Also in the 2004 TV poll to find " Britain's Best Sitcom ", Blackadder was voted the second-best British sitcom of all time, topped by Only Fools and Horses.

This was followed by a second series, Blackadder II ( 1986 ) set during the reign of Elizabeth I, a third series Blackadder the Third ( 1987 ) set during the late 18th and early 19th centuries in the reign of George III, and finally Blackadder Goes Forth ( 1989 ) in 1917, set in the trenches of the Great War.

The Black Adder was the first series of Blackadder and was written by Richard Curtis and Rowan Atkinson, and produced by John Lloyd.

The second series was the first to establish the familiar Blackadder character: cunning, shrewd and witty, in sharp contrast to the bumbling Prince Edmund of the first series.

It was the following insult directed at Lord Percy by Edmund Blackadder: " The eyes are open, the mouth moves, but Mr. Brain has long since departed, hasn't he, Percy?

The Blackadder pilot was shot but never aired on terrestrial TV in the UK ( although some scenes were shown in the 25th anniversary special Blackadder Rides Again ).

Blackadder: Back & Forth was originally shown in the Millennium Dome in 2000, followed by a screening on Sky One in the same year ( and later on BBC1 ).

Throughout the year, the specially-commissioned film Blackadder: Back & Forth was shown in Skyscape ( a separate cinema on the site sponsored by BSkyB ).

Later series ( Blackadder II, Blackadder the Third, Blackadder Goes Forth ) moved the duo through history and switched the relationship: the Edmund Blackadder of Blackadder II was a brilliant schemer, whereas Baldrick had devolved into a buffoon whose catchphrase was " I have a cunning plan " ( which he rarely had ).

A soldier under the pay of Bothwell, William Blackadder of the Clan Blackadder, was allegedly the first non-participant to happen upon the scene, and for that reason was initially treated as a suspect.

Following the departure of Todd Blackadder to join the Crusaders coaching setup in Super Rugby, Lynn Howells was appointed as head coach by new executive chairman Alex Carruthers.

More tributaries including Ellen Brook, Jane Brook, Henley Brook, Wandoo Creek, Bennett Brook, Blackadder Creek, Limestone Creek, Susannah Brook, and the Helena River enter the river between Wooroloo Brook and Guildford ; however, most of these have either dried up or become seasonally flowing due to human impacts such as land clearing and development.

), and the Blackadder and Baldrick families have finally triumphed, making it to become rulers of England.

In the third series it is revealed that a branch of the Blackadder family is a significant clan in Scotland, although they have become known by the name MacAdder.

* In the Blackadder III episode ' Amy and Amiability ', Blackadder, dressed in a black mask and cape, is asked if he intends to become a highwayman and replies sarcastically " No, I'm auditioning for the part of Arnold the Bat in Sheridan's new comedy.

' Blackadder, having conversely earned the Duke's respect and thus an amicable settling of the Prince's accounts, leaps on the opportunity to claim that he is Prince George, and supposedly goes on to become George IV of the United Kingdom.

Todd Julian Blackadder ( born 20 September 1971 in Rangiora ) is a former professional New Zealand rugby union player and professional rugby coach.

Sean Lineen, then Glasgow Warriors assistant coach, was linked with the post before Todd Blackadder acquired the position for the season after a spell as interim coach.

His first assistant coach ( forwards coach ) was New Zealander Todd Blackadder and the second was Ulsterman Willie Anderson.

In a twist on Charles Dickens ' A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Blackadder is the " kindest and loveliest " man in England.

It is set on the turn of the millennium, and features Lord Blackadder placing a bet with his friends – modern versions of Queenie ( Miranda Richardson ), Melchett ( Stephen Fry ), George ( Hugh Laurie ) and Darling ( Tim McInnerny ) – that he has built a working time machine.

In addition to his acting on Blackadder, he also wrote and narrated several Jackanory-style children's programmes, encouraged by Richard Curtis.

After Blackadder, Robinson became the narrator and one of the lead actors for the British animated series Nellie the Elephant, based on a song of the same name.

Notable acting roles include the lead in the film Wilde, Melchett in the BBC television series Blackadder, the titular character in the the television series Kingdom, a recurring guest role as Dr. Gordon Wyatt on the crime series Bones and as Gordon Deitrich in the dystopian thriller V for Vendetta.

There is also usually another main character who is on a par with him in terms of intelligence and serves as someone for him to play games of one-upmanship with, such as Lord Melchett and Captain Darling, but these characters are typically sycophantic toadies who suck up to their superiors like Queenie and General Melchett, whom Blackadder himself is also forced to reluctantly serve.

He made guest appearances on Blackadder as the painter Leonardo Acropolis and Shelley as pop star Hobo with Hywel Bennett as James Shelley.

