Rob Grant RIP News Posted by Ian Symes on 26th February 2026, 17:02 We at Ganymede & Titan are heartbroken to pass on a message from Rob Grant’s family. 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. We’re in too much shock to add much else right now, other than to pass on our sympathies and love to Rob’s family, friends, colleagues and fans. This is devastating news, and for it to have happened within a week of his first Red Dwarf novel for thirty years being officially announced is just the sort of cruel twist of fate that Rob delighted in inventing. We’ll have more to say over the coming days, weeks and months, to celebrate the life of a man whose imagination, creativity and humour was matched only by his kindness, friendliness and generosity. We will forever be grateful for the impact the world he co-created had on our lives, and honoured to have known him.
I was just thinking today, how (with another Sin Bin book coming out and new Rob Dwarf novels), there’s gonna be seperate Grant Naylor novels on shelves again. Aw no.
Holy shit. This is gutting. Few people have influenced me as much as Rob. Thanks for everything you’ve given us, Rob. Unreal.
I really hope Cappsy’s playing a joke on Symes and set his calendar a month and a couple of days forward. regardless of how anyone might feel about the legal shenanigans and so forth, this is a horribly sad day for us all…
What a shit cunting thing to happen. This is devastating. It’s really sad in general but to have this man who influenced so much of our lives, just about make a return to the thing he created in some way, no not see how well received it will no doubt be is heartbreaking! RIP Rob What a guy!
Just devastated by this news. His creations have been such a huge source of joy in my life and I will always be thankful for what he gave the world, and gutted for what we’ve lost out on. RIP Rob.
Just heard this news from a friend and came straight here. Don’t know what to say. Cannot currently compute. See you later, co-creator.
Oh that’s terrible to hear. Rob co-created one of the defining things of my childhood that I still hold dear to this day. RIP.
I saw this on Reddit of all places and thought someone was posting a joke so came here to check. Well…. fuck. RIP Rob.
I’d literally just found out yesterday (on here, obviously) that Rob had written a new Red Dwarf novel and I was looking forward to reading it when it comes out in a few months and then today – he’s gone. Red Dwarf was one of the staples of mine and my siblings’ childhoods and teens and both the show and the novels basically became the foundation of my sense of humour, alongside Blackadder and Monty Python’s Flying Circus. Thank you for a lifetime of laughs sir. You will be missed…you goit. And yes, the first thing that came into my head when I saw the news was the Observation Dome music…
I know this is mad, but I felt I needed to come on here and say something even though I haven’t posted in a while. Like, I’m doing him some sort of disservice if I don’t. Yet, I don’t know what to say. I never met the guy but he has literally been in the cockpit steering my life for decades. I’m sure many of you know what I mean by that. His work is etched into my soul
This is such shocking and sad news. Rob Grant guided so much of my childhood and, together with Doug, was the first person ever responsible for making me roll around on the floor laughing my head off, and it’s those sort of memories that can never be replaced and never be devalued. Thanks so much for everything you brought into my life, Rob. My condolences to all of Rob’s family and friends. I look forward to Ganymede & Titan and the whole Red Dwarf community celebrating your life and legacy.
I saw this just now, and genuinely could not believe what i was reading! So close to the announcement of his new Book ‘Titan’ the news is just devestating, but i knew at times like these, i had to go to G&T rest in peace, Rob, thank you for everything!
Rob. I just wanted to say that, over the years, I have come to regard you as … one of the people who wrote things like this line I’m deliberately mis quoting but we all know off by heart like some kind of imbedded genius you gave us Just to tribute the fact that, you were just so often so bloody bloody brilliant. Thoughts with all who knew you, and knew that.
I know this is mad, but I felt I needed to come on here and say something even though I haven’t posted in a while. Like, I’m doing him some sort of disservice if I don’t. Yet, I don’t know what to say. I never met the guy but he has literally been in the cockpit steering my life for decades. I’m sure many of you know what I mean by that. His work is etched into my soul It’s moments like this when you suddenly realise how somebody you never even met basically helped to shape something so fundamental about who you are as a person, in this case your sense of humour.
This is absolutely not about this but didn’t Rob say recently he was surprised to see the release date when it first appeared online because he hadn’t finish writing it yet? He said it hadn’t seen a final copy edit which is not the same thing as writing the book. I’d have more to say about this article but I will save it for when my initial reaction of detached numbness fades.
