Report from MailOnline
They were childhood friends before achieving professional success writing scripts for Spitting Image — and subsequent stardom as creators of the cult sci-fi sitcom, Red Dwarf.
But, alas, those halcyon days are very much behind them and their partnership has collapsed into a black hole.
For I can disclose that Doug Naylor, one half of the duo who dreamed up Dave Lister — played by comedian and DJ Craig Charles — and his fellow misfit spaceship companions, has just initiated a dramatic High Court action against his former co-scriptwriter and one-time best friend, Rob Grant.
‘I have brought this claim as a last resort,’ Naylor assures me.
‘This is not primarily a claim about money.’
He is, though, claiming £160,096.80, partly for allegedly unpaid invoices dating back to 2018.
He also alleges in his claim that following his removal as a director, the company informed UKTV that he ‘had resigned’ and claimed that it ‘retained all rights in Red Dwarf’.
At the time, Naylor was in negotiations with UKTV and claims that, had it not been for his removal as a director, ‘those negotiations . . . would have resulted in UKTV commissioning two further Red Dwarf specials’.
Naylor is claiming £160,096.80, partly for allegedly unpaid invoices dating back to 2018. Together the pair dreamed up Dave Lister — played by comedian and DJ Craig Charles — and his fellow misfit spaceship companions
