Mentorn Scotland, part of the Tinopolis Group, has been commissioned by BBC Two to produce a new series of the man and machine battle series Robot Wars, it was announced today.
The iconic entertainment show will return as a 6x60’ series and will feature a new structure with more robots, more battles and more science than ever before.
The new series includes a raft of technological advances since the show first aired over a decade ago, and viewers can expect to see more innovative fighting machines as teams of amateur roboteers battle it out to win the coveted Robot Wars title.
The show will be recorded in a new purpose-built fighting arena in Glasgow, allowing viewers to get even closer to the action, with state-of-the-art cameras capable of capturing every crushing, sawing and scorching moment in incredible detail.
The new series of has been commissioned by channel controller Kim Shillinglaw, Acting Controller of Entertainment, Alan Tyler, and Jo Street, BBC Commissioning Editor. Produced by Mentorn Media Scotland in association with SJP Media, it will be executive produced by Creative Director of Entertainment at Tinopolis, Chris Brogden, Andrew Robertson of Mentorn Scotland and Jo Street for the BBC.
Kim Shillinglaw, Controller of BBC Two and BBC Four, says: “Robot Wars is an absolute TV classic and I'm thrilled to be updating it for the next generation of viewers. With new technological advances making for an even more exciting and immersive experience, this is a fantastic example of the kind of content-rich factual entertainment that BBC Two excels at.”
Chris Brogden, Creative Director of Entertainment at Tinopolis, says: “Bringing back Robot Wars to our screens is hugely exciting. Its return will see new and improved robots, with extraordinary innovation and power in these updated machines – it promises to be quite the competition.”
Alan Tyler, BBC Acting Controller of Entertainment Commissioning, says: “The redeveloped Robot Wars proved compelling, offering a mix of real people, real passion and raw power. It is remarkable to see how much more powerful these robots have become since the series last aired, with battles now staged in an arena that is literally bullet proof. And yet, the show is still fundamentally driven by the eccentricity of the brilliant brains behind the machines. We are excited to bring this clever new incarnation not only to an audience who loved the original but also to those who may be discovering it for the first time."
