UKTV install ‘portrait of Edmund Blackadder’ in historic house

A new portrait of Edmund Blackadder was secretly installed overnight at Audley End House to mark the 40th anniversary of the BBC comedy series.

Visitors were left scratching their heads as they stumbled across the oil painting hanging in the Great Hall of the historic Jacobean mansion in Essex, mistaking the portrait of Blackadder for Shakespeare, Sir Walter-Raleigh and even Henry VIII.

The stunt was orchestrated by TV channel Gold, which is marking the 40th anniversary of the TV series with a month-long celebration of the period sitcom. The celebration includes two brand new documentaries Blackadder: A Cunning Story and Blackadder: The Lost Pilot – which includes the first TV outing for the original Blackadder pilot.

The painting of Edmund Blackadder, created by renowned artist Tom Croft

Blackadder II, 1986, BBC / UKTV

The painting, created by renowned artist Tom Croft, shows the much-loved Rowan Atkinson character in his Elizabethan attire, painted in a classical oil on canvas style and completed with an ornate gold frame. Tom painted the portrait across 60 hours, after rewatching series two of Blackadder repeatedly for reference.

Reactions to the painting were captured in a new video featuring comedy legend Tony Robinson, who famously played Baldrick, Blackadder’s servant and sidekick, and who cunningly helped sneak the portrait into Audley End House.

Tony Robinson:

“What an honour to have been asked to unveil this incredible painting – and what a cunning plan to have it installed by Gold in such an extraordinary location to celebrate 40 years of Blackadder. Tom Croft did an amazing job at capturing Edmund’s witty expression, and I know Baldrick would be thrilled to see his hero hanging at Audley End House.”