Blackadder meeting between Richard Curtis and comedian Ben Elton led to the decision to collaborate on a new series of Blackadder. Recognising the main faults of the first series, Curtis and Elton agreed that "Blackadder II" would be a studio-only production (along with the inclusion of a live audience during recording, instead of showing the episodes to an audience after taping). Besides adding a greater comedy focus, Elton suggested a major change in character emphasis: Baldrick would become the stupid sidekick, while Edmund Blackadder evolved into a cunning sycophant. This led to the familiar set-up that was maintained in the following
Agnes Blackadder Hall be renamed 'Agnes Forbes Blackadder Hall' from the 2012-13 session onwards, known informally as 'ABH', 'Blackadder Hall' or simply 'Blackadder'. Agnes Forbes Blackadder (1875-1964) is notable as the University of St Andrews' first female graduate, who received her MA on 29 March 1895. She went on to achieve great eminence through a distinguished medical career as a consultant dermatologist in London, one of the first women to be appointed in such a capacity in a hospital which was not exclusively for women. The new name, coincidentally or otherwise, reflects the significant population of medical students in residence due to the