Red Dwarf star Chris Barrie cancels public appearances after ‘medical situation’

Red Dwarf actor Chris Barrie has cancelled his forthcoming public appearances due to an ongoing “medical situation”.

The 65-year-old played Arnold Rimmer on the popular science fiction sitcom, which aired on the BBC from 1988 to 1999 and on Dave from 2009 to 2020. The show, starring Craig Charles as Dave Lister, the last living human, gained a cult following over time.

Barrie, also known for his role as Gordon Brittas in The Brittas Empire, was scheduled to appear at London Comic Con over the weekend alongside Red Dwarf co-stars Robert Llewellyn, Craig Charles, Danny John-Jules, and Hattie Hayridge.

In a post shared to his website on Thursday (3 July), Barrie told fans he could no longer make the event.

“Hello everyone. I’m going to be brief, but over the last week I have been dealing with a medical situation which I am only just beginning to get my head around,” he said.

“In the light of this I shall be attending no more events over the summer and into the autumn. Updates on all this will be issued as and when.”

Scheduled to appear at the Newcastle comedy event Scarborough Unleashed on 9 November, Barrie said that he would leave this date on his calendar in the interim.

“In the meantime I shall leave Scarborough on the itinerary for now and will look forward to returning there in the early winter,” he said. “Obviously I shall miss not being with the posse in London this Sunday but I’m afraid that is the way it is. Enjoy!”

At the peak of its popularity, Red Dwarf attracted more than 8m viewers, sold over 11.5 million DVD and videos worldwide, and was broadcast in some 25 territories worldwide. The series also won International Emmy and British Comedy Awards.

When it was revived in 2009, Charles left his role as Lloyd Mullaney on Coronation Street to take up the gig.

“I have had an absolutely fantastic 10 years on Coronation Street and I will be very sad to leave. Lloyd has become a huge part of my life and I have made some amazing friends with whom I will always keep in touch,” said Charles.

“But I feel I owe it to my colleagues on Red Dwarf to join them in filming the new series and finding out what is in store for Lister and the others. I would love to return to Coronation Street at some point in the future.”