15 Mind-Blowing Facts You Didn't Know About Red Dwarf

10. Hugh Laurie Was Nearly Lister

It could have been so different had Doug Naylor's original vision for Lister come to pass. He originally fancied a manic, scatty version of Lister, similar to the performance Christopher Lloyd had been giving in US comedy Taxi and later as Doc Brown in Back to the Future. There were plenty of quirky scientist-types on both the big and small screen, but playing a spaced out weirdo would have been a near match to Hugh Laurie, who was tearing it up as the guffawing Prince of Wales in Blackadder the Third, a ditzy buffoon of the highest order. Those characteristics would have also matched Norman Lovett, who auditioned for Lister, but his deadpan style was a much better fit for senile computer, Holly. Ultimately the man who would be House would miss out when Craig Charles was asked to audition having given his opinion on Cat. The rest is British comedy history.