Comedy channel Gold is dedicating June to celebrating the much-loved comedy series Blackadder, as the iconic show celebrates its 40th anniversary on June 15th.

As part of the celebrations Gold has commissioned two brand new UKTV Originals, including Blackadder: The Lost Pilot (June 15, 9pm), produced by Red Sauce, and Blackadder: A Cunning Story produced by Tiger Aspect (a Banijay UK company).

In Blackadder: The Lost Pilot Sir Tony Robinson goes on a quest to discover the truth behind the Blackadder origin story. Tony's journey takes him back in time to find out where Blackadder really began, and to uncover the story of the never-before-broadcast Blackadder pilot episode.

It's a personal story for Tony - Baldrick has defined his career and playing the character transformed his life. But Tony didn't play Baldrick in the pilot. And there's so much about Blackadder's beginnings he doesn't know.

Along the way he will speak to comedy greats including the series creator and writer Richard Curtis and co-writer Ben Elton. The climax of the programme will be a special screening of the never-before-broadcast pilot.

Read an interview with Tony Robinson below

What’s it been like returning to Blackadder’s origins?

One of the interesting things about making the documentary is how every one of my interviews with the team behind the pilot was like a school reunion. We all immediately picked up the relationship we had 40 years ago, rather than having to start afresh. That was very, very strange. What was evident from the interviews is there’s an awful lot of goodwill towards the pilot. Even though it was very experimental, and it's not what Blackadder became, you can see how the scaffolding in the pilot built the future series.

How did you become Blackadder’s historian in this documentary?

The first question I was asked was a theoretical one. The production knew the rights to the pilot existed but obtaining the rights after 40 years was a nightmare, so they asked if I would be interested in being involved if they were able to get the rights. I replied I’d love to be involved. There's so much I don't know about Blackadder. I talk about the show to the press so often and I’ve been involved in two documentaries, but I was just a hired turn who turned up for six weeks every two years for filming. All the politics behind the scenes, everything that was taking place behind the cameras, and how the decisions that were made came to be made, were aspects I didn't know much about at all.

I loved the idea of finding out more. What I didn't realise was by saying all that I was pitching to be the presenter of the show. They said to me, “Why don't you present the documentary if you really don't know that much and you're hungry to learn? Why don't we just let you off your leash?” I was really pleased to be asked. I do have a sense of ownership about the series, because there are very few comic performers who are given a character who becomes a national icon. I'm desperately proud of that, and to be able to recap how that character was brought to life is very important to me and my heart.

Had you ever seen the pilot before making this documentary?

I’m like everybody else involved in this film - I must have seen the pilot, but it was 40 years ago and I can't remember. What everyone said is they cannot remember for the life of them if they’ve seen the pilot. Some people said they didn’t even know there was a pilot and then when they watched it they said, “Of course! I remember that!” That’s exactly how it was for me - the memory had completely faded away, but as soon as you see it again, the memory becomes very vivid. I was enormously excited to watch the pilot.

Which of the show’s creatives do you meet during the documentary?

I’ve spoken with Ben Elton, Richard Curtis, John Lloyd, the producer, and Howard Goodall, the composer. To catch up with them was lovely, especially as it made me realise there is still so much friendship after all this time. We've all gone on to do different things, which must have felt to all of us to be equally important, yet everyone had a special place for Blackadder in their hearts. We all agreed it doesn’t feel like 40 years since the pilot. How challenging has it been to gather these distant recollections? Imagine if you and your family all gathered together today and shared memories about a summer holiday 40 years ago.

What you’d find is that everyone would tell a different story and, for a start, they’d probably be the star of it. Everyone would remember different details and in different ways. Some of the time you’d disagree with their version of events. That’s how it was with Blackadder; it was like trying to put a jigsaw puzzle together, except you've got three lots of pieces from three different jigsaw puzzles which all share the same subject. John Lloyd, the producer, remembered it in a totally different way as to how I remembered it. I don't think I was quite as important to his memories as I felt I should have been.

Interview continues here.