What Latin phrase is sung at the beginning of the original Mr. Bean television series?

The original Mr. Bean television series opens with the Latin phrase “Ecce homo qui est faba.”

The phrase is used in the choral theme associated with the live-action program. Its literal wording is commonly translated as “Behold the man who is a bean,” a mock-grand introduction to a character whose adventures usually concern ordinary tasks such as shopping, sleeping, dressing or attending social events.

The solemn choral presentation creates a deliberate contrast with Bean’s childish behavior and escalating everyday disasters. That contrast became one of the show’s signature features: the character is introduced with the ceremonial treatment of a heroic or important figure, even though the comedy quickly reduces the situation to visual chaos.

The Latin wording is sometimes misremembered as a standard religious phrase because of its formal sound. It is instead a comic adaptation created for the Mr. Bean theme, with “faba” meaning “bean” in Latin.