Sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf will return for two new series, it has been confirmed.

While standing in for Janice Long on BBC Radio 2, Craig Charles revealed that he will return as lead character David Lister.

He said: "I can now announce we are going to be doing two more series of it starting in January next year... I got the call today. They said 'Craig, can you do it?', I said 'I'll sort it out'. So I will be able to do it in January."

Meanwhile, Chris Barrie, who plays Arnold Rimmer, told the Coventry Telegraph: "There are plans afoot to have a tenth series.

"I find it very hard to call it a tenth series, because that obviously means we're calling the Easter special from last year the ninth series. But yes, certainly, I would say some more new Red Dwarf product. There are plans afoot to get that into gear."

He added: "I think of 'Back To Earth' as a sort of 21-year celebration, really, as a proper three-part special. But yes, it would be nice to do, and hopefully we will, another six half hours.

"I don't really know anything more than I'm saying, believe me. I do know plans are afoot, but that's all I can say. In terms of the direction of the show, I don't really want to see it change that much. I just want more strong storylines, probably in a half-hour format."