I never thought I’d be on Medium, but yet, here I am. This issue was too big for me to ignore, so I think it’s worthwhile to talk about now and why it’s important.
If you follow me on Twitter, you may have seen me go on a ranting rampage about Robot Wars being axed (again) by the BBC. Granted, the show isn’t cancelled, but it’s shown where the BBC stands with it, and where they stand with getting kids, women, people into Science and Technology. An exciting, enduring, and entertaining show has played second best to the typical priorities of the BBC .
If you’re new to what Robot Wars is, I’ll bring you up to speed. If you’ve ever watched Battlebots, this was Battlebots before Battlebots ever was…true story!
Robot Wars started off as an event in America, where robots fought against each other. Some of the early, legendary Battlebots competitors started off at Robot Wars events, including Blendo, created by Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, which was famously banned from Robot Wars due to how dangerous it was. Eventually, a pilot was made in the UK for Robot Wars in 1995, which would lead to the BBC commissioning a series for BBC TWO.
On February 20th, 1998, Robot Wars became the first TV Show of its kind in the world, pitting robots through various tests and trials, then battling against each other for glory, while avoiding the show’s own super machines — the House Robots — serving as an element, or characters, for the audience to attach to. This is what separated Robot Wars from other Robot Combat shows to come.
The show became so popular, the competitor pool doubled for series two, even including a new House Robot by the name of Sir Killalot — a super-heavyweight, semi-humanoid, cyborg knight. Many competitors genuinely feared Sir Killalot due to his unopposed power and crushing abilities.
The show became a driving force for education and inspiration in engineering. Competitors would come onto the show with their own home-built fighting machines and fight against each other, and suffer humiliating destruction from the House Robots. Many people participated, including women, children, teenagers, different ethnicities, engineers, non-engineers, hobbyists, disabled people, people suffering mental disorders, and much more.
Combined with Battlebots, Robot Wars was a driving force for Robot Combat across the world, and inspired a new generation to pursue technology and engineering, whether it was to build their own machine or to learn how such things work. This proved to be successful, especially in the UK, as a force for inspiration that anyone can participate.
Robot Wars spawned 6 series and 2 spin-off series before it was originally axed on BBC TWO, with several international series as well as one last series on Channel 5 before it was cancelled completely, due to issues with promotion and marketing with Channel 5. At around the same time, Battlebots was cancelled in the U.S., so televised robot combat was no longer to be.
Cancellation of Robot Combat on TV was not the end of the sport — by the time of cancellation, live events started to appear, and so people kept competing on the live circuit. Eventually, Battlebots got its reboot in 2015 for ABC, with two successful seasons and now a third being made for its new home on the Discovery Channel and its network.
The Battlebots reboot showcased how much Robot Combat has changed, with more powerful, deadly machines, and destruction unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.
Robot Wars followed suit in 2016, with a reboot commissioned for its original home on BBC TWO. The show showed epic battles with new, powerful machines, along the likes of Carbide, Apollo, and Eruption. The show also had educational segments on what was happening in the world of robotics, in an effort to educate and inspire.
After twelve years of cancellation, many petitions, and rumours later, Robot Wars was finally back on Television, to the excitement of fans.
I went to all three series of Robot Wars at its warehouse location in Glasgow, and the change in direction left me stunned. The new versions of the House Robots were brilliant, as well as having fantastic new machines. The stories of inspiration and the pursuit to learn left me amazed, especially as the original series was a continuous citation for why people wanted to get into STEM.
Eventually, China stepped in to have their own Robot Combat show, King of Bots. The sight of China joining in on the action is huge — it showed that this was becoming more and more of a legitimate sport, and the machines presented were of a high caliber.
Over the course of its original run, Robot Wars became a big inspiration to many. It was one of the biggest influences for young people to get into engineering and creativity in the UK, still cited to this day. It also made way for diversity in the original series: While the majority of teams were male, there was ethnic, gender, and disabled diversity present in the original series, of Robot Wars, and still carries on — anyone could enter. The show was a big inspiration for anyone, and even I cite it as an inspiration for why I went to learn more about technology.
Robot Wars has also created opportunities and skills for many. A prime example is Oliver Steeples, who entered the original run with Cunning Plan and Griffon. Steeples is probably best known for building the current version of R2-D2 that’s in the new Star Wars movies.
Other combatants have become engineers and advocates in the field of engineering, especially current competitors Apollo, Carbide, and Concussion. Another example is Ellis Ware, whose self-taught engineering skills by watching videos and reading on the internet led him to build his own robotics business, and his fericious drum spinner, Magnetar. Ware has now gone on to work for RPD International, a prototyping company owned by Josh Valeman, who also competes with his £25,000, impressively engineered machine, Rapid.
Robot Combat as whole is an inspiration to anyone, as you don’t need to be an engineer to participate, or have a super powerful robot — you just need to have an idea. As well as that, the skills you learn from working with such robots can be applied to many places — fabrication, machining, software, and more. Outside of Robot Combat shows, there are events that anyone can participate, since the TV shows feature the heavyweights, and those events have various weight categories, including antweights, beetleweights, featherweights, and more.
