Ben Elton has insisted ‘Blackadder’ will never return.
The co-creator of the historical sitcom – which aired from 1983 to 1989 – has dismissed persistent speculation the programme will be revived and told fans to ignore any hints that something could happen from cast members such as Tony Robinson.
He said: "Every time Tony does an interview he says, ‘Oh, I think there might be another,’ but don’t listen to Baldrick on this one, you need to hear it from me or Richard (Curtis) as we write it.
"There is never going to be another — I can tell you that now."
Ben worries a comeback would ruin the relationship he has with co-writer Richard Curtis and lead actor Rowan Atkinson as he admitted making the show wasn’t always "easy" or "happy".
And the 60-year-old writer also described the one-off episodes which aired around the time of the millennium, as "semi-half-a**ed revivals" and "s**t".
He added to The Sun newspaper: "’Blackadder’ wasn’t easy, it wasn’t a particularly happy experience for everyone.
"It was very tense, lots of egos, lots of frustrations but through it all everyone remained friendly and deeply respectful. But it was edgy.
"Richard went in all the time and it was very hard for him but I was like, ‘f**k ’em, if they’re going to spend three hours discussing whether vole or gerbil is a funnier word, when Richard and I had written vole because we know it’s a funnier word, and they’ll come back with vole at the end — then I don’t want to sit through that debate’.
"I used to sometimes not go in..
"It’s just best to remember ‘Blackadder’ as it was."
Despite Ben’s comments, co-creator Richard previously admitted he is "always hoping" the programme will return at some point.
In June, he said: "The thing about ‘Blackadder’ was, it was a young man’s show criticising older people, saying how stupid those in authority were.
"So I did once think, ‘If we ever did anything again, it should be Blackadder as a teacher in a university, about how much we hate young people.’
"I’m always hoping Rowan and I will do one last live show and bring on Blackadder for a 10-minute bit."
Each series covered a different period of history, including the Middle Ages, Elizabethan England, the Georgian Era and a run of episodes focused on the trenches during World War One.
The cast also featured the likes of Tim McInnerny, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry and the late Rik Mayall.
Ben Elton rules out Blackadder return
