How Blackadder have charted similar romantic terrain

2023-02-14

As Blackadder prepares to return some 34-years after THAT ending – how Rowan Atkinson and Tony Robinson have since charted similar romantic terrain with MUCH younger partners

Blackadder is officially set to make a comeback for first time in over 20 years for a Comic Relief 2023 special
However, director Richard Curtis revealed one major star won’t be returning

The last time we saw Blackadder and Baldrick it was on a war-torn no man’s land in 1917 as they charged to an almost certain death during what is widely regarded to be the greatest television moment of all time.

But as creator Richard Curtis unveils plans to revisit the groundbreaking sitcom for a Comic Relief special, some 34-years after Blackadder Goes Fourth drew to an emotional close, it would appear historic parody isn’t all Rowan Atkinson has in common with co-star Tony Robinson.

While Tony will be reprising his role as Baldrick, it seems Rowan, who plays Edmund Blackadder is not on board.

But both have charted similar romantic terrain, with Atkinson, now 68, in a relationship with 41-year old comedian and actress Louise Ford, while Robinson, 76, is married to third wife Louise Hobbs – also 41.

Atkinson’s romance with Ford began in 2015, two years after they met while appearing onstage in West End play Quartermaine’s Terms.

Love: As Richard Curtis unveils plans to revisit Blackadder for a Comic Relief special, Rowan Atkinson (pictured with Louise Ford) and Tony Robinson have charted similar romantic terrain

Romance: Tony, 76, is married to third wife Louise Hobbs – also 41 (pictured in 2007)

It’s BACK! While Tony (right) will be reprising his role as Baldrick, it seems Rowan, who plays Edmund Blackadder is not on board (left)

Confirmation of their romance came shortly after the actor separated from wife of 15-years Sunetra Sastry, the mother of his three children, in 2014.

Ironically, he was photographed with his wife in one of their last pictures together while going for dinner after a performance of the same play.

Proving their romance was going from strength to strength the actor promptly moved Louise into his £4.65 million cottage in North London – just weeks after his divorce was finalised.

Then, in November 2017 Louise appeared to confirm her pregnancy by revealing a baby bump just days after it was claimed the pair were expecting a child – Atkinson’s third at the age of 62.

A source told The Sunday People at the time: ‘Rowan and Louise are over the moon and can’t wait for their new arrival. It’s a very happy time for them both.’

The couple welcomed daughter Isla that December, with Mr. Bean star Atkinson reported to be taking time away from acting in order to give Ford an opportunity to develop her career.

A source told The Sun: ‘Rowan has a habit of surprising people – and he has done it again with this announcement.

‘He has said he will take a back seat from work to be with Isla, and this will obviously allow Louise to focus on her career which is going well.’

Theatre: Atkinson’s romance with Ford began in 2015, two years after they met while appearing onstage in West End play Quartermaine’s Terms (pictured)

Split: Confirmation of their romance came shortly after the actor separated from wife of 15-years Sunetra Sastry, the mother of his three children, in 2014 (pictured in 2005)

READ MORE: Blackadder is set to make comeback for first time in over 20 years for Comic Relief special

Blackadder is officially set to make a comeback for first time in over 20 years for a Comic Relief 2023 special.

Ford grew up in Bexleyheath, south-east London, before gaining an English degree at Southhampton University.

After graduating, she won a place at RADA where she was in the same year and treaded the boards with now Hollywood actress Gemma Arterton.

This led to appearances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with the Royal Shakespeare Company and parts in television comedies including BBC’s Misfits and starring alongside Inbetweeners actors Simon Bird and Joe Thomas in Sky’s Chickens.

Like Atkinson, her real love seems to be stand-up comedy which she has performed on the circuit with her RADA contemporary Yasmine Akram under ‘Ford and Akram’.

Ford has also performed as the character ‘Jenny Fawcett’ in a routine that is described as a ‘tapdancing geek’.

Meanwhile long-term collaborator Robinson has found happiness with Louise Hobbs – the actor’s third wife.

Robinson and Hobbs met when they were forced to share a table at an overbooked East End restaurant.

The actor, who has also hosted Channel 4 archaeology series Time Team, raised eyebrows when he began dating Hobbs in 2004.

They struck up a relationship and he proposed to her during a three-week holiday in Malaysia in December 2008. The couple live together in his £1.5million home in north-west London.

As well as being half his age, she is also two years younger than Robinson’s daughter Laura and five years younger than his son, Luke.

Even Hobbs’s mother, Pamela, is four years younger than the presenter.

In 1992 Robinson left Mary Shepherd – his wife of 20 years and the mother of his two children – for 35-year-old singer-songwriter Teri Bramah. And in 1994 he vowed never to wed again, calling marriage ‘a nonsense’.

Hobbs has admitted to being too young to have seen her future husband in his most famous role, as Baldrick in Blackadder – but she may well see him in the new Blackadder special.

However, she has previously said of the age gap: ‘It’s irrelevant. When people see us together, they forget.’

Director Richard confirmed the news to Gary Davies on Radio 2 on Tuesday, he is sitting in for Zoe Ball this week.

Gary said: ‘What’s happening on the telly show..? You were telling me something about Blackadder…?’

Richard replied: ‘God I’m really nervous about saying this but.. 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.’

‘With Rowan [Atkinson]?’ Gary enquired?

Richard replied: ‘No (laughs). Rowan’s far too serious to do any of that!’

‘Things are looking up,’ Richard continued before teasing more from this year’s Red Nose Day.

‘We got this amazing Ghosts with Kylie Minogue that’s going to be fantastic and we’re actually going to South Africa to do our own Love Island sketch which is fabulous as well. It’s going to be a very good night.’

Blackadder appeared on screens from 1983 to 1989 for 24 episodes which included three specials and starred a host of famous actors including Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie.

Last year, Rowan addressed returning to the show in an interview with Radio Times and said it ‘certainly wasn’t impossible. That’s about a optimistic as I can be.

‘I’d rather not speculate on when it could be set. But Blackadder represented the creative energy we all had in the ’80s. To try to replicate that 30 years on wouldn’t be easy.’

Exciting: Director Richard confirmed a Blackadder special will back on Radio 2 on Tuesday, he is sitting in for Zoe Ball this week

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