Motley was a lovable fool and woeful entertainer who persevered from Series 3 until the end of the show, becoming the third longest-lasting character.
- Series | 3, 4, 5, 6, 8
- Played by | Paul Valentine
Motley was a like-for-like replacement for Folly but was more of a public entertainer than a Shakespearian court fool.
He wore red and yellow garments and had a cheeky London dialect.
I'm the world's greatest professional entertainer.
The life of the entertainer
Motley begins as a replacement for Folly, giving clues and helping dungeoneers get around. In his first series, he is instrumental in helping teams reach Level 3.
In the following years, Motley takes up a stint at the tavern and fashions himself as an entertainer. After this, he becomes an occasional sidekick of Sidriss the Confused.
Motley never wins over his audiences and barely seems to believe his own hype. He was always thin on comedy material and would reward jokes from dungeoneers.
He was regularly locked in the pillory or spell trapped. When dungeoneers helped him, he could offer 'steps', spells, passwords or moral support.
Motley was clearly wary of Mogdred and Lord Fear and says he won't fight goblins. But he had no fear of Ariadne and sent the big spider scuttling away in embarrassment.
Hopeless romantic
Motley was attracted to several female characters during his five-series run.
I think I'm in love... I think I'm in danger!
Unlike Folly's ill-fated admiration for Gretel the previous year, Motley had good chemistry with the new maid, Mellisandre.
But his future attempts to charm Knightmare's ladies were less successful and made for good comic relief.
- Gundrada didn't like his manner. One team apologises for him being 'a head-case'.
- Gwendoline the Greenwarden gave Motley short thrift for disrespecting the Greenwood.
- Sidriss got along well with him, but when he confessed his love, she shrinks him to a mouse.
- Stiletta calls Motley a creep. When they team up, she warns him to keep his hands to himself.
An odd sabbatical
Motley is the third longest-lasting character after Treguard (8 series) and Hordriss (6 series). He begins in the first episode of Series 3 and is last seen in the final episode of Series 8.
Motley was unexpectedly replaced for Series 7 by Fidjit, a raggedly locksmith. He does return for Series 8, however. His absence is explained as being frozen by the Opposition.
He is the only character to have missed a series and then re-joined the cast.
