Red Dwarf star Norman Lovett has alleged he was mistreated on the set of the beloved sci-fi comedy, recounting rude and mean treatment by showrunners before his exit from the series.
The 79-year-old actor, who played the ship's computer Holly, first appeared in the programme when it premiered on BBC Two in 1988. He quit the show during series two after relocating to Edinburgh, Scotland, which made travelling to the London-based production difficult. His departure has also been linked to a pay dispute and rehearsal arrangements, leading actress Hattie Hayridge to take over the role in series three.
Return and allegations
Although Lovett later returned to play Holly in series seven and eight, the series 12 finale, and subsequent specials, he has now spoken about being badly treated behind the cameras. The claims were shared by a Red Dwarf fan on a Reddit fan page, who said Lovett made the admissions during DVD commentaries.
The viewer, who had expected a lighthearted look back at the comedy, said the interview left them feeling "bad," writing: "[I] Thought it would be hilarious to hear their commentary over the funniest bits. Was pretty good, until I got to one part with Norman Lovett. He talked about how he was mistreated by the showrunners and that they were very rude and mean to him."
Fan reactions
The Redditor continued: "This went on for a while, and I really did not like it being in the commentary when I'm trying to watch a funny show and hear them talk about it. Also, it was very awkward because you can tell the others really don't want to talk about it either, as they're there to provide fun and interesting commentary for the show, and Lovett is really bringing it down."
They added: "No hate towards him at all; apparently he really was treated really badly. I just wish he didn't bring it there. He did not seem to want to be in the commentary at all tbh. Since then, I haven't watched it with commentary again, because I don't want to hear that part again. It just takes me out of it and makes me feel bad."
In the comments, one fan recalled: "Having seen Norman Lovett at convention a couple of times, I can testify that he does moan about his time on the show quite consistently, and the others have come to love him as a grumpy old fart. He is actually a nice bloke based on my interactions."
Another shared their own experience: "About 10 years ago me and my mate were super excited to see that Norman was doing a comedy set above a small pub in a very intimate space with about 20 audience members. We went, and it was about 95% him complaining about being mistreated on Red Dwarf. It was extremely awkward and uncomfortable and not particularly funny. Pretty sad, really."
