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Renowned for his work on the iconic British sci-fi comedy “Red Dwarf,” Rob Grant has passed away at the age of 70, his family has confirmed. On Thursday, February 26, the Grant family shared the sad news with a statement expressing their profound loss: “It is with deep sorrow that we announce the sudden passing of Rob Grant, co-creator of ‘Red Dwarf,’ on February 25. He will be greatly missed by family, friends, and comedy enthusiasts worldwide.” The announcement prompted heartfelt tributes, including one from actor Craig Charles, who was among those deeply affected by Grant’s passing.
Craig Charles, who starred in “Red Dwarf,” took to social media to express his grief: “Today, I received the shocking news of @realrobgrant’s passing. He was one of the funniest and most visionary people I’ve ever known. My thoughts are with his family and friends. Rob and Doug’s impact on my life is immeasurable. Rest in peace, Rob.”
Grant, who co-created the beloved sci-fi series with Doug Naylor, saw the show debut on BBC Two in 1988, quickly cementing its status as a favorite among UK audiences. His death comes shortly after he revealed plans to collaborate with Andrew Marshall on the first “Red Dwarf” novel in three decades.
The upcoming book, titled “Red Dwarf: Tital,” was scheduled for a July release. In a recent interview with Radio Times, Grant provided a sneak peek: “The story explores Lister and Rimmer before the accident, during their shore leave on Titan. It’s set in an alternate universe, allowing us to explore familiar characters in new ways while respecting the original canon.”
He continued: “Writing the novel was a complex task, taking us about a year and a half longer than anticipated. The longstanding legal dispute over ‘Red Dwarf’ rights was like something out of ‘Bleak House,’ quite the epic saga.”
“But we finally got it resolved in 2023, and suddenly all these rights became available to me, and one of them was for the prequel, and that’s where it started. We originally wrote it as a treatment for a TV spin-off and took it around, but it’s horribly expensive, and we couldn’t really raise enough interest.
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“We might down the line… we’ve been talking to streamers about it, but when you read it, [you’ll realise] it’s a whole world you’d have to create. It wouldn’t be cheap.” It comes after BBC viewers were left disappointed after the broadcaster scrapped plans for a highly anticipated reboot.
The show followed low-ranking technician Dave Lister (played by Craig Charles), who wakes up after three million years in suspended animation to discover he is the last living human. The show became a success as it followed Dave’s experience alone and stranded three million years into deep space on the mining ship Red Dwarf. When it premiered, the comedy was highly acclaimed by fans and critics.
It won several awards, including an International Emmy, and was named the Best BBC Comedy Series at the British Comedy Awards in 1994. At its finale, Red Dwarf attracted more than eight million viewers, as many fans continue to share their admiration for the “must-watch” series.