This is absolutely not about this but didn’t Rob say recently he was surprised to see the release date when it first appeared online because he hadn’t finish writing it yet? He said it hadn’t seen a final copy edit which is not the same thing as writing the book. I’d have more to say about this article but I will save it for when my initial reaction of detached numbness fades. Yes, I realised I misremembered it and edited the post but you caught it too quickly. 😝
This has really hit me hard – what awful news. I’ll come back later once I’ve absorbed the news, but…fuck. Wishing love and support to Rob’s friends and family.
Reading Titan is going to be bittersweet. Really hope it’s a success though. Death’s not the handicap it used to be etc.
Thank you, Rob Grant, for everything. By co-creating of one of my very favorite ever things, a series that has been foundational to me and my life, you have made my life infinitely more awesome, and all I can do is express my sincere gratitude. You will be missed, but your works will live on forever. May we all continue to smoke you a kipper of gratitude.
I’m stunned. Someone on BlueSky posted the ‘smoke me a kipper’ quote followed by ‘RIP Rob Grant’ and I thought it was some weird satirical joke that I was not getting. Total disbelief, had to google it, and then here. What a horribly sad, devastating day. My sympathies to everyone reeling from this news, especially those who knew and loved him personally. Oof.
Gasped out loud when I read the news. My god. As one of the people here who watched Red Dwarf from the very beginning all the way back in 1988, this hits very hard. Can’t put it into proper words, so I’ll just end with RIP.
I don’t know what to say. Just heartbroken at this, and the recent news of his new novel makes it all the more cruel.
Oh my god… I actually saw the unusually high “Users Online” count before I saw the headline, and that was enough to know something was up. FUCK. I’m not sure if I’m even properly processing this news right now, but suffice to say Rob Grant’s brilliant writing has brought – and will bring – more joy to my life than is quantifiable, and for him to pass away like this is not just a loss but an affront to reality. RIP. If only he could just come around the corner sporting an H on his forehead.
Very sad news. RIP. I can’t really add much to what others have said, but his writing has meant so much to me.
Absolutely terrible news, and my thoughts go out to Rob’s family and loved ones at this truly horrible time.
Adam Roberts has written this nice blog post about him, with an anecdote about watching The Lord of the Rings alongside him: https://profadamroberts.substack.com/p/rob-grant
To a man I never met, thank you for all the absolute joy you added to 35-years (and counting) of my life. Rest in power, Rob.
I bought a Three of a kind cassette from the charity shop today just because it had a Grant Naylor song on it. I messaged my brother because the first time I saw Red Dwarf was the restaurant scene in Better Than Life which he was watching. It’s been on my mind literally every day since.
I sent my dad a link to G&T last week to show him the news about Titan…and today my dad sent me a link to G&T to break the news of Rob’s passing. What a shock. I’m so glad we will have one final gift from him to enjoy in a few months time. Hadn’t necessarily been planning to do a (re-re-re)reread of the old novels before Titan, but I sure will now. Got a photoshoot with Chris and Craig booked on Sunday at London Film and Comic Con. That will be a much more sombre affair than anticipated now but that twofer of emotional experiences will certainly cement these next few days in mind. RIP, Rob. Thanks for the memories.
Horrible, shocking and such very sad news. Thank you for all the joy and comfort your work has given us for so many years. The world can really be an unfair place.
It’s been a few hours since I saw this news, and I still don’t have much to add, except to echo other people’s comments on how much of a shock it is, and how much I’ve enjoyed his writing over the years. I tried posting a link to the Substack blog post that Adam Roberts has written about his memories of Rob Grant, but it didn’t appear. (Maybe comments on this post are getting more strictly auto-moderated?) But you should be able to find it quite easily – it’s a nice little piece about him.
It’s hard to find the right words, so I’ll simply say: thank you, Rob. What you and Doug created has made life on Earth immeasurably more joyful for all of us, and will continue to do so for years to come.
In a world of constant ‘Breaking News’ and the deaths of elderly former stars who had nothing left to contribute, this is a hell of a blow. I don’t normally read any news outside on individual personalities that move me in any way, but this is awful. Just…wow. And with so much still to, clearly, give. I find it heartbreaking when a creative person passes and they’re still creating. We are poorer for the loss of the person, and we are poorer for what he clearly still had planned. I know that, for a lot of you too, Rob kept you sane during Lockdown with the commentaries. That’s another massive contribution. Gutted. Stomach punched. How brutal and awful, given the timing.
