The popular TV series Robot Wars is returning to the BBC after more than a decade off the air, and it has been announced today that it will in fact be two Irish presenters taking over on hosting duties. Nice to know we are making our mark over yonder.
Dara O'Briain and Angela Scanlon have landed the gig in a show that sees amateur and professional roboteers make their own robots to fight against each other, as well as avoiding the "House Robots".
The show was in its heyday back in the late nineties/early noughties when former Red Dwarf and Corrie star Craig Charles hosted the show from 1998 until 2004, while Jeremy Clarkson also presented the series briefly in its early days.
Yep.
Some of the show's hardcore fans were disappointed that it wasn't Charles returning to host but we reckon Dara and Angela will make a great team. Everyone knows comedian Dara loves any opportunity to showcase his inner geek while Scanlon seems to be on the crest of a wave over in the UK at the moment, presenting BBC series Getaways while she's also digital host for The Voice UK.
As part of hosting the new Robot Wars on BBC2, I'll also be hosting the coverage of our actual war against the Robots in 2021.
— Dara Ó Briain (@daraobriain) February 3, 2016
Both are delighted with their new jobs, with Mock the Week presenter Dara saying; "I am thrilled to be presenting Robot Wars. For too long, the schedules have cried out for a show in which dedicated amateurs toiling day and night, handcraft sophisticated automatons built on the delicate interplay of hand-wired servo motors with custom-built circuit boards and fingertip motion control, just to see them get smashed to pieces by a dustbin carrying a massive hammer. It's war, and how I love it so."
While Angela added; "I'm so excited to be joining such a legendary show that, after all this time, still manages to make people squeal with joy.
"I cannot wait to see the robots in all their metallic glory playfully destroying each other!"
Dara also took to Twitter to address the pro-Craig Charles camp of Robot Wars fans...
Because you put my name at the start of that tweet, I am the ONLY person who saw it. Hey, let me fix that for you! https://t.co/W07wc0Syvk
— Dara Ó Briain (@daraobriain) February 3, 2016
Noted. https://t.co/Q9aJ9Zmflj
— Dara Ó Briain (@daraobriain) February 3, 2016
I, for one, welcome our new Irish overlords. https://t.co/m7z4GMeIVq
— Dara Ó Briain (@daraobriain) February 3, 2016
One thing clear from the Robot Wars response: lots of happy memories (mine too) of the job @CCfunkandsoul did.
— Dara Ó Briain (@daraobriain) February 3, 2016
Fans will be happy to hear however that the six-part series will see original commentator Jonathan Pearce returning, although there is no transmission date yet for when it will air on BBC2.