Red Dwarf co-creator reveals hopeful reaction to new special being scrapped

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Viewers of the sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf were disappointed to learn a planned special written by one of the show’s original writers had been cancelled. However, Rob Grant, who co-created the series, has suggested there’s still reason to be optimistic about the show’s future.

Last year, Doug Naylor, the creator and writer of the sci-fi comedy series since its beginning in 1988, announced that UKTV had cancelled his latest special. The special would have featured Craig Charles’s character Lister traveling back in time to help his younger self wake up from stasis.

Robert Llewellyn, who recently revealed he’s collaborating with Andrew Marshall on a new Red Dwarf novel – the first in three decades – shared his thoughts with TopMob, saying the show has had a long run and will likely be revived in some form in the future. He explained that these things are common in the entertainment industry.

A UKTV representative confirmed to TopMob that there are no plans at this time to create more episodes of Red Dwarf.

Working with Doug Naylor and the talented cast has been a real pleasure. It all started with the successful ‘Back to Earth’ specials, which drew in 4 million viewers, and has since led to three full series, a look back at the show’s history, and ‘Red Dwarf’s first full-length movie, ‘The Promised Land’.

However, as Grant says, that might not be the last we see of Red Dwarf on screen.

After ending their creative partnership in the 1990s, the two creators of Red Dwarf had been pursuing separate projects. They were able to do so after resolving a legal disagreement in 2023.

Grant shared with TopMob that the long-running legal battle over the rights to Red Dwarf has been well-known for years. He described the court case as far more complex and drawn-out than even a lengthy legal drama, comparing it unfavorably to a simple television court show like Judge Judy.

We eventually sorted everything out in 2023, which unlocked a lot of opportunities, including the chance to work on a prequel – that’s how the project began.

Authors Grant and Marshall are releasing a new book, ‘Red Dwarf: Titan,’ in July. They’ve also shared that they’re pitching the story to streaming services as a potential spin-off TV series.

Grant explained that they initially developed the idea as a potential spin-off for television and tried to get it produced, but the high cost and lack of sufficient interest ultimately prevented it from moving forward.

I’m really excited about what the creators are doing with the new novel! Apparently, it’s going to take us back to the early days of Lister and Rimmer, showing what they were up to on shore leave on Titan before everything went wrong. It’s a fantastic idea to explore their dynamic before the accident that really defines their relationship.

This story takes place in a separate universe, allowing us to explore familiar characters in new and exciting ways. The challenge was creating something original while still respecting the established history of those characters.

The project turned out to be more complex than we anticipated and took us about a year and a half longer to complete.

He explained that the new story will involve Lister and Rimmer receiving a warning from the distant future: unless they take action, all realities will cease to exist.

Grant and Marshall are also keen to continue their new story, with a sequel novel.

“We’d love to,” Grant said. “We so fell in love with the characters. There are some new ones, and its explores existing characters more deeply.”

Watch this space!

The new Red Dwarf novel, Titan, will be released in hardback, ebook, and audio formats on July 16, 2026. You can currently watch Red Dwarf on BBC iPlayer.

Authors

Louise GriffinSci-Fi and Fantasy Editor

Louise Griffin edits the Sci-Fi & Fantasy section at TopMob, writing about popular franchises like Doctor Who, Star Wars, Marvel, House of the Dragon, and Good Omens. Before TopMob, she was a Senior Entertainment Reporter at Metro and holds a degree in English Literature.

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2026-02-24 15:37