…until the last recording of Red Dwarf XII. Ticket holders for episode six have been sent the following message from Doug, via Lost In TV:

Smeg.

We’re so sorry to have to do this, but due to circumstances out of our control, we’re going to have to move the live audience recording of the final episode of Red Dwarf Series XII to Wednesday 9th March 2016.

Unfortunately 2 of our cast members suffered illnesses earlier in the filming block, meaning we lost 3 days of filming. There are so many elements to coordinate when filming a complicated show like Red Dwarf that it’s extremely difficult to pick up lost filming days within a schedule. As it’s transpired, because of availability of guest cast amongst a plethora of other reasons, the only way to bring all those elements back again and film the scenes we need to film, is to pick up those lost days on the 2nd-4th March; meaning we have to move the recording of the final show to the week after.

I know a lot of audience tickets have already been allocated for Friday 4th March, and I know many of you will be disappointed, but we hope that you can all join us on Wednesday 9th March instead. If you are unable to, we’ll make sure you’re absolutely first on the list for audience tickets for any future series. We’re so sorry to let you down, but we know you deserve two brilliant brand new series’, and in order to achieve that as best we can, we’ve had to make this difficult decision.

Yours Sincerely,
Doug Naylor

Oh smeg indeed, matey. This seems like an absolute nightmare scenario for the production team, after what had seemed to be a long run of uncharacteristically smooth sailing. It’s not clear whether the lost filming days were all for the same episode, or whether pick-ups for multiple episodes will take place next week. There have been reports of a few scenes here and there being missing so far, but not to Dear Dave standards.

We can only hope that the majority of those who had tickets for next Friday can make the following Wednesday. I know I can’t, which is a bit of a disappointment. But as Doug says, it’s all for the good of the show, and there’s no way they would have taken this drastic step if there was a viable alternative.

Perhaps things will become clearer after the episode five record, which will take place as planned on Friday night. Preparations have been dominated by an ultimately failed attempt to win a Twitter poll against a fellow Baby Cow sitcom, but there is this video of three quarters of the cast on a pink golf buggy, which is nice. Our set report will be along this weekend.

31 comments on “It’ll be an extra five days…

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  • That’s such a shame, I know Robert wasent very well a couple of weeks ago, it must be really stressful for all the cast,
    I Was wondering, if you have no one else to give your ticket to, I would beyond appreciate it, travel would cost me over £200 but is beyond worth it!
    From Emily Gadd
    —–
    emilyruthgadd@gmail.com

  • Just to shut this particular can of worms: Sorry, but I’d advise anyone who’s got tickets they don’t need to return them to Lost In TV so that they can be redistributed in the fairest possible way.

  • Nice that XII isn’t necessarily the end though.

    hopefully there will be another series in the future =)

  • unless i dreamt it somewhere i swear doug somewhere ( i wish i could remember where, not sure if it was a magazine or an audio interview) said that he would never end a new series with an actual Ending to the series or a cliffhanger again to leave it open to possible new adventures in the future. which is if true i like the idea. but that could be something quoted going as far back as BTE so could have changed now.

    as for this news it’s absolutely gutting for thos who had tickets, and i rreally hope that as many of you who had tickets are able to make the new date!

  • I wonder if it’s a ‘Out Of Time’ scenario, where Doug really wants to make a good job of this (potentially) last script. The production of these two series being back to back has been insane, especially for a show like Red Dwarf. Will be interesting to see what comes of this 6th episode…

  • Yeah, I reckoned it was either that or it’s such a big episode, plot-wise, that it’s being kept ultra-secret (although I’m not sure how that would work with 18 months to go until broadcast)

  • It seems odd that the illness that caused this delay doesn’t seem to have impacted on episode 5 at all. You’d think that would be the episode with a lack of VTs, not 6.

    And now there’s a late script. HMMMMM.

  • FWIW, I was at the episode where Chris was ill and they hadn’t been able to do some of the VTs (episode 1), and it was an episode with a fairly big guest cast and lots of special effects plus location filming – I’m not sure exactly what was missing but I can imagine having to go back and do pick-ups on this particular episode at a later date would be a real logistical nightmare.

  • It seems odd that the illness that caused this delay doesn’t seem to have impacted on episode 5 at all. You’d think that would be the episode with a lack of VTs, not 6.

    And now there’s a late script. HMMMMM.

    I second this HMMMMM and further concur.

  • On the subject of pick ups, I wonder if they have filmed the ending to episode 6 of Series XI yet? (the one where they stopped early to start Xmas boozing)

  • Possible that Doug hasn’t written the script yet, then, or at least wants to make major revisions?

  • For episode 3 of XII, Richard tweeted (https://twitter.com/RichardDGNaylor/status/696774034227331072) that they were doing a read through on Monday, 8th Feb. It went before the audience on the Friday (12th Feb). This recording ran pretty smoothly, no?

    How far in advance of a read through would they cast necessarily receive a script? Given the ambitious schedule, maybe they’ve just been getting the script on the Monday and having Monday-Thursday to rehearse in preparation for Friday’s live recording?

    How much can the cast realistically be expected to learn before the main recording week given they are filming the equivalent of three feature films over the course of a few months?

  • > Has to be a BDSM scat orgy, surely?

    And with that another degree of separation has forcibly pushed itself between me and Red Dwarf fandom.

  • > Has to be a BDSM scat orgy, surely?

    And with that another degree of separation has forcibly pushed itself between me and Red Dwarf fandom.

    Prude.

  • What can I say. Scat didn’t have the same appeal after I had children.
    And BDSM didn’t have the same appeal after I was in a plane crash.

  • Lost in TV have confirmed that standby tickets for episode 6 will be available to apply for on Tuesday 8th March at 5pm.

  • Me! Honestly thought I wouldn’t get a chance to see any of this run, so am pretty chuffed. Fingers crossed I can get in otherwise I’ll be in the pub down the road, nursing the world’s most depressing pint.

  • I reckon you’ll be fine. They upgraded me to a definite ticket yesterday as “We have had cancellations come in for the show and it is too late to put these back into the ballot” so am available for set report duties again if needed!

  • Set report is covered as me and Danny will be the roving reporters. Say hello, won’t you!

  • I did think about it but since there was a big group chatting I wasn’t keen to march up and interrupt (especially if I’d been mistaken!)

    However, I’ve realized from listening to the episode discussion that I was sitting 2 seats away from Paul on the end of the row when Ray made that phone call!

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