Out at a social event this evening so I’ve not been online, my partner just sent a message asking if she could ring because there’s something she needed to tell me. Had no idea what it would be but wasn’t expecting this. For all my reservations, the arrival of Titan is still a monumental moment in Red Dwarf, the time Rob finally writes a full, official new story in more than 30 years. With talk of a sequel and TV adaptation, it felt like this was a whole new source of Red Dwarf going forward, and I was looking forward to what it would bring, even if it was criticism. So this is… oh man. I don’t really have the words. I probably won’t have the words for quite a long time. RIP Rob, and thanks for everything.
The emotional whiplash of going from the Titan announcement, with the unspoken understanding this could lead to a series, to this in the of span of like a week has physically damaged me. I’m so glad he managed to finish his final book before this happened. Reading it is gonna mean a lot more in this context. Consider the continuity in narration style between the Grant Naylor books and Backwards, and the mentions of Rob at the keyboard while Doug paced behind him, I think it’s fair to say Rob has had more influence than any other writer on how I write prose. I feel like I owe my entire style to him. Not to mention how much Red Dwarf in general has massively influenced how I write scripts and stories and anything. It was the first comedy I saw as a kid where it truly clicked with me, mainly through Rimmer, who is so relatably neurodivergent-coded in a way I’d never seen before, how sitcom characters could be three-dimensional people and didn’t have to simply exist as gag-delivery-mechanisms who would be bent to fit whatever joke the writers wanted to tell. For all I badly imitated what the show did as a teenager, it taught me so many good writing lessons. Regardless of what other shows could’ve triggered these revelations down the line, Red Dwarf is what did it in this reality and I feel permanently indebted to it in all my creative efforts. That’s not to mention how important G&T has been to me in the last 17-odd years, none of which would’ve happened without Rob. I could go on. I owe much of the cool things in my life in the past two decades to him on some level.
This is a shock, particularly after the new novel has just been announced. Smeg. RIP Rob Grant, co creator of my favourite show.
I keep coming back but realised I didn’t say thank you, and I should. Not only for the show, but for the ultimate sacrifice in helping to move the Masked Singer story further down the front page. I think it probably goes without saying that Dwarf has been a big part of everybody’s life who frequents these parts. Thank you Rob, for it all. Rest easy.
I mean, you’ve gotta hand it to Rob, he’s properly dedicated to getting The Masked Singer off the front page.
I know that, for a lot of you too, Rob kept you sane during Lockdown with the commentaries. That’s another massive contribution. This was a huge thing during lockdown and it quickly became a highlight of my week that in no small way helped to inject some brightness and optimism and support into my weeks, which (as with so many of us) were difficult at the time. I’ll forever be grateful to him for that, as well as his excellent body of work.
I mean, you’ve gotta hand it to Rob, he’s properly dedicated to getting The Masked Singer off the front page. Jinx. Thanks also Rob for uniting us in a specific common brand of gallows humour.
Since the announcement of the novel the other week i have been listening to the Audiobook of Infinity welcomes Careful drivers.. Even on my break at work Today, getting myself prepped for a new exciting addition to Dwarf …. And then this What Terrible news. I’m in shock as I’m sure we all are, my heart goes out to his family and friends, and also to everyone else here feeling also a great sense of sadness this evening. His contribution to all our favourite show cannot be under estimated. A sad day.
I just saw this on a TikTok of all things and didn’t believe it so came here to check. What the fuck. Rest in peace.
This sucks in so many ways. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like they’ve been hit with a tonne of bricks even though they never actually met him. I am glad that we’ll get one last bit of Rob Dwarf, even if I feel selfish for even thinking about that. The outpouring of love I’ve seen on socials this evening, both from hardcore fans and people who just remember watching back in the day, has been truly heartwarming.
I saw a post on a Discord group and my jaw dropped. I had to go to G&T just to make sure, and when I saw the site was taking longer to load than normal, I knew. I was just thinking this morning how I was excited to have a new Red Dwarf novel in my hands in this year. This took me really off guard. From co-creating the show that helped me through a very rough patch of my childhood/teenage years, to the Quarantine commentaries, Rob’s work has impacted me greatly. Rest in peace.
