Comic Relief 2023: Blackadder fans rejoice in Baldrick’s return after 20 years

‘This is a lovely story called Balder-ella,’ Tony Robinson told viewers in special

Sir Tony Robinson reprised his Blackadder role of Baldrick for a Red Nose Day 2023 sketch in aid of Comic Relief on Friday (17 March).

The special appearance marked the first time Blackadder has returned to our screens in 20 years. Sadly, Rowan Atkinson – who plays the titular Edmund Blackadder – was not involved in the sketch.

During the BBC’s broadcast, Robinson told a special “Grown-up Bedtime Story”, produced by the CBeebies Bedtime Stories team.

“This is a lovely story called Balder-ella,” Robinson’s dimwitted Baldrick told viewers in the sketch written by Blackadder co-creator Richard Curtis.

“Once upon a time, there was a nice little fella and his name was Baldrick. And he lived in a house with a very nasty man called Edmund Blackadder. And often Blackadder would say ‘Baldrick, you are as stupid as Stuart McStupid who won the stupidest man in Britain award 17 years in a row, which wasn’t very nice as Baldrick was quite clever. And often had some very cunning plans.”

While Blackadder fans were initially disappointed that Atkinson would not be returning alongside his costar, they were nonetheless delighted to see Baldrick back on screens.

“Take a bow Tony Robinson! 40 years playing the same character – well, sort of – is not to be sniffed at,” one wrote on Twitter.

“This was brilliant. Oh how I love Baldrick,” tweeted another.

“How I’ve missed Baldrick. Tony Robinson take a bow,” said another.

Four full series of Blackadder aired between 1983 and 1989, with the character later returning for a number of one-off specials and appearances.

Back in 2021, Atkinson suggested that he may not be against the idea of bringing Blackadder back in earnest.

“It’s certainly not impossible. That’s about as optimistic as I can be,” he said.