Robots Wars: Monstrous creations are ready to rampage again

WARNING: Embargoed for publication until 00:00:01 on 07/07/2016 - Programme Name: Robot Wars - TX: n/a - Episode: n/a (No. n/a) - Picture Shows: Presenters and House Robots (l-r) Sir Killalot, Dara O Briain, Matilda, Angela Scanlon, Shunt - (C) Mentorn Media Scotland - Photographer: Alan Peebles

FOR fans, it’s been far too long an absence.

But now, Robot Wars, one of telly’s brashest, noisiest hits in the 1990s and 2000s is back on the BBC.

And Angela Scanlon, co-presenter alongside Dara O’Briain, says the new rampant robots are so scary, that she had to shelter behind bullet-proof glass.

“The technology has come on so far from when the series was last on TV about 12 years ago,” Angela told The Weekly News.

“They can put so much more power into the robots and the axes or whatever they use.

“For safety, they are in what’s essentially this bullet-proof cage and at times, Dara and I were seeing huge chunks flying off towards us.”

The series was launched on BBC2 in 1998 and ran on the channel until 2003, when it moved to Channel 5.

Jeremy Clarkson and Craig Charles were among the original presenters and at its peak, it was pulling in six million viewers.

Roboteers pit their creations against one another in metal-crashing combat whilst also avoiding brutally-big house robots.

Irish-born Angela, 32, remembers enjoying the previous shows, especially tuning in to the Craig Charles series.

But she found the hundreds of fans who packed out each filming session in Glasgow were at a whole other level.

“We had bus-loads up from London, people across from Ireland and even flying in from Holland,” said Angela.

“Even if you consider yourself a fan of the show, it doesn’t compare with the super-fans who came along.

“I got to know quite a few over the filming weekends and let’s say their dedication was pretty extreme.

“They had been waiting for years for it to be back on TV and it had obviously had such an effect on them.

“Some of them had gone into careers like engineering because they’d been so inspired by the show.

“And you couldn’t make a mistake because they knew every robot that had ever been there and had attended all the live shows.”

Former host of The Apprentice: You’re Fired! Dara has taken over the main presenting duties and as a big fan who’d bought tickets for his live shows in Dublin, Angela admits it was a dream pairing.

“We’re both Irish, obviously, so that was nice and he was wonderful to work with,” she said.

“He’s the ultimate professional and his instinct was always to entertain a crowd.

“So when there were all the gaps in filming, he was in his element and would step right out there.”

After long, tiring filming days, Angela admits the team were more than ready to let their hair down.

And Dara was the man to lead the revelling.

“We danced our way round Glasgow on a few occasions,” she laughed.

“We really let loose.”

BBC favourite Robot Wars set to return to screens with filming to take place in Glasgow

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