Strange but True department.

[Nicholas]

As far as I know Andrew has never mentioned this. Sir Henry Birkin, better known as Tim Birkin, was a famous racing car driver in the 1920s and early 1930s. One of his daughters married, not once but twice, into the Buxton family and was known socially as "Lady Buxton". So, a cousin of Andrew's married two cousins of Rupert's (please note:at different times). Now, I don't hold with conspiracy theories but ...

[andrew]

Yes, I discovered the link many years ago when one of the Buxtons, who ran Anglia television, asked me to write a script about Tim Birkin for – wait for it – Rowan Atkinson! I gratefully declined as I couldn’t see what the story was, nor – much as I admired him as a comedian – could I see Blackadder in the part. They went ahead anyway, and when I watched it years later, I gave a sigh of relief that it had nothing to do with me!

[Nicholas]

Blackadder Blows Off? It doesn't quite work, does it.