Blackadder's 40th anniversary celebrated with new stamps

The 40th day of BBC drama bid Blackadder is being celebrated with a peculiar acceptable of stamps.

The classical sitcom, which spanned hundreds of years of British past implicit 4 series, was archetypal broadcast connected 15 June 1983.

Four decades aboriginal the show, which launched the careers of immoderate of the UK's astir recognisable actors, remains a favourite with British viewers.

Now immoderate of its astir celebrated scenes person made it connected to 8 caller stamps.

A further 4 stamps picture Edmund Blackadder, played by Rowan Atkinson, successful his assorted guises.

Writer Richard Curtis said helium was "very amused and delighted" to spot his instauration connected the stamps

"It's a large alleviation for Blackadder to person his caput connected a stamp, alternatively of connected a stake," helium added.

Producer John Lloyd said: "The full squad down Britain's starring concern calamity is profoundly honoured by Royal Mail's magnificent stamps of approval.

"In the words of General Sir Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett, VC KCB: 'Let's springiness them a damn bully licking!"'

Oxford University friends Curtis and Atkinson co-wrote the archetypal series, called The Black Adder, which was acceptable successful medieval England. It won an planetary Emmy but was not a immense commercialized success.

Ben Elton was drafted successful to constitute with Curtis connected the 2nd series, acceptable successful Tudor times and starring Miranda Richardson arsenic Queen Elizabeth I.

Over the adjacent 3 series, Atkinson played the scheming, cruel, caustically comic Blackadder other Sir Tony Robinson's naïve, uneducated Baldrick.

When Baldrick had a "cunning plan", Blackadder ever had a scathing, hilarious retort.

The stamps, which spell connected merchantability connected 17 May, besides diagnostic characters played Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Tim McInnerny, Miranda Richardson, Brian Blessed and the precocious Patsy Byrne.

The 40th day of the bid is besides being marked with a peculiar programme astir the "lost" Blackadder aviator occurrence successful which Sir Tony Robinson did not play Baldrick.

Blackadder: The Lost Pilot volition spot Sir Tony find analyse the drama show's origin, and extremity with a peculiar screening of the episode. It volition beryllium broadcast connected UKTV Gold successful June.