Series XI launches with clothing range and mobile game
Thursday 8th September 2016
UKTV and Grant Naylor Productions have partnered with Matrix and GameDigits to create the first official Red Dwarf merchandise in over 10 years. The range will include clothing, accessories and the first ever Red Dwarf mobile game, and has been produced in close collaboration with Doug Naylor, the co-creator of Red Dwarf, and writer and director of Red Dwarf XI. The launch of both the merchandise and the game will coincide with the release of Red Dwarf XI on Dave later this month.
Matrix have designed a range of merchandise that includes baseball caps, badges, t-shirts, bags, keyrings and hoodies. Red Dwarf fans in the UK and Europe will be able to buy the coveted items at a new ecommerce store www.shop.reddwarf.co.uk from 15th September.
From GameDigits Ltd. comes an action-packed mobile game that allows players to take command of Red Dwarf, Starbug and the characters of the show on their journey through deep space. The game features exclusive content written by Doug Naylor and will update with new missions throughout and beyond the release of series XI. Red Dwarf XI: The Game will be available worldwide on the App Store and Google Play from 22nd September.
Doug Naylor said,
I'm really looking forward to working with Matrix developing some official merchandise for the fans. For too long pirate merchandise has ruled the waves. No more me hearties! I'm also thrilled to be working with GameDigits on a Red Dwarf XI game. If I get time between playing it to release it, Red Dwarf fans might get to play it too.
Rob Stewart, product sourcing manager at Matrix, said,
Our appointment was smegging fantastic news! We're thrilled to have been selected to supply the first official line of Red Dwarf merchandise to land on Earth this century. It's an iconic TV series, watched by millions of people, and so it is a great privilege to play our part.
Ian Lindsey, managing director of GameDigits, said,
Since being an avid fan of Red Dwarf from the first series, it is a dream opportunity to be able to make a game for series XI. Working on this project has created one of those magical combinations, where the show's genre and the gameplay work perfectly together. It has been an absolute pleasure working with the legendary Doug Naylor, alongside UKTV and Grant Naylor Productions.
Simon Michaelides, UKTV's chief commercial officer, said,
We're very excited to be working with Matrix and Grant Naylor Productions on this line of merchandise to mark the forthcoming series of Red Dwarf on Dave. Red Dwarf and Dave are both incredibly strong brands with significant commercial potential beyond the confines of our TV screens. The relationship with Matrix represents a great opportunity to extend our reach into other areas, giving the millions of people who will tune in, another way of interacting with their favourite characters and storylines. The range will closely reflect the show's distinctive brand of humour and gives us the opportunity to reach a new generation of viewers, as well as rewarding the loyal fans, who have waited over 10 years since the last official line of Red Dwarf merchandise.
Dave, the UK's most watched non-PSB channel, has been the home of brand new Red Dwarf since 2009, with the three-part Back To Earth special followed by series X in 2012. New and exclusive to Dave, Red Dwarf XI begins on the 22nd September, and previews on UKTV Play from the 15th September.
END
About UKTV
UKTV is the biggest multichannel broadcaster in the UK.
The award-winning independent has eleven imaginative brands - UKTV Play, Dave, W, Gold, Alibi, Yesterday, Drama, Really, Home, Eden and Good Food. These include the two most popular non-PSB channels in the UK and account for 9.31% of the British commercial TV market.
The company's most recent financial results showed record-breaking year-end revenue of £283m and EBITDA of £74.1m. It invested £123m in programming and related launches last year, and is becoming an increasingly significant investor in UK creativity.
UKTV has a truly innovative model, curating brand-defining commissions, high-profile acquisitions and the very best of BBC, alongside programmes originally shown on ITV and Channel 4. The network embraces technology to deliver inspired channels to audiences through Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat, Amazon Fire and UKTV Play, and distributes its highly valued original programmes to 200 territories.
Now celebrating its 22nd year at the forefront of digital television, UKTV - an independent commercial joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI) - is proud to be the only British television broadcaster to be recognised by Best Companies.