TV's Mr Bean leaves UK hospital after car crash

05/08/2011 11:15:00 AM

The Associated Press
LONDON - "Mr. Bean" actor Rowan Atkinson, whose character is known for hapless driving in the television shows and films, left a hospital Friday after being treated for minor injuries following a sports car crash in southern England.


The 56-year-old comedian was driving his McLaren F1 supercar - one of the world's fastest road cars - when he crashed late Thursday, striking a tree and a lamppost before the vehicle caught fire, authorities said.
Firefighters said Atkinson hadn't been trapped inside the car. Britain's Daily Mirror tabloid reported that the actor was able to walk away from the vehicle and flag down other motorists for help.
Atkinson was seen leaving Peterborough City Hospital with four security guards Friday afternoon, but made no comment to reporters. Publicists did not disclose details of his injuries.
The accident occurred close to Haddon, a village about 85 miles (140 kilometres) north of London.
Atkinson was given a routine breathalyzer test at the scene and will face no criminal charges, police said.
His McLaren F1 car has a top speed of 230 mph (370 kph), though police did not suggest Atkinson had been speeding. The exclusive cars can cost around $1 million.
The actor, a car enthusiast, appears in a series of motoring mishaps in his "Mr. Bean" series. He is shown in one program driving a Mini while seated on the vehicle's roof. Atkinson is also known for the historical comedy series "Blackadder."

 

I think you mean crashes!
if it is one of the original ones it goes for about 1 mil

 

Here's the picture I mentioned to some of you . . . Bubbye McLaren

 

a little duct tape and she should be good as new!

 

A flesh wound. There are still 6 good cylinders there.

 

Every time someone destroys a car like an F1 I think they should be put on a protected species list. Shame.

 

Meh... The man is an enthusiast and he drives the car. If you DRIVE a car then you'll eventually crash a car. I'd rather he used it and busted it than it sat in a museum.

 

Certainly, but he didn't lightly hit a tree and need a fender, he was likely driving like an *** and destroyed his car, and could have seriously hurt himself. I don't buy that if you drive a car on the streets that you'll eventually crash it.

 

Agree!! People who store their cars are a bunch of pussies... who'd Mr Bean had some major *****

 

He is an accomplished vintage race car driver, fastest man on the Top Gear track and the road was wet. We've all had a brain fart in the car. Even St. Schumacher has had a bad day. Bit harsh to say he was driving like an *** given we don't know any of the facts.

 

I dunno. 600+ horsepower and a wet road (even dry)...doesn't take much more than a bit too much power and a camber/rut to throw you off. At least that's what a Viper's like at times... F1 was always considered notoriously hard to drive fast.

+1. Atkinson seems like a pretty level-headed guy.