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Bob Parkhurst
Blackadder 4 bob
Nationality English
Occupation General Melchett's driver
First appearance "Major Star"
Last appearance "Private Plane"
Episode count 2 Episodes
Played by Gabrielle Glaister

Driver Bob 'Bobbie' Parkhurst is General Melchett's driver. She was played by Gabrielle Glaister.

Personality[]

Driver Parkhust is a woman, disguising herself as a man so she can 'Do her Bit!' She become General Melchett's Driver. Upon entering Capt. Blackadder's trench, Blackadder recognises Bob's gender immediately.

In fact you're a girl with as much talent for disguise as a giraffe in dark glasses trying to get into a polar bears-only golf club

She begs Blackadder not to give her away, explaining that all her brothers have signed up, and she wants to see how a war is fought "so badly".

Well you've come to the right place, Bob. A war's not been fought this badly since Olaf the Hairy, High Chief of all the Vikings, accidentally ordered 80,000 battle helmets with the horns on the inside

While Blackadder isn't fooled, Lieutenant George is, failing to spot the truth even when she emerges from the shower wearing only a towel. So is Melchett, who, while attracted to the singer "Gorgeous Georgina" (utterly failing to recognise his family friend, the 6'3"-tall Lieutenant George), is outraged when she is replaced by what he perceives as a drag act involving Bob.

Driver Parkhurst also appears in the following episode, "Private Plane", involved with Lord Flashheart. Apparently she has become more open about her gender, and is now calling herself by the unisex "Bobbie" as well as wearing a woman's uniform.

Trivia[]

  • We are never told her real first name, though Bobbie was an acceptable shortened form of 'Roberta' for women in this period.
  • It is unknown if the driver in the final episode (of whom only a long, somewhat sinister shadow is shown) is supposed to be Bob or a different person.

See also[]

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