Entertainment

Tony Robinson says he has no plans to join Lib Dems after Labour exit

The actor is making a guest cameo in ITV2’s Ancient Rome-set sitcom Plebs.
The actor is making a guest cameo in ITV2’s Ancient Rome-set sitcom Plebs. The actor is making a guest cameo in ITV2’s Ancient Rome-set sitcom Plebs.

Sir Tony Robinson has said he has no plans to join the Liberal Democrats after quitting the Labour Party earlier this year.

The actor, 73, resigned from the party in May, citing opposition to Labour’s stance on Brexit, concern over its handling of anti-Semitism allegations and the poor quality of its leadership.

He told the PA news agency he remains “glad” he took the position he did.

People’s Vote march for a second EU referendum – London
People’s Vote march for a second EU referendum – London Pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller and Sir Tony Robinson during a People’s Vote march (John Stillwell/PA)

Sir Tony, best known as Baldrick in hit comedy Blackadder and a member of TV’s Time Team, is a former member of Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee.

In a nod to his role on Time Team, Sir Tony cameos in an upcoming episode of ITV2’s Plebs as an archaeologist.

He told PA: “I left the Labour Party because I had no confidence in the leadership and no confidence in what the leadership was offering.

“As every day goes by and Labour fails to make a genuine offer to people that they can understand – that is rigorous and is practical.

Investitures at Buckingham Palace
Investitures at Buckingham Palace Sir Tony Robinson after being knighted by the Duke of Cambridge (Sean Dempsey/PA)

“I consider my position … I am glad I took the position I did.

“I would like to see the Labour Party rise up again and be the great national party it once was. But at this point I can’t see that happening.”

Sir Tony, who supports continued UK membership of the European Union, said he was not tempted to join the Liberal Democrats because of their support for a second referendum.

He said: “I don’t have any aspirations at the moment to join any party. What interests me is really the discussion and joining in the discussion.

Sir Tony Robinson in Plebs (Rise Films/ITV/PA)

“I would feel much freer joining in that discussion not from a party point of view but just from the point of view of a citizen.”

Sir Tony added that any person’s attempts to predict the course of British politics would inevitably make them “look like a twit”.

He said that while he does not currently intend to explore Brexit in his work, he expects it to “be a colour that will inform every British artist’s work for the next 20 years”.

Sir Tony is the latest star to make a surprise appearance in Ancient Rome-set sitcom Plebs, joining Amanda Holden, who plays a lusty aristocrat, and Emelia Fox, who plays a detective.

Tom Rosenthal as Marcus, Joel Fry as Stylax and Ryan Sampson as slave Grumio (Rise Films/ITV/PA)

The Dig, which airs on Monday night, will see Marcus (Tom Rosenthal) and slave Grumio (Ryan Sampson) unearth an old brooch.

When Sir Tony’s professor of archaeology goes missing, the boys, who paid him a recent visit, are brought in for questioning.

He said filming on set in Sofia, Bulgaria, felt like “home”.

He said: “Just working with the guys and knowing how influenced they were by Blackadder and how they were quite passionate about that series and that kind of humour.

Amanda Holden also cameos on Plebs (Rise Films/ITV/PA)

“I felt I was at home. I never for one moment thought that I was an outsider who had come in for just one week.

“I felt like I was part of the team while I was there.”

Sir Tony Robinson’s cameo role comes in the upcoming sixth episode of Plebs series five, due to air on Monday October 28 at 10pm on ITV2.