Co-creator of beloved sci-fi TV series dies at 70: ‘A visionary’
Rob Grant, the co-creator of the British science-fiction comedy television series “Red Dwarf,” has died. He was 70.
Grant’s family announced the news on the “Red Dwarf” fan site, Ganymede & Titan on Thursday.
“With much sadness, we have to announce that Rob Grant, co-creator of Red Dwarf, passed away suddenly yesterday afternoon (Wednesday 25th February 2026), a great loss to his family, friends and comedy fans across the world,” the statement said.
A cause of death was not provided.
Created by Grant and Doug Naylor, “Red Dwarf follows the adventures of technician Dave Lister, who awakens from suspended animation on a mining spaceship to find that he is the last human being in existence. His only companions are a hologram of his dead crewmate, an android, the ship’s computer and the last of a species of cat people.
The show, which originally ran on BBC Two from 1988 to 1999, was a hit in the U.K. and achieved a cult status in the U.S., where it frequently aired on PBS channels. It was later revived by channel Dave in Britain from 2009 to 2020.
The show spun off into multiple novels, a role-playing game, a magazine, video games, a film, and an attempt at an American version, which did not last very long.
One of “Red Dwarf’s” stars, Craig Charles, posted a remembrance on X .
“Earlier today I was informed of the passing of @realrobgrant. I am in total shock,” he wrote. “He was one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. A visionary. My heart goes out to his family and friends. The impact he and Doug had on the course of my life is immeasurable.”
Naylor paid tribute to his late partner on Instagram , writing, “It’s hard to take in the loss of someone who was such a significant part of my life for so many years.
“I first met Rob when we were nine years old. We went to Chetham’s School of Music and later Liverpool University. We grew up making each other laugh long before there was an audience, and eventually found ourselves building something that neither of us could have imagined when we were schoolboys.
“Spitting Image and later Red Dwarf went on to become two of the most loved comedy series in Britain. I’ll always treasure those years of writing together and laughing so hard it hurt.
“Creative partnerships are intense, driven by passion, conviction and strong personalities. But at the heart of ours was a shared love of comedy and a desire to make people laugh and we did, on a scale neither of us could have predicted,” he continued.
“My thoughts are with Rob’s wife Kath, and all his family and friends. I will always be grateful for my time working with Rob and what we created together. RIP Smeghead!”
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