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Toast may just be cooked bread to some people, but for one appliance equipped with Artificial Intelligence aboard Red Dwarf, it was a way of life. Step forward Talkie Toaster
An overly friendly machine, Talkie Toaster supplied much delight in reeling the likes of Lister and Cat into seemingly cheerful conversations only to steer them round to the subject of toast at all costs. "Howdy-doodly-do, how's it going?" was the typical opening gambit from the Ned Flanders-esque toaster, who was not afraid to interrupt serious conversations to offer a bit of T and T.
Before long, Lister had enough and obliterated poor Talkie Toaster into many little pieces, in an act dubbed by Kryten as "First Degree Toaster-cide". Would Lister have committed such a barbaric act on a Talking Tikka Masala machine? We doubt it.
If you thought regeneration was limited to Time Lords, then you'd be wrong. For Talkie Toaster was unveiled again after some repair by Kryten in the fourth season in a bright red form, albeit with the same sinister intent. A new, equally irritating voice matched the garish livery, but this new incarnation opted to dispose of the Trojan Horse ****small talk and come out with the burning question designed to make the Red Dwarf crew feel very crusty indeed: "Would you like some toast?"
I would just like to apologise for not being here, I would also like to thank macacd for keeping this going, you are doing a great job mate 
Sen-smegging-sational :p
After laying down Lister's legendary dreadlocks, Craig Charles secured a regular stream of work that brought out his cheeky Liverpudlian humour and enthusiasm. Presenting duties on BBC2's Robot Wars and a stint narrating cult gameshow Takeshi's Castle kept him busy until 2004.
The barrel was starting to be scraped in 2005 when he signed up for Channel 4's reality sports competition The Games, competing alongside the likes of Chesney Hawkes and Danny from Hear'Say. He managed a respectable fourth place - a far cry from Lister and his distinctly unhealthy shami kebab-munching, curry-guzzling and urine recyc-swigging lifes t y le
A bit part in Sky One's footie drama Dream Team was hardly the crowning glory of his CV, yet 2005 appeared to be a turning point when he scooped the plum role of cabbie Lloyd Mullaney in Coronation Street.
However, Charles's career revival was jeopardised in 2006 when a tabloid ran an exposé of his turbulent private life and addictions, leading to a police caution later that year for possession of a c l a ss A drug. Suspension from the soap ensued, but he returned in early 2007 and remains a popular member of the cast.
The second episode in the new Red Dwarf trilogy lost over half the audience from the first episode but was still a huge success for multichannel station Dave. The show was the second most-watched multichannel programme of the day, with 937k (4.5%) tuning in at 9pm. Clip show Red Dwarf Special: Smeg-Ups followed with 495k (2.5%).
The return of Red Dwarf for its first new episode in ten years was a huge hit for multichannel Dave last night, according to early ratings figures.
The first episode of a three-part reunion special, Red Dwarf: Back To Earth, pulled in 2.06m (10%) for Dave between 9pm and 9.30pm. A further 341k (1.9%) watched at 10pm on timeshift channel Dave ja vu.
A subsequent screening of a ****c episode took 1.01m (5.1%) at 9.30pm.
The success of Red Dwarf helped Dave to a primetime share of 3.2%, making it the most popular multichannel station of the night by a margin of almost one share point.
Ok so we are under a week until the new Red Dwarf material airs. Here is a rundown of all the episodes and runtime.
Friday 10 April
9:00pm - 9:30pm
Dave
Back to Earth Part 1
Dwarfers will be over the Moon at this shiny Easter Smeg. Re-runs of the sci-fi sitcom have been a staple of Dave for two years, but over the next four nights the Freeview channel gives us a brandnew adventure plus a documentary. The glimpses RT had suggest the crew of the titular mining ship experience some sort of collision with Corrie, but that's no crazier in Dwarfian logic than pregnant men, backwards worlds and monsters made of curry. At its best the comic chemistry of the main players (scuzzy Lister, priggish Rimmer, cocky Cat and fastidious Kryten), plus witty scripts that blended big laughs with ingenious concepts, created a unique entertainment. Here's hoping writer Doug Naylor harks back to the show's early series that were funny rather than fl ashy.
Saturday 11 April
9:00pm - 9:35pm
Dave
Back to Earth Part 2
The sci-fi comedy returns for a special three-part series. Rimmer's replacement Katerina is determined to guide Lister back to his home planet, but Earth in 2009 is not everything the Red Dwarf crew expected and Rimmer has no intention of being replaced.
Saturday 11 April
9:35pm - 10:15pm
Dave
The Smeg Ups
Patrick Stewart introduces the funniest outtakes from the comedy series set on a spaceship.
Sunday 12 April
9:00pm - 9:30pm
Dave
Back to Earth Part 3
The sci-fi comedy returns for a special three-part series. Knowing they are destined to die, the Red Dwarf crew track down those responsible for their creation to plead for more life.
Sunday 12 April
9:30pm - 10:00pm
Dave
The Making of Back to Earth
A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the three-part series Back to Earth.
