Chris Barrie, best known for playing Arnold Rimmer in the cult BBC sitcom Red Dwarf, has cancelled his upcoming public appearances due to an ongoing medical situation. The 65-year-old actor was scheduled to appear at London Comic Con this weekend alongside fellow Red Dwarf stars Robert Llewellyn, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules, and Hattie Hayridge.
In a statement on his website on Thursday, Barrie said he had been dealing with a medical situation over the past week. "I shall be attending no more events over the summer and into the autumn," he wrote. "Updates on all this will be issued as and when." He also indicated he would keep a planned appearance at the Newcastle comedy event Scarborough Unleashed on 9 November on his calendar for now.
Barrie, who also starred as Gordon Brittas in The Brittas Empire, rose to fame in Red Dwarf, which aired on the BBC from 1988 to 1999 and later on Dave from 2009 to 2020. The show attracted more than 8 million viewers at its peak and won International Emmy and British Comedy Awards.
