Robot Wars is returning to UK TV, and this time around a brand new and exciting stipulation has been thrown into the mix.
The metal-crunching show is set to make its return to the BBC after the success of last year’s series, which introduced the new presenting team Dara Ó Briain and Angela Scanlon. The first episode of the new series will air on March 5 on BBC Two, with it featuring the robots Nuts 2, Jellyfish, Rapid, TMHWK, Sabretooth, Terrorhurtz, Aftershock, and Crank-E competing against one another in the first group heat. The robots will be awarded points based on their performances, with judges Professor Noel Sharkey, Dr Lucy Rogers and Professor Sethu Vijayakumar presiding over the events.
We've been very busy working on the new series. We can't wait for you to see it. FYI bring a hard hat. #RobotWars pic.twitter.com/SMzof7APyw
— Robot Wars (@UKRobotWars) February 16, 2017
But while it’s largely business as usual for the popular series, there will be the addition of a brand new stipulation that is set to shake up its matches. The Arena Tyre, a giant button located on the side of the arena that has previously lowered The Pit, will now activate a mode called Rogue House Robot.
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Pressing this button will see a House Robot leave its designated area for a period of ten seconds, with it using this time to attack both competitors anywhere in the arena. Considering the House Robots are arguably the most popular aspects of Robot Wars, it’ll be fun to see them doing something other than waiting for the competitors to accidentally wander into their path.
Unfortunately, one of Robot Wars‘ most popular robots won’t be making a comeback, with the team behind GlitterBomb saying that they’d be missing out on the action this time around. “It was simple bad luck that led to us running out of time,” the team behind the robot wrote on Facebook, adding: “Our vehicle broke down on the way to filming, and left us vulnerable to small problems that we had no time to address. The robot was legal, tech-checked and ready to run that day, but not by the time it needed to be.”
The battles will once again be commentated by Jonathan Pearce, and the winner of the first heat will earn their spot in the series’ grand finals.
