On February 14, 1998, the night before the tenth anniversary of the show's first broadcast episode, BBC2 devoted an evening of special programming to the series, under the banner of Red Dwarf Night. The evening consisted of a mixture of new, specially-recorded content and existing material, and was introduced and linked by famed actor and Dwarf fan Patrick Stewart. In addition, a series of special take-offs on BBC2's famous idents, featuring the "2" logo falling in love with a skutter, were used.
The night began with Can't Smeg, Won't Smeg, a spoof of the popular cookery programme Can't Cook, Won't Cook, presented by that show's host Ainsley Harriott (who had himself earlier appeared in Red Dwarf, albeit under heavy make-up, prior to his career as a celebrity chef). Taking place out of the continuity of the series (not least as it features both Kochanski and the hologram Rimmer, who never actually met in the series, on-board Starbug), two teams (Kryten and Lister versus Rimmer and the Cat, although the Cat quickly departs to be replaced by alter ego Duane Dibbley) are challenged to make the best chicken vindaloo. The show was part-scripted by Paul Alexander, and part-improvised by the cast. Can't Smeg, Won't Smeg is available for viewing as a special feature on the series IV DVD.
After a compilation bloopers show, featuring out-takes that had already been seen on the various Smeg Ups releases (see DVD and video) but new linking material from the cast, the next special programme was Universe Challenge, a take-off of the University Challenge (or College Bowl in the USA) format. Hosted by original University Challenge presenter Bamber Gascoigne (following an introduction in which Chris Barrie mimicked current host Jeremy Paxman — who Gascoigne subsequently 'blew up' with a Bazookoid), the show saw a team of knowledgeable Dwarf fans defeat a team consisting of Chris Barrie, Craig Charles, Robert Llewellyn, Chloe Annett and Danny John Jules. Universe Challenge has not yet been released on DVD due to copyright complications.
Universe Challenge was followed by The Red Dwarf A-Z, a half-hour documentary special that chose a different aspect of the show to focus on for each letter of the alphabet. Talking heads on the episode included Stephen Hawking, Terry Pratchett, original producer Paul Jackson, and Patrick Stewart, in addition to an appearance from two (officially-licensed) Daleks. Finally, the night ended with a showing of the Emmy award-winning episode from 1993, "Gunmen of the Apocalypse". The Red Dwarf A-Z is available for viewing as a bonus feature on the series II DVD, and as part of some countries' series VII VHS release.
Another one-off Dwarf special was produced in November of that year — a short sketch serving as a prelude to Series VIII that was broadcast as part of the annual Children in Need fundraising night. The sketch saw the Dwarf crew (again featuring both Rimmer and Kochanski — with Rimmer still sporting his holographic H to avoid spoiling the nature of his return) onboard the newly-redesigned Blue Midget, discussing fund-raising and telethons.