Ooh, a new member of the crew! Katerina, played by Peep Show's Sophie "Big Suze" Winkleman, is a hologramatic Red Dwarf science officer who's hell-bent on replacing Rimmer aboard Starbug. I doubt the rest of the crew will raise any objections…
While Chris Barrie looked at operational machines, Llewellyn became more interested in what happens to them after they've bitten the dust. Many series of the cheap and cheerful Channel 4 show Scrapheap Challenge allowed him to showcase his presenting skills and his actual face! Believe it or not, it's not shaped like a novelty condom in real life, unlike that of poor Kryten.
Acting was very much put on the back burner after Red Dwarf, with only guest parts in Hustle and MI High (alongside the Cat!) of any note. His writing talents were deployed in several books that mined his observational wit, but it's the presenting that keeps him on our screens. In 2008 alone he fronted both Top Trumps and gadget show Batteries Not Included. Sadly he has yet to turn up as a small, off-duty Czechoslovakian traffic warden in any capacity.
People used to quip 'what a guy' whenever Rimmer's dashing alter ego Ace entered the fray. Sadly, not too many kippers were being smoked when it came to Barrie's post-Dwarf career. It seems the millennium bug hit hard as his other sitcoms The Brittas Empire and flop A Prince Among Men failed to make it beyond the late '90s. Even Mr Flibble looked more of a bankable star at the turn of the century.
Barrie took a surprising change in career direction by fronting a number of documentary series on the Discovery Channel (and later Channel 5) such as Massive Machines and Massive Engines. Sadly, Starbug wasn't one of the methods of transport being probed by the talented comic. Short-lived BBC2 quiz show Petrolheads also gave Barrie the chance to display his motoring knowledge in 2006.
He appeared alongside some more impressive bodywork in the shape of Angelina Jolie, playing Lara Croft's butler in both films in the Tomb Raider franchise. A starring role in the 2007 British comedy Back In Business failed to find an audience though, despite the presence of sofa-flogger Martin Kemp.
A key role in 2002's horror sequel Blade II suggested good things were on the horizon for Jules, but a couple of years later he took guest parts in the likes of Casualty and Doctors - a move that usually signals a career on the wane. As Cat might have put it, his career looked deader than corduroy.
However, Jules's charms were lapped up by a new generation of viewers in 2007 thanks to the role of MI9 agent Lenny in two seasons of acclaimed children's show MI High.
Sadly though, a brush with the other side of the law in 2008 meant that the former dancer was convicted of two counts of battery and sentenced to 120 hours community service. Presumably that left him feeling a little Tongue Tied... although the prospect of donning the Cat's dashing outfits again must have cheered him up.
Red Dwarf fans are apparently in for a treat when their TV heroes visit the famous cobbles of Coronation Street.
New episodes of the sci-fi show see Craig Charles' roles as Dave Lister and his Corrie alter-ego Lloyd Mullaney in a bizarre crossover, according to The Sun.
The newspaper has images of the Red Dwarf crew, including Kryten (Robert Llewelyn) scampering round Weatherfield, and according to the tabloid, one of the new episodes was filmed in the location and features Simon Gregson - aka Steve McDonald, cabbie Lloyd's friend.
The plot sees Kryten and the rest track down Lister on the soap, where he's playing Lloyd. There's no word yet on whether any of the other Corrie regulars clap eyes on the rubber-headed robot.
The Red Dwarf crew will be returning to Earth when the cult sci-fi show returns to TV later this year.
Red Dwarf: Return To Earth will reportedly see last human Dave Lister (Craig Charles) achieve his life-long goal of touching down on his home planet.
The two-part special, which has been commissioned by digital channel Dave, will reunite original cast members Charles, Danny John-Jules, Chris Barrie and Robert Llewellyn one decade after the iconic comedy ended.
Speaking to The Sun, Barrie confirmed the plot, saying: "Yes, Lister's dream is about to come true. But like everything in Red Dwarf, nothing is straightforward."
Written and directed by Red Dwarf creator Doug Naylor, the special episodes will kick off a special Easter weekend of Red Dwarf on Dave.
Return To Earth will be followed by Red Dwarf: Unplugged, which has been described as a "no holds barred" episode with no sets, no effects and no autocue. The weekend will close with Red Dwarf: The Making Of Back To Earth, which will give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the new production.
The programme ran from 1988 until 1999, winning numerous awards including an international Emmy. It has sold more than seven million DVDs and videos across the world and at its peak, pulled in eight million viewers.
This is the first outing of a regular feature where I'm going to give a little insight into the minor characters that litter the Red Dwarf universe.
And the only place to start - Mr. Fibble
Mr. Fibble
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Mr. Fibble appears in episode Quarantine(Series 5 Episode 4), where Arnold Rimmer has been infected by a hologramattic virus.
The "Holo Virus" gives Rimmer extreme mental powers but the slight drawback is that he has become totally psychotic. In his psychotic state he has created Mr. Flibble, Flibble is a hologramatical hand puppet penguin. He is fluffy and malevolent, and often "very cross"
