Craig Charles

Craig Charles: It'd be cool to be first black Dr. Who

Coronation Street and Red Dwarf star Craig Charles has spoken out about the possibility of becoming the first black Doctor Who, saying he thinks it would be 'cool'.

Craig Charles: I thought Red Dwarf would last 2 series

Actor Craig Charles talks to Metro about what lessons he's learned in showbiz, his new soul music compilation album and why he is surprised by the success of Red Dwarf.

Craig Charles: We'd certainly like to do more Red Dwarf

The Coronation Street star says he might need more time off from the soap soon after the success of the sci-fi comedy's tenth series - "If things are meant to be, they happen".

The ship's computer gets an upgrade and the result is a million light years away from Holly. The officious (and downright murderous) Pree soon makes Hal from 2001: a Space Odyssey look like Metal Mickey: just witness the way she deprives Lister of his "free supply of oxygen" and sets Red Dwarf on a collision course with a sun.

All of which would seem like a recipe for high drama, but this is a slightly baggier, flabbier episode than last week's series opener, with a couple of set-pieces that outstay their welcome.

Craig Charles delivers the goods though, especially in the scene where he gets blasted on a jug of Gelf hooch.

Robert Llewellyn interview

Best-known for playing robot Kryten in the cult science fiction comedy show Red Dwarf, Robert Llewellyn talked to Neela Debnath at the Entertainment Media Show about reuniting with his co-stars for series X, the show's enduring popularity and his new book News from Gardenia. Craig Charles also made a guest appearance.

This is the second time that digital channel Dave has brought back the crew of a certain Jupiter Mining Corporation space ship that's three million light years away from Earth.

The first return of Red Dwarf (the three-part Back to Earth broadcast in 2009) had its moments, yet was considered a slight anticlimax. But now Red Dwarf's returned with Series X, it's gone back to basics. Shot in a studio and in front of a studio audience (that's not canned laughter, despite what some people will tell you), has the gambit paid off? Well, I'm proud to say that it smegging has!

The characters really are just as great as they were before. In this first episode, the despicable hologram Arnold Judas Rimmer (Chris Barrie) becomes so resentful that he crashes - due to self-created malware. He becomes even more frustrated when he encounters the crew of another spaceship, which is supposedly lead by his brother Howard. Meanwhile, the slobbish last-human-alive Dave Lister (Craig Charles) is trying desperately to order some rubbish product over the phone.

The 'situations' were expertly delivered and gags landed too. Even the more subtle visual humour - Cat (Danny John-Jules) walking behind a shot holding a huge map of the ship they are on, for example - doesn't fail to tickle your funny bone.

I do miss some things, though. I miss both Kochanski and Holly, and I miss the fact that there used to be no ad-breaks in the middle of the show. But other than a few picky issues, it's great to see Red Dwarf back.

The rust-bucket mining ship Red Dwarf has been off our TV screens for light years but tonight it returns for a tenth series as if it's never been away. The crew's all present and incorrect - Rimmer (Chris Barrie), Lister (Craig Charles), Cat (Danny John-Jules) and Kryten (Robert Llewellyn) - with the comedic nonsensicality as sharp as ever. Swedish moose and a stray spaceship loom large in the opening adventure.

A return for the cult sci-fi comedy. This 10th series follows on from the three episodes which went out on Dave in 2009. The original cast of Lister (Craig Charles), Rimmer (Chris Barrie), Cat (Danny John-Jules) and Kryten (Robert Llewellyn) are reunited but sadly the spark has long since gone. This opener to the six-part run, written by original creator Doug Naylor, finds the crew distracted from their usual prattling and squabbling when they encounter an abandoned spaceship and Rimmer's long-forgotten brother, Howard.

Red Dwarf cast: We want Doctor Who crossover

Craig Charles and Danny John-Jules talk of their desire for the two sci-fi shows to come together on screen.

Red Dwarf: the cast reveal all about Series X

David Brown visits the set of the sci-fi sitcom and talks to Chris Barrie, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules and Robert Llewellyn about the return of the show.