The Root of all evil

On this, the day of BBC TWO’s 40th anniversary, Jane Root, the soon-to-be-ex controller of the channel, took part in a web chat bollocks thing, to discuss the past, present and future of the channel. And, as Leelu The Cat of BTLi spotted, the subject of Red Dwarf was raised:

Newshost:
And we keep having people who want to know about specific programmes. Alistair Grant from Bath says: A channel that brought us Red Dwarf you’ve got to love it, will we see that again?

Jane Root:
No but you’re probably going to see a great new science fiction comedy.

Newshost:

Oh yes tell us more about that.

Jane Root:
Well we haven’t commissioned it yet, we’re just talking to people from very good writers and some brilliant stars are thinking about a new science fiction programme. So watch this space.

“Space”! She said “space”! Like some space! Anyway, the reasons why this is complete shash:

• Ms. Root knows nothing of the show. She never commissioned a series, and is presumably unaware that the movie is in pre-production. Note how she dismisses the question with a simple ‘no’.
• Very soon, Jane Root will have no control whatsoever over BBC TWO’s output. Hurrah!
• Despite cast comments to the contrary, GNP have never ruled out a return to the small screen.
• This one’s speculative, but whoever the new controller is, they’d be potty to knock back a show that hits the eight million viewer mark.
• The thing about Jane Root… the thing you have to remember about Jane Root… Jane Root… Jane Root is a pratt.

All this has told us is that there are currently no plans for the BBC to make any new Dwarf. And, erm, we knew that anyway. This is not newsworthy, really, but I’m at a bit of a loose-end. Still, good news about there being a new sci-fi comedy on the BBC, eh?