I am still in shock by this news. Red Dwarf was the cornerstone of my youth. Still watching it today brings me so much joy. The news reminds me of the sudden passing of John Sullivan or Rik Mayall, the knowledge that we will no longer get anything written by them. But I will especially remember him for this. In my life comedy has made me laugh. A lot. But there are half a dozen times when I have laughed so much I could not stop. You know when you are rolling around on the floor. Rob Grant was responsible for one of those and I remember it so clearly. It’s such a simple scene but in series 1 when the Cat walks down the corridor and asks himself “How am I looking?” Then walks on and 5 seconds later goes “how and I looking now?”. At that point I was gone. And for that Rob I am eternally grateful.
Totally knocked for six by this terribly sad news. Red Dwarf has been such an important part of my life for such a long time. A constant since childhood. Fundamental to my sense of humour. The passing of one its creators is a very bitter pill to swallow. RIP Rob, and thank you.
I am glad that we’ll get one last bit of Rob Dwarf, even if I feel selfish for even thinking about that. It is fortuitous that he finished the book. Yes partly on a selfish level because we’ll get to enjoy it, but right now I’m thinking moreso for him, that he got the creative satisfaction and joy of having completed it. It is a shame he didn’t live to see the reception of it, but seeing the enthusiasm among fans just from the news of the book must have been pleasing. I’m still struggling to believe it though.
I know this is mad, but I felt I needed to come on here and say something even though I haven’t posted in a while. Like, I’m doing him some sort of disservice if I don’t. I will just second this. Rest in peace Rob.
RIP Rob, and you have so much more on your tombstone than just Red Dwarf, even if that would have been more than enough and more than we could ever have asked for.
I keep coming back but realised I didn’t say thank you, and I should. Not only for the show, but for the ultimate sacrifice in helping to move the Masked Singer story further down the front page. I think it probably goes without saying that Dwarf has been a big part of everybody’s life who frequents these parts. Thank you Rob, for it all. Rest easy. The first attempt at some grim humour. Appreciate it!
I made several gallows humor memes and pointedly did not share them in public. But Cappsy laughed at them.
Doug’s posted this on Facebook. I’ve never lost someone I’ve had such an intense relationship with, or have produced something with. I don’t know how you’d go about summing it up, especially when there’s obviously been a colossal falling out at some point, too. That’s really beautifully written.
I made several gallows humor memes and pointedly did not share them in public. But Cappsy laughed at them. If they’re about genital torture, then I think Rob would want you to share them, tbh 😀
Shit, just shit news. We get one last Red Dwarf adventure with Titan, which will be an interesting read on a few levels now. What a life, though. The laughter and joy he brought to all of us over the decades, across the various things he worked on, should be celebrated. RIP
Rob Grant is one of the writers on my Mount Rushmore, one of the four writers who shaped my sense of humor and my own writing style. So many of the things I’ve worked on would not have turned out the way they are – or have existed at all – without his influence. Heartbroken.
Adam Roberts has written this nice blog post about him, with an anecdote about watching The Lord of the Rings alongside him: Wonderful post, thanks for sharing.
Rob Grant is dad? Like so many have said that’s so hard to comprehend on the heels of the exciting Titan announcements. RIP
I made several gallows humor memes and pointedly did not share them in public. But Cappsy laughed at them. Sadly death is still the handicap that it used to be.
I made several gallows humor memes and pointedly did not share them in public. But Cappsy laughed at them. Sadly death is still the handicap that it used to be. Yeah we had a little bit of this in the Discord, it’s definitely part of the grieving process for me, but appreciate that’s not something everyone wants to see in here.
I did think about bumping the Masked Singer thread last night but thought it best not to None of this looks good for Symes’ alibi. If I was in the posse, I’d be concerned about also being ‘bumped’ right now.
This is very sad news. Rob was a Titan. Andrew Marshall has been reflecting with his thoughts on twitter.
“RIP Rob, and you have so much more on your tombstone than just Red Dwarf” – I mean the Chicken Song should probably get a spot on there too I wonder if he left enough notes for a second Titan book
Still in a bit of shock, such sad news. Just when a whole exciting new era of Red Dwarf had been born. Thanks for everything Rob.
Has anyone else’s day been soundtracked by an endlessly-repeating rendition of the observation dome theme in their own head?
None of this looks good for Symes’ alibi. If I was in the posse, I’d be concerned about also being ‘bumped’ right now. If one more person dies it’ll be suspicious. If two more people die, Symes must be stopped.
