Rowan Atkinson is planning to bring his most loved characters back to the stage. The 71-year-old actor will headline a new comedy sketch show in London’s West End.

The show will revive Mr Bean and Blackadder alongside other characters from his long career, according to reports in The Times and The Guardian. Theatre listings site WhatsOnStage also confirmed the production.

Mr Bean became one of the most famous comedy characters on television through the ITV series of the 1990s. Blackadder, his cunning historical schemer, ran for four series and remains a British comedy landmark.

Atkinson has rarely returned to sketch comedy in recent years. The West End show marks a major comeback for the actor on the live stage.

Blackadder first aired in 1983 and Mr Bean followed in 1990. Both shows went on to win fans around the world through reruns and films. Details on dates and tickets are expected soon. Fans of both characters have already shown strong interest on social media, where news of the revival spread fast.