A lot of people see Robot Wars, and Robot Combat as a whole, as a ‘male-dominated’ sport, but in fact is very inclusive. In the original run of Robot Wars, there were teams that were female fronted, of different ethnicities, and disabilities, right from the very start. It’s hard to get a diversity balance right in many things, and while Robot Wars had a majority of male teams in there, it was welcoming of people with different genders, colour, and ability, and still is to this day.
Another thing to note, is how much people with disabilities, mental and physical, have been driven to pursue STEM thanks to shows like Robot Wars. The show is is popular not just with children who suffer disabilities, but also with adults. The show has proven to be popular with people who suffer Asperger’s Syndrome and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Disabled people have also competed on Robot Wars, proving it is a place for many.
Robot Wars, in the UK, has been a vehicle for diversity and inspiration in STEM, ever since its introduction in 1998. Even children who were born long after the series had finished in 2003 have been inspired to go into science and technology thanks to the show, and with the reboot there’s been heavy promotion towards getting children into STEM, but also showcasing many different kinds of people building these robots, and making them feel included in a technology-heavy sport.
Series 10 of Robot Wars was filmed in May 2017, along with two international specials, showcasing a brand new tournament format and a healthy group of old and new machines. The destruction level had been amped up to 11, and along came more machines that showed how much Robot Wars has pushed an interest in STEM, from professional engineers to complete outsiders.
Along came October 22nd, 8pm on BBC TWO, premiering a strong start to the new series where a new tournament format was made, allowing all competitors to fight at least twice, surprising new competitors, shock upsets, and some of the best robot fights of all time. This truly was shaping up to be the best series of Robot Wars ever, not even mentioning the epic ten robot rumble to decide the 6th spot in the finale, and an explosive, intense finale.
The series had shock upsets, unlikely heroes, and a Grand Final where the seemingly-unstoppable Champion Carbide met the robot it beat previously to win the trophy, Eruption, piloted by 18 year old Michael Oates, who is currently studying engineering thanks to his love of Robot Wars and fighting in Robot Combat for 10 years.
A truly intense final, an exciting battle, and an emotional, long journey for glory came to an end, from being inspired in creativity and engineering finally paid off for the young Michael Oates. Potentially, the greatest episode of Robot Wars, if not Robot Combat TV shows, ever.
And then the BBC axed it.
The BBC had decided to axe Robot Wars very recently, with a claim that they need to remove Robot Wars in order to make room for newer programming, yet Robot Wars is a fairly recent addition to the broadcaster.
The reality is this: while Series 10 of Robot Wars has been held in high regards by fans, it did not do very well in the ratings. Mentorn, the producers of Robot Wars, put in a lot of work for this series, but the BBC failed to promote the show as well as give it the care and attention it needs.
Robot Wars was previously on at 7pm on Sunday Nights on BBC TWO, for Series 9, yet for Series 10, it was shifted back to 8pm. However, putting it in that time slot put it against Blue Planet II on BBC One, a heavily promoted program with plenty of advertising and promotion, and a show watched by millions.
Putting Robot Wars against Blue Planet was practically a death sentence. With little to no promotion, and little mention of it on the BBC, the ratings suffered in comparison to Series 9 and Series 8, skimming below 1 million viewers overnight, while Blue Planet had 10 million overnight viewers weekly.
The reality is Robot Wars was axed because of the low outcome, despite a well produced series and a proven inspiration point for young people and beyond. With potential of a fourth series, the show may have elevated in new ways, but the BBC decided to pull the plug before Sergeant Bash could have returned to the arena.
As much as the BBC promotes digital creativity and implores engineering, it’s ironic that the BBC has decided to axe a valuable inspiration and entertaining show that showcases ingenuity, during the UK year of engineering. Proof in itself, that the BBC does not care about getting a new generation inspired and excited for engineering, and more.
Robot Wars has been a proven inspiration to many in the UK, as well as entertainment for whole families and more. The BBC has practically robbed opportunities and inspiration from young girls, children, the disabled, and more. At a time when the world is encouraging diversity in STEM, it’s a backward step to remove a show that’s inclusive and encouraging for anyone to pursue STEM.
Just to rub salt in the wound, I found this on Twitter, and quite frankly it feels like a slap in the face to diversity in STEM.
The BBC runs an interview with Noel Sharkey, Professor of Robotics and AI at Sheffield University and head judge of Robot Wars, talking about how a male dominated sector is the cause of biased AI, around the time the BBC canned Robot Wars.
This is a slap in the face as the BBC wants to talk about the issues of a male dominated tech sector, as a means to make it more diverse, yet they’ve happily removed a proven diversity and equality vehicle in Robot Wars. To complain about the male dominated tech sector while removing a show that encourages diversity in the fields of STEM.