Laurie appeared in the music videos for the 1986 single " Experiment IV " by Kate Bush, and the 1992 single " Walking on Broken Glass " by Annie Lennox, in full Georgian-period costume, a toned-down version of his Prince George character from Blackadder the Third, opposite John Malkovich, similarly reprising his role of the Vicomte Valmont from Dangerous Liaisons.

The opening theme for Blackadder Goes Forth includes Baldrick playing a single note on a triangle at the end of the song.

* Edmund Blackadder wrote on Sputnikmusic. com that Farewell was " Rush's masterpiece ( closely followed by Hemispheres )", describing the instrumentation as " absolutely brilliant, with every musician at the peak of their talents " and praised the album for its " wide variety of different song types and structures ".

In 1508 he as elected as Bishop of Galloway, in succession to George Vaus, but before his consecration he was chosen to succeed Robert Blackadder as Archbishop of Glasgow and was consecrated at Stirling on 15 April 1509.

When Lieutenant George is injured and sent to the military infirmary, Captain Blackadder visits him with the ulterior motive of getting his hands on the food sent to George by his family, whom Blackadder refers to as a " collection of inbred mutants ".

When George retorts that his family are not inbred, Blackadder replies, " Come on, somewhere outside Saffron Walden there's an uncle who's seven feet tall with no chin and an Adam's apple that makes him look as though he's constantly trying to swallow a ballcock ", to which George replies, " I have not got any uncles like that!

Greenlaw is a small town situated in the foothills of the Lammermuir Hills on Blackadder Water at the junction of the A697 and the A6105 in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland.

* Leonardo Acropolis, a painter on the BBC sitcom Blackadder

Such was Hanna's identification with by-elections that in 1987 he was a guest star in Blackadder the Third, reporting on S. Baldrick's victory at the rotten borough of Dunny-on-the-Wold in the episode Dish and Dishonesty ( and credited as " his own great-great-great-grandfather ").

The Queen demonstrates feelings for Blackadder that, on occasion, the audience is given cause to believe may border on something deeper than casual flirting.

Director and writer Richard Curtis said in the making of video, that they wanted " the best looking woman in England " to play the role .< ref >" Baldrick's Video Diary " 1994, Directed by Anthony Palmer, as featured in < i > Blackadder </ i > The Ultimate Edition 2009, 16: 23 </ ref >

* July 28 – Robert Blackadder, Bishop of Glasgow

Blackadder is the name that encompassed four series of a BBC One period British sitcom, along with several one-off instalments.

All television programme episodes starred Rowan Atkinson as anti-hero Edmund Blackadder and Tony Robinson as Blackadder's dogsbody, Baldrick.

In 2000 the fourth series, Blackadder Goes Forth, ranked at 16 in the " 100 Greatest British Television Programmes ", a list created by the British Film Institute.

Although each series is set in a different era, all follow the " misfortunes " of Edmund Blackadder ( played by Atkinson ), who in each is a member of a British family dynasty present at many significant periods and places in British history.

It is implied in each series that the Blackadder character is a descendant of the previous one, although it is never mentioned how any of the Blackadders manage to father children.

As the generations progress, Blackadder becomes increasingly clever and perceptive, while his social status steadily erodes ; however, each Blackadder remains a cynical, cowardly opportunist, maintaining and increasing his own status and fortunes, regardless of his surroundings.

Each generation acts as the dogsbody to his respective Blackadder.

Each Blackadder and Baldrick is also saddled with the company of a dim-witted aristocrat whose presence Blackadder must somehow tolerate.

Blackadder II is set in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I ( 1558 – 1603 ), played by Miranda Richardson.

The principal character is Edmund, Lord Blackadder, the great-grandson of the original Black Adder.

Blackadder the Third is set in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a period known as the Regency.

In the series, E. Blackadder Esquire is the butler to the Prince Regent, the Prince of Wales ( the prince is played by Hugh Laurie as a complete fop and idiot ).

Blackadder is joined by his batman Private S. Baldrick ( Tony Robinson ) and idealistic Edwardian twit Lieutenant George ( Hugh Laurie ).

The final episode of this series, " Goodbyeee ", is known for being extraordinarily poignant for a comedy – especially the final scene, which sees the main characters ( Blackadder, Baldrick, George, and Darling ) finally going " over the top " and charging off into the fog and smoke of no man's land to presumably die.

In a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes, drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000 and voted for by industry professionals, Blackadder Goes Forth placed 16th.

Another significant difference is that the character of Prince Edmund presented in the pilot is much closer to the intelligent, conniving Blackadder of the later series than the snivelling, weak buffoon of the original.