Heartbroken. I feel like I’ve known this guy my whole life, he sure brought a lot of laughter and saw me through the worst of times as well as the best of times. May he rest in peace.
Has anyone else’s day been soundtracked by an endlessly-repeating rendition of the observation dome theme in their own head? Series 2 really was the bee’s knees. Everything clicked so well. The pathos, the emotion, the charm, the humor, the colour. Books aside, it was Grant Naylor’s creative peak in my mind.
None of this looks good for Symes’ alibi. If I was in the posse, I’d be concerned about also being ‘bumped’ right now. If one more person dies it’ll be suspicious. If two more people die, Symes must be stopped. Would it help if Danny J-J actually *did* get on Masked Singer? Would that stop this, frankly, wreckless murder spree of our own angered God. Spare us, Symes.
Has anyone else’s day been soundtracked by an endlessly-repeating rendition of the observation dome theme in their own head? Series 2 really was the bee’s knees. Everything clicked so well. The pathos, the emotion, the charm, the humor, the colour. Books aside, it was Grant Naylor’s creative peak in my mind. My younger self doesn’t agree with you at all, but watching them again now (with my kids) and it’s clear that Series 1 and 2 are absolute magic. Every laugh is in service of the plot. It’s dramatic and they’re stuck. Plots lead into other plots. It’s amazing stuff, and there’s absolutely nothing like it. My youngest was horrified at the change to S3, although – as a kid myself – I’d seen S5 as the best of it all!
Has anyone else’s day been soundtracked by an endlessly-repeating rendition of the observation dome theme in their own head? Series 2 really was the bee’s knees. Everything clicked so well. The pathos, the emotion, the charm, the humor, the colour. Books aside, it was Grant Naylor’s creative peak in my mind. My younger self doesn’t agree with you at all, but watching them again now (with my kids) and it’s clear that Series 1 and 2 are absolute magic. Every laugh is in service of the plot. It’s dramatic and they’re stuck. Plots lead into other plots. It’s amazing stuff, and there’s absolutely nothing like it. My youngest was horrified at the change to S3, although – as a kid myself – I’d seen S5 as the best of it all! Gallifrey Gals had a very similar reaction to series 3, to begin with.
Series 2 really was the bee’s knees. Everything clicked so well. The pathos, the emotion, the charm, the humor, the colour. Books aside, it was Grant Naylor’s creative peak in my mind. Thanks For The Memory is my favourite episode of Dwarf, which I guess makes it my favourite episode of television ever. Series 2 was already great about this, but Memory is an absolutely masterful balancing of pathos, comedy and ruminating on the way memory affects your perspective, and how easily false perspectives can alter your behaviour and outlook. I’d say it couldn’t be topped, but we know for a fact it hasn’t, since The Hangover movies did the same plot three times, and despite only having half an hour of runtime, Memory is still leagues above them. I know it’s the exact kind of bathos that Series 2 as a whole and Memory in particular was so good at avoiding but… thanks for the memory Rob, RIP
Maybe we should all make a concerted effort to watch ‘Thanks For Memory’ over the weekend in tribute to Rob?
Red Dwarf does become something completely different in Series 3, similar to how Doctor Who is something completely different every few years. But what it turned into is so great I don’t really care.
Series 2 really was the bee’s knees. Everything clicked so well. The pathos, the emotion, the charm, the humor, the colour. Books aside, it was Grant Naylor’s creative peak in my mind. Thanks For The Memory is my favourite episode of Dwarf, which I guess makes it my favourite episode of television ever. Series 2 was already great about this, but Memory is an absolutely masterful balancing of pathos, comedy and ruminating on the way memory affects your perspective, and how easily false perspectives can alter your behaviour and outlook. Good shout about Series II, and Thanks For The Memory is also my favourite episode, nails every element as you say. Everyone on this site has known it for years, but the Grant-Naylor partnership really was writing genius.
Red Dwarf does become something completely different in Series 3, similar to how Doctor Who is something completely different every few years. But what it turned into is so great I don’t really care. Part of the reason why I value the books so much is that they were able to introduce the aspects of series 3-6 and integrate them more naturally into what they’d already built with series 1-2. It feels like the best of both worlds, similar to what Doug was trying to do in the Dave seasons but more ambitious and benefitting from the gestalt entity. There was this sense of gradual evolution. They even explained the more grungy design for Red Dwarf by having it fall apart a bit during their stay in Better than Life. With the show, they just threw everything out and started over. And it worked in the long term, but…
The books are absolutely my favourite version of Red Dwarf, or the first two are at least. Hence my excitement about Titan. Weird thing is I honestly don’t know if I want to read it right away, now, I feel like I want to save it.
