Tony Robinson

Sir Anthony Robinson (born 15 August 1946) is an English actor, author, broadcaster, comedian, presenter, and political activist. He played Baldrick in the BBC television series Blackadder and has presented many historical documentaries, including the Channel 4 series Time Team and The Worst Jobs in History. He has written 16 children's books. Robinson, a member of the Labour Party, was knighted in the 2013 Queen's Birthday Honours for his public and political service. Early life Robinson was born on 15 August 1946 in Homerton, London, to Phyllis and Leslie Robinson. His parents were from working-class Hackney backgrounds; his father was a civil servant and council employee who served in the RAF, and his mother, an audio-typist, served in the WAAF. He attended Woodford Green Preparatory School and Wanstead County High grammar school. He passed four O-levels (English language, English literature, history, and geography) and went on to study for A-levels, but did not complete them and decided to study at a drama school instead. Too young to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Robinson enrolled at the Central School of Speech and Drama in 1963, graduating in 1966. Robinson had his first acting role at the age of 13, as a member of Fagin's gang in the original production of the musical Oliver!, including a stint as the Artful Dodger when the boy playing the role failed to turn up. Over the next five years, he appeared in a number of West End theatre shows, and in film, and television.