Rowan Atkinson has suggested that he has played Mr Bean for the final time on screen.
The much-loved comedy creation appeared in just 15 TV episodes between 1990 and 1995, after which Atkinson went on to play Bean twice on the big screen in Bean: The Movie (1997) and Mr Bean's Holiday (2007).
The character has occasionally appeared in various sketches and commercials over the years - notably for the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony and a Snickers advert - but now Atkinson has hinted that Bean's future may lie solely in animation.
"I don't much enjoy playing him," the 66-year-old told the Radio Times. "The weight of responsibility is not pleasant. I find it stressful and exhausting, and I look forward to the end of it.
"Having made an animated TV series, we're now in the foothills of developing an animated movie for Mr Bean - it's easier for me to perform the character vocally than visually."
ITV will air a special programme looking at the success of the character, Happy Birthday Mr Bean, this Sunday night at 8pm.
Neil Wilkes
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