Such sad news. He brought joy to so many people’s lives, it’s heartwarming to see how many people have kind things to say about him. RIP.
This is so sad and shocking, 70 is far too young. Back when I was deep in the Red Dwarf fandom I was so excited to email with Rob – he critiqued some writing of mine and I helped him out with a few plot inconsistencies (haha) in his. I’m so glad there will be one more book to remember him by. Three of us caught up with Rob in London in mid-1999 and we all had lunch. Rob was smart and droll and charming (and he generously paid for everyone’s lunch!). Sometimes, it is good to meet your heroes. I thank Rob for the years of enjoyment of his creations, and the lifelong friends I have made because of sharing that enjoyment with other fans. My deepest sympathies to his family and all who loved and admired him. RIP, Rob Grant. What a guy!
The books are absolutely my favourite version of Red Dwarf, or the first two are at least. Hence my excitement about Titan. Weird thing is I honestly don’t know if I want to read it right away, now, I feel like I want to save it. I’ve seen a lot of Discworld fans say the same about Terry Pratchett’s last, posthumously published novel The Shepherd’s Crown: that they’ve bought it, but intentionally avoided reading it immediately. Either they’ve just delayed reading it, waiting for the right time; or they want to leave it permanently unread, to maintain the sense that there’ll always be one more out there to read. I understand why people might want to do that, but it’s not for me: I read The Shepherd’s Crown quite soon after release, and will probably do the same for Titan.
Either they’ve just delayed reading it, waiting for the right time; or they want to leave it permanently unread, I really like this as an idea, but I feel like the DwarfCast would suffer (or improve, who knows)
It reminds me of Desmond from Lost reserving the last Charles Dickens book he hasn’t read for a special event. I’m like that with the Back to the Future films. I have never seen them, but everything I’ve heard suggests that I’d love them. So I enjoy knowing that my first ever viewing is always out there.
“RIP Rob, and you have so much more on your tombstone than just Red Dwarf” – I mean the Chicken Song should probably get a spot on there too I wonder if he left enough notes for a second Titan book Doug made a point of highlighting Spitting Image in his tribute. It’d be a lot to ask of Andrew but a really great tribute if he could manage a sequel.
I understand the drive behind it, but the “I refuse to read The Shepherd’s Crown, because then there’ll be no more Discworld novels left to read” people are exactly the type to hoard all the most powerful items in a videogame “just in case I need them” and then let the credits roll without touching them. The benefit of there being one more book to read is that you’re actually going to read it. Delaying until you’re emotionally ready is fine, but if the delay is indefinite then having 1 book left is the same as having 0. Only worse because you don’t get the enjoyment and memories from your experience of reading it. To me, reading and enjoying Rob Grant’s final work is respecting what he wanted for it, and putting off doing it is denial, in a way. Allowing your first experience of Titan/The Shepherd’s Crown to be in the past is accepting that the author genuinely has passed on.
It reminds me of Desmond from Lost reserving the last Charles Dickens book he hasn’t read for a special event. That was funny. The island’s about to explode! “Chapter 1:”
Either they’ve just delayed reading it, waiting for the right time; or they want to leave it permanently unread, I really like this as an idea, but I feel like the DwarfCast would suffer (or improve, who knows) Might have improved everyone’s experience for Last Human.
https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sci-fi/rob-grant-red-dwarf-tribute-comment/ RT article, more about the history of the show than Rob himself, but a nice read. Frustrating to see the news get coverage in places like this, the Telegraph and the Independent, but nothing from the BBC as yet, who appear to be more interested in Tracey Emin’s manky 30-year old bed and Cruz Beckham’s burgeoning music career.
Rob Grant. What a guy! *though bemused and somewhat annoyed the lack of BBC article or mention. I know Radio Times mentioned it but he is one of the great British comedy writers of which his most famous work was based at.
Second (third) the disappointment at nothing from the Beeb. Even the NME covered his passing. Poor show.
The Independent article was shite though. It claims he met Doug in the ’80s and described Series VIII as the final series… despite referring to the Dave era earlier. It wasn’t even Rob’s final series as he had already split.
