Exciting new celebrity guest announcement!
Portsmouth Comic Con – International Festival of Comics is delighted to announce that Red Dwarf’s Chris Barrie – best known and most loved for playing hologram Rimmer – will be appearing throughout this year’s event on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th May.
To his legions of fans around the world, Chris is best known for playing Arnold Judas
Rimmer, BSc., SSc. (Bronze Swimming Certificate, Silver Swimming Certificate), once the Second Technician aboard the JMC mining ship Red Dwarf. Three million years after his death, Rimmer was brought back as a hologram to serve as the senior officer of Red Dwarf over a crew of four. Red Dwarf, the hit series of the same name, ran for 13 series of between 1988 and 2020.
“The most exciting thing about comic cons is the chance to properly meet the fans because, without the fans, Red Dwarf simply would not have succeeded,” Chris said. “And given that the shows have been around for 35 years or more, we are meeting fans from across four generations, which makes it even more interesting.
“I haven’t been to Portsmouth Comic Con before, so it is with eager anticipation that I look forward to visiting the historic maritime city and attending its Con on 3rd and 4th May.”
Chris is also known for playing Hillary, Angelina Jolie’s butler in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2021); and to many he will forever be remembered as Gordon Brittas, the most irritating manager in the history of the British leisure centre industry, in the BBC One sitcom The Brittas Empire.
He has since added more strings to his bow as presenter of Massive Engines, exploring almost every invention in mechanised transport from trains to airships. As the proud owner of several classic cars, motorcycles and trucks, it played perfectly to one of his biggest obsessions.
After moving to London from his native Northern Ireland, Chris started out in the comedy clubs as an impressionist – beginning his show business career as one of the original Comedy Store Gong Show performers which led to appearances on the BBC’s David Essex Showcase and the Jasper Carrott Election Special of 1983, which kickstarted Chris’s career. It wasn’t long before he was picked up by the producers of Spitting Image, and he went on to provide the voices for a stream of characters from HRH Prince Charles to Paul Daniels.
Portsmouth Comic Con is one of the largest family-friendly comic cons of its kind, presenting the best in comic, film, TV and pop culture entertainment in a fully immersive and fun day out for all!
It welcomes the finest artists and writers from across the industry to its stellar Artists Alley, and with a Star Trek Zone and immersive Star Wars Experience – to celebrate May 4th –already announced, more guests and experiences are due to be revealed over the next few months.
Visitors will be able to explore the biggest franchises around through interactive
experiences, displays, exhibitions, workshops and fascinating panels and discussions. Plus, enjoy the colourful cosplay parades and interactive fun, including retro and board gaming, and shop an incredible selection of merch.