“MR BEAN” CELEBRATES 30 YEARS ON SCREEN

The iconic “Mr Bean” is marking his birthday on September 15. The legendary character stumbled his way onto British TV screens for first time in 1990 capturing the hearts of the nation.

A grown man who didn’t speak, drove a lime green car and a teddy for a best friend regularly found himself in all sorts of hilarious situations. Bought to life by actor Rowan Atkinson, the character’s career has spanned not only television and film, but it has expanded across digital platforms, mobiles apps, various product lines, coffee shops, the music industry and much more, giving him a foothold and relevance into today’s culture proving his mass global appeal is stronger than ever.

“I always believed that Mr. Bean had a very good chance of being successful and having longevity, partly because the comedy is mainly visual and partly because Mr. Bean is essentially a child in a man’s body. Across all races and cultures, the behaviour of children tends to be the same and so is easily identified and laughed at. Childish, anarchic behaviour will always be funny,”  Rowan Atkinson said.

“Mr Bean” has amassed a loyal fan base across digital platforms and social media, with a YouTube channel established in 2009 and the official Mr Bean Facebook page in 2010. Altogether, “Mr Bean” has over 137 million cross platform subscribers across the four main social platforms which drives younger audiences to engage with the brand however they choose.

First launching on ITV on 1st January 1990, “Mr Bean” was a runaway hit reaching 18 million viewers at its peak and was the catalyst for a brand that would have life well beyond a TV show. From live action, “Mr Bean” made the successful transition to animation, with Rowan Atkinson still involved in the creative direction of the show.