Twitter’s AI summary said that Red Dwarf “ran for 12 seasons before Grant split with Naylor due to creative differences”
Second (third) the disappointment at nothing from the Beeb. Even the NME covered his passing. Poor show. The BBC are no longer interested in the audience Rob Grant’s death used to attract.
Very sad. I took the suggestion someone made to watch Thanks for the Memory, which I’d not seen in years. Thanks for that – such a perfect episode
StreamOnU marked Rob’s passing by posting a clip from Beyond A Joke on their socials. The lack of a story on BBC News is increasingly baffling. Initially I assumed that they were holding off because the only primary source was us. Everyone here will know that we’re trustworthy, as would the likes of British Comedy Guide and Chortle, but looking at it objectively, this is just a random fansite on the internet. It’s unlikely, but there’s no way of guaranteeing that we weren’t just making shit up. It was of course enough for the newspapers to go with the news, but the BBC is held to a higher standard than everyone else, and they have to be extra careful about their sources. But as time has gone on, and people such as Andrew Marshall and Gollancz have corroborated the news, there’s really no excuse any more. That said, I have read that it was discussed on Radio 5 Live yesterday. Worth remembering that “the BBC” is a massive, sprawling organisation, and that half the time the left hand doesn’t even know that the right hand exists. One radio producer deciding to run the story is completely separate to what a news website editor is doing. I’ll tell you what though. If it’s possible to update the moribund reddwarf.co.uk to note the release of one co-creator’s novel, it’s possible to update it to mark the death of the other co-creator. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt that they may be preparing something substantial for the coming days, but if nothing emerges soon, I’m going to start getting very pissed off.
That said, I have read that it was discussed on Radio 5 Live yesterday. It was mentioned in a 6Music news bulletin on Thursday evening shortly after the news broke, so hasn’t been totally ignored by the BBC.
I’ll tell you what though. If it’s possible to update the moribund reddwarf.co.uk to note the release of one co-creator’s novel, it’s possible to update it to mark the death of the other co-creator. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt that they may be preparing something substantial for the coming days, but if nothing emerges soon, I’m going to start getting very pissed off. That does seem off. Especially as Doug has conveyed his own tribute. Hopefully an appropriate tribute is published soon.
If it’s possible to update the moribund reddwarf.co.uk to note the release of one co-creator’s novel, it’s possible to update it to mark the death of the other co-creator. And to announce his new Red Dwarf novel, you’d think.
Farewell Rob, thank you being part of a writing duo, that created many great memories for one Generation and for many more to discover and love for years to come. I Was watching the BBC news and ITV that day and the subsequent day and was surprised as well for the radio silence. And finally can the Papers and media get the facts right, seeing VII onwards depicting his writing isn’t right. Both iterations of Dwarf post VI are good but can’t things get proof checked anymore?
The fact that a creator and writer of one of the BBC’s most popular and enduring comedies has passed away and there’s no BBC News article about it is genuinely appalling. Even if Rob Grant somehow isn’t notable enough to have a pre-written obituary ready to go, surely one just acknowledging the event is called for. As for TOS, who the fuck even knows at this point what does and doesn’t qualify for an update. My guess is that anything that requires them to be quick and reactive is a no.
Gordon Kennedy wrote a nice post on Facebook: The World is a little less funny today. Our friend and colleague Rob Grant has died. This is bad news for everyone. But today as we hold Cath and the family, and writing partner Andrew Marshall, in our thoughts we, at Absolutely, are hurting. Rob was an Absolutely ever present. One of the very few and certainly one of the best talents closely linked to Absolutely since the very beginning. It started with Rob and Doug plucking Moray Hunter and John Docherty from the staff writing desk at Radio 4 to the creative heart of the hottest comedy on TV – Spitting Image, through to them casting most of us at one time or another in the glorious Red Dwarf. Then, on his own, Rob brought us ‘The Strangerers’ to produce for Sky. He then mentored and brought us Edward Rowett, a hugely talented young writer, who went on to write the award-winning Reluctant Persuaders. With Andrew Marshall, he then brought us, I think his best piece of writing since Red Dwarf, the gloriously over ambitious, impossibly complex and hugely funny- Quanderhorn. Then, to cap it all, with Andrew, a rare but hilarious sojourn in front of the microphone in The Nether Regions. It’s strange when you see it written down like this. He was a hugely talented writer and although he wrote several novels and some TV series on his own, it wasn’t generally his way. He loved to collaborate. To help, to mentor, and chat and argue and most of all laugh. Maybe that’s why he kept coming back to this loose collective of artists, idiots and artisans called Absolutely. Whatever, I am glad he did and I am so, so sad he won’t again. Thank you for everything Rob. Gordon
To be fair, BBC News is a cesspit of shit these days, whenever they do something else awful – by inclusion or ommission – it doesn’t surprise me.
