Captain Kevin Darling

Captain Kevin Darling was a character played by Tim McInnerny in series four of the popular BBC sit-com Blackadder.

Darling - whose surname is a constant embarrassment to him - is a pencil-pushing creep and aide to General Melchett. His main duties include unloading and assigning truck loads of paperclips, sending orders to charge and helping General Melchett with his dickie-bows and his dicky bladder (which Melchett claims to be wooden).

Much like Lord Melchett in series 2, Darling and Captain Blackadder share a mutual hatred of one another, and are constantly embroiled in a game of one-upmanship. However, the two finally make amends when Darling is sent to join Blackadder and his men at the front line for the 'final push'.

Darling was given his orders by the insane General Melchett who believed it to be something of a treat, rather than a death sentence.

At home in England Darling worked for 'Pratt and Sons', kept wicket for the Croydon Gentlemen and had a girlfriend called Doris, who, had it not been for his untimely death, he intended to marry. He kept a diary, the final entry in which, written shortly after being ordered to the front line, simply read 'Bugger'.

McInnery played the role of Lord Percy in the first two series of the show but decided not to appear as Percy in the third series, in fear of being typecast, opting instead to play a minor role.

Three other Darlings appear in the millennium special Blackadder: Back and Forth. In the modern day setting McInnery plays Archdeacon Darling, the assistant of Bishop Flavius Melchett. When Blackadder visits the Napoleonic Wars, we learn that the Duke of Wellington (played, as in Blackadder the Third by Melchett actor Stephen Fry) was aided by the Duke of Darling, whereas Napoleon's aide was the Duc de Darling.

The character was originally named 'Captain Cavendish', as writers Ben Elton and Richard Curtis were unable to think of a more amusing name for him. Eventually however, Stephen Fry suggested 'Darling' would be a more comedic alternative.