Newsmaker
TV's Mr Bean leaves UK hospital after car crash
Updated: 2011-08-08 11:34
(Agencies)
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 kilometers) 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."
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