Olaf Petersen

Overview

Olaf Petersen is a Danish member of Red Dwarf’s crew and a close friend of Lister. The official fictional interview presents his history through unreliable drunken reminiscence. He claims to have joined the mining ship while working toward a home on Triton, after employment aboard a nuclear waste vessel. He also admits that his catering credentials were falsified to gain kitchen access for an illicit still.

The interview distinguishes its speaker from the original Petersen: this version was reconstructed by nanobots after the crew’s destruction. The accompanying database account connects Petersen with Lister’s time travel, a corrupted hologram recording and the return of Lister’s guitar.

First appearances & development

Red Dwarf

Canon & continuity

Publisher fiction.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Red Dwarf

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

1. Primary publisher fictionPetersen — official databaseResearch access: 2026-10-21
2. Primary publisher fictionPetersen — fictional interviewResearch access: 2026-10-21

Image credits

AI-generated Olaf Petersen interpretation.

Imagined scene.