Tony Robinson, 64, marries lover less than half his age

It wasn’t too long ago that he declared he would never marry again.

But Tony Robinson yesterday tied the knot with his lover – who happens to be less than half his age.

Robinson, 64, wed Louise Hobbs, 30, in the picturesque town of Ravello on Italy’s beautiful Amalfi Coast.

Married: Tony Robinson, 64, and Louise Hobbs, 30, were wed in the picturesque town of Ravello on Italy¿s beautiful Amalfi Coast (file picture)

And as his Blackadder character Baldrick would say, the actor came up with a ‘very cunning plan’ for the hush-hush ceremony.

The event had been due to take place in the afternoon, but was swapped at the last minute to lunchtime to preserve the couple’s privacy.

The bride, who at 5ft 8in towers over her 5ft 4in beau, arrived separately from Robinson – but the pair parted with tradition by leaving separately as well.

And, sadly, the ceremony in the 800-year-old Palazzo Tolla took place to a soundtrack not of classical Neapolitan love-songs but pneumatic drills and hammers. 

Comedy: Robinson's Blackadder character Baldrick would say the actor came up with a 'very cunning plan¿ for the hush-hush ceremony with his younger wife

Building works in the town hall have seen recent weddings conducted in a nearby park overlooking the sea – but Robinson, the presenter  of Channel 4 archaeology series  Time Team, insisted they head indoors.

Robinson left Mary Shepherd, his wife of 20 years and the mother of his two children, in 1992 for 35-year-old singer-songwriter Teri Bramah. Two years later he vowed never to wed again, calling marriage ‘a nonsense’.

Eyebrows were raised when he began dating Miss Hobbs in 2005. She is two years younger than Robinson’s daughter, Laura, and five years younger than his son, Luke. Her mother Pamela is four years younger than her new husband.

She has admitted to being ‘too young’ to have seen Robinson in his most famous role as buffoonish Baldrick in Blackadder, which began in 1983.