Tony Robinson tackles the Roman Empire for Channel 4

Time Team host Tony Robinson is to present a major four-part C4 series about the Roman Empire.

Tony, 56, best known as Blackadder’s stupid sidekick Baldrick, begins filming Roman Emperors in January.

He told us “I’ll be covering famous emperors such as Julius Caesar, Nero and Caligula. I will be filming all over Europe as Caesar was a much-travelled guy. It will make a big difference from all the rainy shoots making Time Team.

“I adore that period of history. I find it really hard to believe that such a paranoid, manipulative bunch of nutters could have controlled an empire for so many years.

“There was such sex, murder and mayhem which went on during the Roman Empire, it was unbelievable, you just couldn’t script it.”

History rather than comedy dominates Robinson’s life these days.

As well as the new series on Roman emperors, he has just signed a new two-year deal to host Time Team. He also presents a special show looking back at its first 10 years on December 27.

On the same day, he reveals the true story behind King Harold’s death at the Battle of Hastings in C4’s Fact Or Fiction.