Red Dwarf legend suddenly dies
Rob Grant, the co-creator of Red Dwarf, has passed away aged 70.
Red Dwarf co-creator Rob Grant has died aged 70.
The comedy writer - who co-created the hit TV show alongside Doug Naylor - has passed away, with the news being confirmed via the Red Dwarf fan-site Ganymede and Titan.
A statement posted on the site reads: "We at Ganymede and 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."
Red Dwarf premiered on the BBC in 1988 and went on to become one of the UK's most popular sitcoms. The show - which starred the likes of Chris Barrie, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules and Robert Llewellyn - ran for 12 seasons, and at one point, was attracting an audience of more than eight million viewers.
Craig Charles - who played the part of Dave Lister on the sci-fi comedy show - has already taken to social media to pay a heartfelt tribute to the acclaimed writer.
Craig, 61, wrote on X: "Earlier today I was informed of the passing of @realrobgrant.i am in total shock. 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 RIP ROB (sic)"
Grant started his career as a writer on TV shows such as Wrinkles, A Kick Up The Eighties, The News Huddlines and Three Of A Kind, while he also served as a script editor on Spitting Image, the iconic satirical puppet show, in the 80s.
Grant then turned his focus towards Red Dwarf, helping the show to become one of the biggest sitcoms in the UK, before a falling out with his co-creator led to him leaving the programme in 1993.
He subsequently worked on radio shows like The Strangerers, Quanderhorn and The Nether Regions.
