Lord Melchett for a Comic Relief skit where he starred alongside the Prince of Wales, then the Duke of Cambridge. The sketch saw William and Melchett chatting over a video call as the event was held during the coronavirus pandemic. Curtis, who co-founded the charity Comic Relief with comedian Sir Lenny Henry in 1985, also revealed Kylie Minogue will be involved with the upcoming appeal show.
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He added that they will also be going to South Africa to do their own Love Island sketch, which he said will be “fabulous”.
“It’s going to be a very good night. And it’s so important now, so many people are having such a tough time in the UK at the moment,” Curtis said.
“We find that we’re giving people food, topping up people’s energy cards, doing as much as we can to alleviate things.”
Money raised for Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day will help the cost-of-living crisis and tackle issues such as homelessness, mental health problems and food poverty in the UK and across the world.
A portion of the money raised will also go towards the emergency response to the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
Red Nose Day returns to BBC One on March 17 with hosts AJ Odudu, David Tennant, Joel Dommett, Paddy McGuinness and Zoe Ball.
