My Journey with Red Dwarf: A Devoted Fan

I've been a Red Dwarf fan since the show's debut in 1988, although I admit to missing a few episodes here and there. My passion reached a peak around 1997, where I couldn't go a day without watching at least one episode. There were also times when I felt like throwing my entire Red Dwarf collection away, but hey, that's the rollercoaster of fandom, right? Many fans experience this – I know at least two others!

Here's how this website came to be:

In 1997, I started learning HTML and decided to dedicate a section of my personal homepage to Red Dwarf. With only VHS recordings of the show (mostly from the 1994 reruns) and my own memories, information was limited. Determined to find more, I scoured the internet on my slow dial-up connection (think: 486 PC with Windows 3.11). Back then, Red Dwarf websites were scarce and weren't particularly impressive, with most existing ones being add-ons to newsgroups. As I redesigned my personal homepage, the Red Dwarf section continued to grow.

By December 1998, I felt I had enough information to create a dedicated Red Dwarf website - TOTAL RED DWARF. Over the Christmas break (while at university), I hand-coded every page to bring my vision to life. GeoCities became my first hosting platform, and I was initially quite pleased with the results. However, the design flaws and limitations started to bother me. So, during the summer of 1999, I embarked on a new design project, fueled by sheer love for Red Dwarf, that sometimes had me working late into the night.

I opted out of WYSIWYG editors (like Microsoft's FrontPage 98, which I found terrible) and went the manual route, using one of the most challenging techniques at the time: frames. Hand-coding over 30 framesets for the website was a massive undertaking, but my passion kept me motivated.

The launch in August 1999 was a proud moment. I hosted the site using my ISP's web space and a free V3 URL domain name to disguise it (http://come.to/total_reddwarf). It was my own Red Dwarf haven, and as far as I knew, there wasn't anything quite like it out there.

Soon after, other Red Dwarf websites started popping up. Some were fantastic, while others not so much. The original reddwarf.co.uk went offline shortly after and was replaced with a cool flash cartoon featuring Doug Naylor announcing a website overhaul. The revamped site, which arrived a few months later, was brilliant. It included the "Officers Club" section with a webboard and chat room, which became my gateway to connecting with other Red Dwarf fans. The message board grew rapidly, with hundreds registering. It was through this platform that I met some amazing people who became close friends, including my then best friend Kate (originally known as DannyJohnJulesLover), Larry ("Loopy Larry"), KarenNC, Simon Turner, and Beth Turner. The webboard even played a role in my love life! I met my first real girlfriend there – I randomly picked a name from the registered members, emailed her, we became friends, decided to meet up (an incredible experience), started dating, and the rest is history. We were together for over three years, a long-distance relationship filled with great times. Eventually, we grew apart, and I ended things. As far as I know, she's happy. She has been married and divorced since but I beleive it happy again with a new partner.

While with Vicky, we attended Dimension Jumps IX and X. You can actually see me in highlights on Hattie's DJ Diary on Disc 2 of the Red Dwarf Series III DVD (cue smug mode!). I made a rather embarrassing appearance in the DJ Fancy Dress Competition as "Potato Virus Rimmer," wearing nothing but a pink thong and a skullcap made from tissue and cling film (don't judge!).

With no new series on the horizon, the Red Dwarf movie taking forever to be released, and a demanding job, Red Dwarf took a backseat in my life for a while. Though my love for the show remained, my priorities shifted. Maintaining the website became less frequent, and TOTAL RED DWARF didn't see many updates. However, with a steady income, I continued to expand my Red Dwarf collection (it got quite substantial, although at the time nowhere near James Bull's, the TORDFC Chairman).

I did attend Dimension Jump XI and participated in the Fancy Dress competition again, this time as Legion. Unfortunately, I didn't win (there were some great entries, and Simon Smith had a lot to answer for 😂). My Legion costume, though, was quite the investment!

I became well known on the reddwarf.co.uk webboard and thanks to the Red Dwarf Series III DVD, I'm now recognised somewhat worldwide!

Red Dwarf Fan Club: A Labour of Love

My love affair with The Official Red Dwarf Fan Club (TORDFC) began around 2000. Back then, the webmaster, a friend from the Red Dwarf website forums, lacked web design skills. Seeing their need, I stepped in to help maintain the site (http://www.tordfc.co.uk). While the credit went entirely to the webmaster, the satisfaction of keeping a valuable resource for Red Dwarf fans worldwide fueled my passion.

In 2005, the official webmaster position opened. Thrilled at the opportunity, I joined the TORDFC team. As the original domain name neared expiration, I took the initiative to register reddwarffanclub.com and secured its hosting. This sense of ownership and being part of a dedicated team was incredibly rewarding.

I poured my heart and soul into the project, working late nights to redesign and develop the website. This included a password-protected members' section, integrated forums matching the website's design, and even a free webmail system configured for the domain. The sense of accomplishment from building these features was immense.

My contributions extended beyond the website. In 2006 and 2007, I actively participated in organising, promoting, and running two Red Dwarf conventions. To further their reach, I even registered the domain dimensionjump.info. These events were a dream come true! I played a part in creating games, posters, hotel logistics, and coordinating with guests (including Red Dwarf cast and crew). This experience allowed me to interact with some cast members on a professional level, even forming friendships (or acquaintanceships) with a few, including Norman Lovett and Danny John-Jules.

However, by the end of 2007, with a young daughter demanding attention and feeling increasingly underappreciated despite my tireless weekly efforts, I reached a breaking point. While the passion remained, the sense of being the sole driving force, coupled with no new Red Dwarf episodes at the time, led to a difficult decision. In December 2007, I stepped down from my position.

This experience, though ultimately ending, was a testament to my dedication to the Red Dwarf community and the joy of contributing to something I deeply cared about.