And Rob Brydon, too

Rob Brydon and Blackadder stars Rowan Atkinson and Tony Robinson have all been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

Robinson becomes a knight for his public and political work; while Atkinson gets a CBE for his services to drama and charity.

And Brydon gets an MBE for services to comedy, broadcasting and charity. He said: ‘This is a great honour and an even greater surprise. I accept it not just for me but for short Welsh men everywhere.’

Sir Tony's knighthood recognises his ‘lifetime of public and political service [and his] career as an actor, theatre director, children's author and television presenter’.

A former member of Labour's National Executive Committee, Sir Tony said he had been left ‘a little gob-smacked’ by the honour, adding: ‘I'll use my new title with abandon to highlight the causes I believe in, particularly the importance of culture, the arts and heritage in our society, and the plight of the infirm elderly and their carers.’

His citation added: 'He has been heavily involved in many campaigns around international justice, as well as raising issues faced by the elderly, particularly in his role as an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society. He has done much to promote archaeology and is a much loved comic actor. '

Atkinson said his CBE was a ‘genuine surprise and... a great honour’.

Their honours come 30 years to the day since the first episode of The Black Adder aired on BBC One.

Meanwhile BBC producer Jon Plowman has been made an OBE for services to British comedy. His credits include The Office, French & Saunders, Absolutely Fabulous, The League Of Gentlemen and Twenty Twelve

A total of 1,180 people are named on the Birthday Honours list, including a British Empire Medal for Leicester Comedy Festival founder Geoff Rowe.

Published: 14 Jun 2013