McInnery on Blackadder

Factual Questions
#1

Since there’s been some Blackadder movement on the board lately…

Tim McInnery appears in the first two Blackadder series as Percy, Lord Percy. But unlike Baldrick and Blackadder himself, the character of Percy doesn’t make the transition to Hanoverian times in Blackadder the Third. But there’s McInnery, with enough free time to appear in one episode, “Nob and Nobility”. By Blackadder Goes Forth, McInnery is again a regular - named Darling.

What the hey happened to Lord Percy? Did the producers bump Percy off but keep McInnery around for the sheer joy of it? Did McInnery have another gig that fell through at the last moment? Is this all part of some cunning plan, or is it just more cowpats from the Devil’s own satanic herd?

Thanks in advance,

#2

I should know this, considering I own the whole series, but I wasn’t sure. This is just a guess on my part, but it’s likely because of being busy. In the year and a half from the end of the second series to the fourth one, McInnery was in two mini-series, another TV series, and a movie. Probably wanted to try something different after two years. Again, this is just a guess.

#3

IIRC, he got sick of being Percy.

Baldrick changes over the series, as does Edmund, but Percy is relentlessly stupid. I expect this got a bit wearing.

picmr

#4

Also, the third series had Hugh Laurie playing the part of a posh idiot, so they didn’t really need another one.