Amazingly, a lot of people have given similar viewpoints, a harrowing image of what the removal of Robot Wars means to children and more. It’s saddening to read but it shows how careless the BBC are on removing a show that promotes engineering and technology.
There are many more, including how disappointed parents are that a major inspiration for their children has been taken away, and how upset children are, but that last tweet in particular speaks a level. Ellis Ware explains how the original series of Robot Wars has inspired him, and has brought direction in life. The following words say a lot about what will happen with STEM with its removal.
I hate that this may not be possible in the UK ever again.
That in itself is quite heavy, but it’s true. What it means is the inspiration of STEM, including diversity in STEM, will stifle and many never see such a thing in the UK, because a STEM vehicle has been carelessly treated and removed by the BBC.
I myself have been inspired to do something new, by applying my web skills to hardware making small robotics, and learning more about electronics. Had it not been for Robot Wars, I severely doubt I would be doing it today.
With that in mind, it makes me wonder how many feel a similar way, and how many have not had the chance to be inspired. How many women or girls have had their inspiration stolen from them? How many disabled people have now had their opportunity robbed of making them feel able? How many children could it have encouraged to pursue technology? How many people have become disillusioned in STEM and technology since something they love has been taken away?
The timing of BBC axing Robot Wars could not have come at a worse time, considering that 2018 is the year that Robot Combat across the world is reaching a new peak. It has missed an opportunity to be part of a big sport, that could bring inspiration and diversity to STEM, worldwide.
Shows like King Of Bots and Battlebots are continuing on, but are going to new levels. King Of Bots 1.5 has Samsung, a major technology corporation, as a sponsor, and has a large international competitor pool as well as a stunning battle environment. Battlebots, meanwhile, has a new format that will last 20 episodes on the Discovery Channel, a major science network. This shows just how big Robot Combat is becoming on a global scope, where major corporations and networks are paying to make this as big as it can be.
As well as that, Battlebots has a continuing range of toys, giving children and adults alike inspiration and ambition to pursue these interests.
Meanwhile, Robot Wars is currently axed, with a potential toy line coming in the fall, and already has a book out that shows what goes into a fighting robot, as well as showing how to build your own heavyweight machine.
While it can be said UK competitors and builders, including young people who are just getting into the sport, can go to China and the U.S. instead to fight on TV, it’s practically a blasphemy that Robot Wars isn’t around and denies UK builders, and European builders, somewhere where they can fight closer for TV.
I’ve yet to find a place in the UK that is even as diverse and inclusive as Robot Wars, and it’s a shame that this opportunity has been taken away for many people to compete, as well as a TV show that encourages different people to pursue robotics, technology, engineering and creativity.
I’m in hope that Robot Wars will be picked up by a new broadcaster, or better yet, an online service like Amazon Prime Video, and can actually give Robot Wars the care and attention it needs, while also continuously encouraging a new generation of builders and makers. It’s important for it to survive as it has a place within society and technology, considering it was the original robot combat show and has been a massive influence in time.
At the moment, I’m growing a bit distant with the BBC and any technology that has the BBC’s name on it, including any Open Source technology it’s near. I’ve also grown a bit distant towards micro:bit, and will only go with it when the foundation has dropped all components and boards with the BBC’s logo on it. I highly implore other makers and builders to do the same. It’s obvious that the BBC could care less about STEM with this decision, and I would encourage others to use alternatives like Naomi Wu’s sino:bit instead until this has been resolved. Support independent and diverse makers where you can.
I also encourage fans and viewers alike to write a politely worded complaint to the BBC about how irrational the decision has been in terms of STEM, especially since how the show was handled, how the show was placed in a death slot against Blue Planet, and how they’re happy to keep shows that serve little purpose in terms of education and inspiration in place of Robot Wars.
In terms of putting on another network and helping it encourage others to learn and participate, I would encourage people to write to their favourite broadcaster or network, again, politely worded, to say how much they would love to see Robot Wars on their channel, but also what it would mean for a younger generation to get them interested in STEM subjects. Particularly, science networks would be great to have it on, hell I’d love to see Robot Wars on Amazon Prime, and allow an international audience to see it. If you have any points of contact for places like Discovery or Amazon, let me know. Who knows? Maybe Robot Wars will join the Discovery Network and we’ll finally have a Robot Wars — Battlebots crossover.
Also, I would encourage people to tweet #BringBackRobotWars on Twitter say why they want it to come back, and what the show means to them.
If the toys still come out this fall, buy them. It’s bound to give children and adults alike pure joy and encourage more Robot Wars to come.
It’s rather disappointing to see Robot Wars, a show that’s had a fairly tricky history in terms of broadcasting, face the axe once again. Opportunities and inspiration robbed from a broadcaster that claims to encourage STEM in a young generation, and mistreating a key inspiration for many.
I’m hopeful that Robot Wars will come back and be even better than ever, and will allow more of the inspired take their unique fighting machines to a new home, but more importantly, encourage diversity and inclusion within STEM in the UK, and beyond.
Until then…#BringBackRobotWars
