Royal Mail unveils latest stamps to celebrate legendary BBC comedy

ROYAL Mail has come up with a cunning plan — to celebrate TV comedy Blackadder’s 40th anniversary with a set of stamps.

Eight of them capture moments from the four classic series, from medieval England to the World War One trenches.

Blackadder arrives with the first series arriving in 1983, with Edmund, Duke of Edinburgh who dubbed himself the Black Adder

Miranda Richardson as Queenie and Patsy Byrne as nursie in Blackadder II

Hugh Laurie's Prince George, with his butler Edmund Blackadder and servant Baldrick played by Sir Tony Robinson in the third show's incarnation — Hugh Laurie’s Prince George, with his butler Edmund Blackadder and servant Baldrick played by Sir Tony Robinson in the third show’s incarnation

The final full series for the Blackadder dynasty was set in the trenches of World War 1

The stamps feature some of the show’s best-loved characters, played by stars including Rowan Atkinson, Sir Tony Robinson, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Tim McInnerny, Miranda Richardson, Brian Blessed and the late Patsy Byrne.

Launched in 1983 by writer Richard Curtis and star Atkinson, with the assistance of BBC producer John Lloyd and co-author Ben Elton, the show is often cited as one of the best British sitcoms of all time.

Curtis said: “We’re very amused and delighted. It’s a great relief for Blackadder to have his head on a stamp, instead of on a stake.”

Producer Lloyd added: “The entire team behind Britain’s leading situation tragedy is deeply honoured by Royal Mail’s magnificent stamps of approval.

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“In the words of General Sir Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett, VC KCB: ‘Let’s give them a damn good licking!'”

David Gold, director of external affairs and policy at Royal Mail, said: “The epic saga of Blackadder spans six centuries of British history and four decades of British television and is still loved and revered by audiences old and new.

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“We are delighted to mark the 40th anniversary of Blackadder with a set of special stamps.”

A presentation pack of all 12 stamps will cost £19.60.