Red Dwarf voyages back to Earth
Cult comedy Red Dwarf is returning to TV, 21 years after its initial launch.
The show has been resurrected by digital channel Dave for a two-part Easter weekend special, which sees the cast finally return to Earth.
Written and directed by Red Dwarf co-creator Doug Naylor, the new show reunites the line-up, including Coronation Street's Craig Charles.
The hit show, which ran for eight series on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999, won an International Emmy award.
'No holds barred'
Set three million years into the future, the show followed the exploits of Dave Lister, slovenly crew member of the mining ship Red Dwarf - and the last man in the universe.
He was joined in his weekly attempts to make it back to Earth by a cast of oddballs including human hologram Arnold Rimmer, sanitation mechanoid Kryton and Cat - a preening half-man, half-animal who evolved from the ship's cat.
At its peak, Red Dwarf pulled in around eight million viewers and was broadcast in more than 25 countries.
It has sold more than seven million DVDs and videos.
The new two-part series Red Dwarf: Back to Earth will be followed by a "no holds barred" episode without sets, special effects or autocue.
The weekend will climax with Red Dwarf: the Making of Back to Earth, a behind-the-scenes special from the new episodes.
-------------------------------
Omg how excited am i :D :D :D :D :D
New cast member announced
Comic actress Sophie Winkleman has joined the Red Dwarf cast on set for the filming of a key role in Back to Earth. Shooting began on D stage of the Shepperton studios on Monday, with the full cast in attendance for a shoot of just over two weeks.
A former writer/performer with the Cambridge Footlights, Sophie is perhaps most familiar to TV comedy fans as Jeremy's sometime squeeze Big Suze in Channel 4’s award-winning series Peep Show. As you can imagine, we're jolly excited.
Not only has Sophie played Big Suze in Peep Show she has also appeared as the older sister Susan in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. As such William Hill have given odds of 2:1 that she will be called Sue in our new Red Dwarf episodes. Of course that's not true.
However, something that is true is that news that Sophie just became engaged to Lord Frederick Windsor – son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent – following a proposal on Valentine’s Day. He's 32nd in line to the throne don't you know.
We're hoping to get the Royal Seal of approval for our premiere in Easter.
Test your knowledge of Red Dwarf's resident feline in our Cat Quiz
Read our feature on the love lives of Red Dwarf crew in Love in Space
'Red Dwarf' return 'could spark series'
The return of Red Dwarf this year could spark a full comeback for the programme, it has been claimed.
Last month, it emerged that the first new episodes of the cult show since 1999 were being filmed and would air on Dave over Easter.
Red Dwarf: Back To Earth will consist of three parts written and directed by Doug Naylor.
Chris Barrie, who played Arnold Rimmer on the show, told The Sun that the programme's comeback could last beyond these episodes.
Barrie said: "We all think this could be the start of something big - perhaps a new mini-series, a film or just a series.
"None of us has ever closed the door on Red Dwarf."