Red Dwarf voyages back to Earth

[di marco]

NNNNNNNNNoooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I want DAVE!!! someone will have to record this for me...

someone might upload it onto youtube!

[Meh]

I have no idea what this is!

ive heard of it, never seen it before though

Red Dwarf is classic comedy. I'd rather they didn't bring it back as I thought the last couple of series were of a low standard.

However, I shall be tuned in. Even a crap episode of Red Dwarf beats most shows hands down

[Siobhan]

Even a crap episode of Red Dwarf beats most shows hands down

couldn't have said it better

[Luna]

Red Dwarf stars Rimmer (Chris Barrie), Kryten (Robert Llewellyn), Lister (Craig Charles) and Cat (Danny John-Jules) visit the set of ITV soap Coronation Street as part of a two-part Easter weekend special. Red Dwarf: Back to Earth will be broadcast on digital channel Dave on 10 April.

[Luna]

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

[Perdita]

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."

[Perdita]

It's been a staggering 10 years since Red Dwarf last graced our scenes, but Craig Charles, Chris Barrie, Danny John Jules and Robert Llewellyn are finally back. Red Dwarf: Back To Earth lands on Dave this Easter weekend, so we got Robert 'Kryten' Llewellyn on the two-way to find out what we could about the iconic show's return.

How did the special come about?
"Basically, Doug Naylor has been trying to make a Red Dwarf movie for the past 10 years and then decided that we might as well try for a series. It was a lovely convergence of events - the Red Dwarf repeats had been doing well, and then people talked to Doug and that's how it came about. It was all set up before we knew about it."

There were rumours about a comeback for many years - why didn't it happen sooner?
"I think Doug has been very involved, but it's been a 10 year gap and we'd all moved on and done other things. From our point of view, it came around as a surprise. It wasn't like two years ago we heard rumours - the first phone call I got was when we were doing it! It was a big surprise for us."

What can you tell us about the plot? Things have been kept quite quiet...
"We don't want to give it away, but the title gives you something. We do come back to Earth and try to find out why people have heard of us and know who we are - and there's twist that I don't want to give away. Obviously it leaked to the press that we'd filmed on the Coronation Street set."

Does the story follow on from the end of the last series back in 1999?
"Well, it is referred to that it has been nine or 10 years since the last moments. We've had a huge amount of adventures and we've learnt nothing - we're still the same bunch of useless, half-baked space bums that we always were!"

So what has changed?
"The visual effects are brilliant now. It's all breath-taking and we can't believe it's us on it - it looks extraordinary! It's all state of the art CGI stuff. Five years ago it was rubbish, but now it's remarkable. It looks like we're in a nine-mile-long spaceship! There have been big changes in terms of production."

How hard was it to slip back into character after so many years?
"It was absurdly easy! We all said we feel like we've had a 10 week holiday, not a 10 year break. When we did the read-through I felt a bit wobbly, but as soon as we got into the studio and into costume, it was automatic. We had a brilliant time and I hope it comes across on screen."

Were there any downsides to returning to the show?
"It's a hard show to make. I've done ones that involve danger and hardship, but nothing remotely as tough as Red Dwarf. It's the toughest gig I've ever had, and the crew and production said the same. It's a very ambitious show to make on a relatively small budget. The money definitely goes on the screen - there's no luxury behind the scenes!"

Do you think this wraps up the series nicely or is there scope for more?
"I think the simple truth is that it's a self-contained trilogy, but it doesn't end abruptly. If it's well received, there's a possibility we could do more. The difficulty is that we're all busy doing other things, so we have to plan quite carefully. We've all really enjoyed doing it - there were moments where it was a nightmare, but we had a great time working together."

Have you heard anything about a film or a full series?
"No - it's all up for discussion. There are no plans that we're aware of, but I'd be interested. I had genuinely forgotten what a great time we all had. I've seen the guys regularly over the years but I don't think we'd been together like that for 10 years. It was brilliant fun - more than we'd ever had. We get on really well and it's like hanging out with your best mates."

Red Dwarf: Back To Earth begins tonight at 9pm on Dave.

[megan999]

I did enjoy this 3 parter, but I thought it was going to be funnier.
Where did Katerina the hologram come from??

[Luna]

i was rather disappointed with it to be honest

the storyline had far too many holes in it

[parkerman]

Yes, I agree. But I did think the Coronation Street episode was quite amusing - well, Steve was in it, so it was bound to be!