40 years after the bastardly Blackadder family first galloped into British living rooms, and 10 years after the publication of the first scholarly chronicle of the Blackadder legend – ‘The True History of the Black Adder’, by noted historian JF Roberts – the ultimate guide to the machinations of British history’s greatest cunning planner finally arrives in audiobook form. Narrated by Roberts himself, this is the epic tale of the creation of perhaps the greatest sitcom of all time, by a gang of revoltingly talented young comedians, in the golden days of the New Elizabethan Age of the 20th century.

Following the creation of every ball-bouncingly funny series of historical exploits, and with the full approval and exclusive participation of Rowan Atkinson, Richard Curtis, Ben Elton, John Lloyd, Sir Tony Robinson, Stephen Fry, Miriam Margolyes, Brian Blessed and many, many more of the ‘Adder alumni, this ‘True History’ has been specially updated for the 40th anniversary. The vast chronicle is entirely performed by the author, but includes a bonus track of interview excerpts carried out in the creation of the book in 2011, featuring intimate snippets from Lloyd, Curtis, Elton, Margolyes and Blessed – plus there is an attempt to perform the lost Christmas special, 'Blackadder In Bethlehem'. The True History of the Blackadder is a huge, sizzling rollercoaster of an audiobook – never before has the Blackadder story been told with more depth, more humour, and more honesty.

STEPHEN FRY: “Jem manages to write about popular cultural institutions with knowledge and affection, while avoiding the dismal traps of nerdy fanboyism on the one hand or grandiose cultural pseudo-intellectualism on the other. His research is flawless and the results are readable, illuminating and delightful.”