Post-graduate student studying for a science degree at The Queen's College, during that time he met screenwriter Richard Curtis, with whom he wrote and performed comedy revues.

Rowan Atkinson first demonstrated an ability to entertain when he joined the Oxford Revue.

He made his big-screen debut in 1983's unofficial James Bond picture Never Say Never Again. Despite this film receiving mixed reports, he would continue to juggle TV and film roles.

In 1997 Bean came to the big screen, and Scooby Doo topped the US box office in 2002.

As a long-time collaborator with writer Richard Curtis, he has regularly contributed to Comic Relief. He even played the 9th Doctor, in the 1999 Doctor Who spoof The Curse Of Fatal Death.

Atkinson enjoys nothing better than fast cars.

He has been married to Sunetra Sastry since 1990 and they have two children, named Benjamin and Lily.