Metal Scrap

Robert Llewellyn returns to the screen with a new series of Scrapheap Challenge.

21 September, 2001

Sunday nights have once again become the home of mechanical carnage as Robert Llewellyn, alongside co-host Cathy Rogers, presents a brand new series of Scrapheap Challenge... or, as some might know it, Junkyard Wars.

Actually filmed in California, contestants were flown out to take part in the new 12-part series. reddwarf.co.uk asked Robert what we can expect from the new series: "Actually, for a start you can expect 14 weeks, as there is also a Mega Challenge, featuring 3 teams, US, British and Russian, and a sort of end of series special.

"It's without doubt the best we have done yet, bigger, madder, dirtier and more dangerous than ever before, with some great new teams and a couple of old favourites. And, because we made the series in America there is a good selection of massive V8 engines in use, some really scary big fellows, and anyone who has seen the show knows I have a bit of thing about big V8's."

Ignoring the size of his engine for now, Robert has also written the Scrapheap book, due out on September 21st. Given his skills for autobiography, will we see any of the anecdotal style of his other 'factual' books?

"I suppose it is like The Man in the Rubber Mask in some ways, written from my point of view, but it's more about the show, the teams and the engineering than about me and all my problems... I was writing it as we made the first six episodes so I was constantly grilling experts, judges and people behind the scenes as to what was going on and why."

Expect skills such as 'propelling an ostrich egg a long way without breaking it' to be very much in evidence over the coming months on Channel 4.

Robert Llewellyn's website contains the very latest on the Kryten actor's many comings and goings. A link is available from the Links section.

You can catch the all-new 'Mr Flibble Talks to... Robert Llewellyn' on reddwarf.co.uk from September 28th.