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Rowan Atkinson's mild Olympic nerves

Dec 24, 2012, 6:01 GMT

Rowan Atkinson

Rowan Atkinson was more nervous about doing a speech at a wedding than performing at the Olympics opening ceremony.

The actor was watched by an estimated 900 million people around the world when he performed as his alter-ego Mr. Bean at the start of London 2012 but he admits it wasn't the scariest experience of his life.

He said: 'I was nervous, but no more nervous than I normally am. It's far more nerve-wrecking to stand in front of 45 people at a wedding reception in your local church hall than it is to perform at the Olympics opening ceremony, literally because you can see the whites of their eyes.'

However, the 'Chariots of Fire' skit in the Olympic Stadium may have been the last time fans will see the eternally child-like Mr. Bean.

The 57-year-old star told Culture magazine: 'Something I've always been determined to do is try to act my age. To try to not pretend you're still 26 still, and do things that are of your age and hopefully received wisdom.'