Red Dwarf Creator Rob Grant Has Died, Fans and Cast Pay Tribute
The comedy writer rob grant, best known as co-creator of the long-running sitcom Red Dwarf, has died aged 70, prompting an outpouring of tributes from cast, collaborators and fans. The death has been publicly acknowledged by his family and by social posts from colleagues, and details released so far indicate a sudden passing; a cause of death has not been made public.
Rob Grant's career and credits
Rob Grant co-created the cult science-fiction sitcom Red Dwarf with Doug Naylor. The idea grew out of material written for the radio sketch show Son of Cliché and developed into a television series that debuted on 15 February 1988, drawing 4. 75 million viewers at launch. The programme ran through the 1990s, with viewership reaching roughly 8 million by its final series in 1999, and later experienced a revival on another channel between 2009 and 2020.
Grant’s credits also include lengthy work as one of the main writers on the satirical show Spitting Image, where he wrote regularly with Doug Naylor, plus two TV series of his own, The Strangerers and Dark Ages. He published a number of novels and — alongside Naylor — helped produce Red Dwarf tie-in novels under the joint pseudonym Grant Naylor. The writing partnership later split in the 1990s, with creative differences cited, and Grant’s more recent books were collaborations with screenwriter Andrew Marshall.
One of Grant’s early jobs was writing for Jasper Carrott’s television show Carrot’s Lib, and his work on the radio sketch show Son of Cliché included a character that evolved into the Red Dwarf premise: the space cadet Dave Hollins, whose transformation led directly to the series concept.
Tributes from cast, friends and fans
Tributes were swift. Craig Charles, who played Dave Lister in Red Dwarf, posted on social media on Thursday afternoon (February 26) saying he was in total shock, describing Grant as one of the funniest people he had ever met and calling him a visionary. Charles sent his condolences to Grant’s family and friends and said the impact Grant and Doug had on his life was immeasurable.
Actor Cameron Yarde also paid tribute, noting Grant’s role as co-creator of Red Dwarf with Doug Naylor, his early work on Spitting Image including contributions such as The Chicken Song, and his work on Carrott’s Lib; Yarde described that body of work as more than a career, calling it a legacy. The show’s official social channel posted that they were devastated to learn of Rob’s passing and sent love to his family and friends, saying he would live on through his creativity, storytelling and humour.
A dedicated Red Dwarf fan site published a statement from Grant’s family announcing the death and briefly went offline, presumably overwhelmed by traffic from fans seeking details. The family message read: “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's story, cast and legacy
Red Dwarf followed the surviving crew of a mining spaceship after low-ranking technician Dave Lister awakens from suspended animation to find he is the only surviving human. Lister’s companions included a hologram of his bunkmate Arnold Rimmer (Chris Barrie), the evolved lifeform Cat (Danny John-Jules), the sanitation droid Kryten (Robert Llewellyn) and the ship’s computer Holly (Norman Lovett). The series made stars of Craig Charles, Chris Barrie, Robert Llewellyn, Danny John-Jules, Hattie Hayridge and Norman Lovett, ran across 12 seasons, and produced two specials named Back to Earth and The Promised Land, building a devoted cult following.
New novel announcement and recent activity
Just days before his death, Grant had announced the forthcoming publication of a new Red Dwarf novel. His first Red Dwarf novel in thirty years, Titan, co-credited to Andrew Marshall and billed as a prequel titled Red Dwarf: Titan, had recently been announced and was due to be published in July. The timing of that announcement has been noted by fans and commentators as a poignant element of this news.
Personal reflections and next steps
An author who worked with Grant and Doug Naylor on The Official Red Dwarf Companion recalled them as great company, a great double act and, above all, devoted to the art of making people laugh. Fans and colleagues have begun sharing memories online and community tributes are expected to continue.
This is a breaking story; more will follow as families, collaborators and the estate release further details.
