The episode was due to be broadcast as part of a repeat season on 13 March 1996. It was suspended due to the Dunblane massacre, when it was feared that the gun-toting simulant at the start of the episode, and other references to a "psychotic deranged ruthless killer", could be thought to parallel the real-life tragedy, and thus be considered offensive. Out of Time (1993) was shown in its place, followed by series IV's Dimension Jump (1991) a week later; "Rimmerworld" itself was eventually repeated in mid-April.
It is one of the only episodes in the series to give a firm indication as to how much time has elapsed between episodes, as Lister states that the destruction of the Simulant ship occurred "a couple of weeks ago", meaning the events of Gunmen of the Apocalypse (1993), Emohawk: Polymorph II (1993) and now Rimmerworld (1993) occurred (for Lister, the Cat and Kryten, at any rate) within a timeframe of only a few weeks. By comparison, there are episodes in earlier seasons that can be interpreted as suggesting months may have passed between episodes.
The episode was filmed back to back with Gunmen of the Apocalypse (1993) to avoid having to rebuild the sets and models for the Simulant ship, and having to hire actress Elizabeth Hickling twice. It was planned as a sequel to "Gunmen" but was effectively cut down from its original idea.
In one take of the scene which Kryten tells Rimmer that it will take 600 years for the Starbug crew to rescue him from the planet in the wormhole. Danny John-Jules smirked when he realized that he missed his line, which was "Pinch me!".
Scenes cut from the episode:
- During Arnold Rimmer's medical examination he discusses with Kryten what became of his apparently-successful brothers, John, Frank and Howard Rimmer. Arnold tells Kryten that, in his family, "they were taught to be winners. Four boys. Every morning, three breakfasts. You learn pretty darn quickly that losers don't eat. I've still got the fork marks to prove it." Kryten says that it sounds more like "Charles Manson: The Early Years". Arnold says that "three out of those four Rimmer boys became the cream of the Space Corps. 75% hit rate, you can't knock it." Kryten then reminds Arnold that all his brothers went insane, and that they destroyed the craft that they were commanding, and killed the entire crews (ironically something Arnold himself did, albeit accidentally, aboard Red Dwarf. Kryten also did this aboard the Nova 5.) Arnold says "that's a bit personal, isn't it?"
- A second and shorter extension of Rimmer's medical examination, with Rimmer talking more about the poor health in his family history, due to anxiety, stress, heart and blood pressure problems.
- An extension of the scene where Lister tries to talk down the female Simulant Lieutenant at gunpoint aboard the wreck of the simulant ship, giving veiled requests to Rimmer for help as Rimmer is silently sneaking to the escape pod behind her. As Rimmer struggles to open the escape pod door, the Simulant Lieutenant makes it clear to Lister that isn't going to let them them live, before Rimmer gets out and starts off a shipquake and some girders fall on her. Before she dies the Simulant Lieutenant says that her shipmates "burned alive in hideous agony", after Lister says that "all we've been through, doesn't that mean anything to you?"
- An extension of the scene where Lister, Kryten and Cat accidentally warp a week into the past with the Teleporter. Perhaps as a reference the fact that Cat's wardrobe budget had been cut for Series VI, meaning a lesser amount of costumes for Cat to wear, the Cat is embarrassed to be in a room with another version of himself as they are both wearing the same outfit.
- Rimmer begins a personal journal or log when he first arrives on what will become Rimmerworld. The first entry was shown but trimmed down substantially for the aired episode. The full transcript of this is:
- A more 'dramatic' introduction for Lister, Kryten and Cat into the ruler's throne room. They are led in by the Rimmer-Centurions, and a crier demands silence for His Most Excellent Majesty's entry. Lister sniggers, to which one of the Rimmer-Centurions demands at spear-point that Lister "stand to attention, mutant scum, while they play the anthem!" The "anthem" is in fact a terribly cheesy Hammond Organ fanfare as The Great One is enters with his Rimmer-Concubines. The Rimmer-Centurion behind Lister does the Rimmer Salute as his king takes his seat at the throne.
- The aired ending has the Dwarfers accidentally teleporting into the future, where Lister is apparently missing, and future-Rimmer says that something terrible has happened to him. Present-Kryten then beams the others out so as to not know any more of their future. It was kept like this as the writers believed that it would work as a clever teaser for Lister's apparent 'brain-in-a-jar' fate in the next episode. The original ending to Rimmerworld had Lister emerging from the toilet just after their past selves beam back out, and Kryten calling Rimmer slime for the prank.