Entertainment

Rowan Atkinson: It's a shame comedy is dismissed as froth

The Mr Bean star is back as the French detective and has said he will be “lightening him up a bit” as a character.
The Mr Bean star is back as the French detective and has said he will be “lightening him up a bit” as a character. The Mr Bean star is back as the French detective and has said he will be “lightening him up a bit” as a character.

Actor Rowan Atkinson has said it is a “shame” comedy is dismissed as “froth” in the arts world.

The Mr Bean and Blackadder star will return to television screens on Easter Sunday in the title role as fictional French detective Jules Maigret.

Rowan Atkinson in Maigret. (Photographer: Colin Hutton.)
Rowan Atkinson in Maigret. (Photographer: Colin Hutton.)
Rowan Atkinson in Maigret. (Photographer: Colin Hutton.)

Rowan, 62, spoke to the Daily Mail’s Weekend magazine about “lightening up” the pipe-smoking character for the new film, titled Night At The Crossroads.

Talking about employing the same skills to a role, be it comic or serious, he said: “The skills I’m employing to play Maigret are exactly the same skills I use to play comedy roles.

“Yet there’s a sort of general disregard for comedy in the arts world. It’s thought to be inferior. But I think comedy is actually, generally speaking, more difficult than the serious stuff.

Mr Bean, played by Rowan Atkinson, celebrates the character's 25th anniversary on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace, London, on his trademark Mini.
Mr Bean, played by Rowan Atkinson, celebrates the character's 25th anniversary on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace, London, on his trademark Mini.
Celebrating Mr Bean’s 25th anniversary in 2015 (John Stillwell/PA)

“And yet because it’s comedy it’s dismissed as froth, which is a shame.”

The new instalment of the ITV series sees Maigret investigating after the body of a diamond merchant is discovered in a car.

Rowan also recently played his famous character, the bumbling Mr Bean, in a Chinese film titled Top Funny Comedian.

“It was just a cameo appearance. I just played Mr Bean. I didn’t have to speak,” he explained.

“The good thing about Mr Bean as a character is he’s very self-contained.”

Maigret: Night At The Crossroads will be on ITV on Easter Sunday at 8pm.