Gordon Kennedy wrote a nice post on Facebook: The World is a little less funny today. Our friend and colleague Rob Grant has died. This is bad news for everyone. But today as we hold Cath and the family, and writing partner Andrew Marshall, in our thoughts we, at Absolutely, are hurting. Rob was an Absolutely ever present. One of the very few and certainly one of the best talents closely linked to Absolutely since the very beginning. It started with Rob and Doug plucking Moray Hunter and John Docherty from the staff writing desk at Radio 4 to the creative heart of the hottest comedy on TV – Spitting Image, through to them casting most of us at one time or another in the glorious Red Dwarf. Then, on his own, Rob brought us ‘The Strangerers’ to produce for Sky. He then mentored and brought us Edward Rowett, a hugely talented young writer, who went on to write the award-winning Reluctant Persuaders. With Andrew Marshall, he then brought us, I think his best piece of writing since Red Dwarf, the gloriously over ambitious, impossibly complex and hugely funny- Quanderhorn. Then, to cap it all, with Andrew, a rare but hilarious sojourn in front of the microphone in The Nether Regions. It’s strange when you see it written down like this. He was a hugely talented writer and although he wrote several novels and some TV series on his own, it wasn’t generally his way. He loved to collaborate. To help, to mentor, and chat and argue and most of all laugh. Maybe that’s why he kept coming back to this loose collective of artists, idiots and artisans called Absolutely. Whatever, I am glad he did and I am so, so sad he won’t again. Thank you for everything Rob. Gordon Thought I’d “quote” this so people can actually read the touching tribute.
Blubbed just now listening to Craig on his radio show talking about Rob yesterday. It was really lovely but I’m not sure Craig knows what Titan is. He mentioned it by name and said it’s a new novel by Rob, but then said he’d also been working on a Red Dwarf prequel as if that was a separate thing.
Another incredible AI reimagining of the small rogue one, there, with a very unconventional “off to the side” angle for the ramscoop (that’s what you call it right)
It looks like Red Dwarf is cartoonishly turning a corner at high speed. It’s what happens when you try to do a 3 point turn close to light speed
Fucking awful. Maybe better for these to go in the R.I.P. Rob Grant thread if we want to keep this one classy?
Craig Charles’ Friday afternoon Radio 6 show Go to the 2hr 49m section. Oh, my. If you have dry eyes after that, you’re not human. Really touching.
I understand the drive behind it, but the “I refuse to read The Shepherd’s Crown, because then there’ll be no more Discworld novels left to read” people are exactly the type to hoard all the most powerful items in a videogame “just in case I need them” and then let the credits roll without touching them. The benefit of there being one more book to read is that you’re actually going to read it. Delaying until you’re emotionally ready is fine, but if the delay is indefinite then having 1 book left is the same as having 0. Only worse because you don’t get the enjoyment and memories from your experience of reading it. To me, reading and enjoying Rob Grant’s final work is respecting what he wanted for it, and putting off doing it is denial, in a way. Allowing your first experience of Titan/The Shepherd’s Crown to be in the past is accepting that the author genuinely has passed on. There’s truth here for sure, but we’re all different and process this kind of thing in our own ways (god, what a dull world it would be if we didn’t!) I’ve still not read Shepherd’s Crown even now. It is stupid in many ways, I’m well aware of that. Ultimately I am just depriving myself of something that I would no doubt obtain joy from, and I’m well aware that there’s a foolish futility in thinking otherwise. But the world can be a cruel bastard at times and I’m still not over the loss of Terry and what else he could have given to the world. Depriving myself of his finally book for whatever length of time is meaningless to a world that cares nothing of me, or him, or any of us in the end. But it feels like the one piece of agency I have to influence things in any way whatsoever, and that brings me some crumb of rebellious power I guess. I’ll read it soon I think. And I think I’ll do Rob the pleasure of not letting Titan wait quite so long.
