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Red Dwarf star Danny John-Jules has reflected that more than three decades after the show was created – it should be celebrated for being ahead of it’s time – in terms of diverse casting.
The classic BBC sitcom, which has been successfully resurrected by the channel Dave – follows the adventures of a bunch of misfits, as they drift deeper into space aboard a mining ship millions of years in the future.
Danny John Jules plays The Cat, a humanoid creature who evolved from an ordinary house cat and, as a result, spends his time trying to sleep, eat and groom himself as much as possible.
He said: “It was totally ahead of its time. All this rubbish they’re talking about diversity today makes me laugh through my teeth. Red Dwarf should have been held up as a bastion of diversity in television.
“Fifty per cent of its cast were black, you never had a person’s colour mentioned once – 32 years later and we’re still doing that.”
Decades since the show made its television debut, the four principal cast members are still on excellent terms.
Co-star Craig Charles added: “We’re all four very different people but when you stick us in a room it all just seems to click. I think these are the longest adult relationships I’ve ever had.
“I’ve known Robert [Llewellyn], Chris [Barrie] and Danny longer than I’ve known anyone else, including my wife. All our children were born when I was making the show.”
Red Dwarf: The Promised Land sees the crew go up against Rodon (Fleabag‘s Ray Fearon), the leader of a gang of feral cats who demands to be worshipped as a god.
The ambitious episode wasn’t intended to be a finale, as Charles has expressed his willingness to return for more.
He said: “I’ll keep making them as long as people want to watch them and we’re having fun. I think I’d be sad the day I realised Red Dwarf had become a thing of the past.”