Robot Wars is back! But will Bournemouth's world champion Razer be back with it?

Following the format of the original series, which aired on the BBC from 1998 to 2002, teams of amateur roboteers will see their imaginatively-armed creations go head to head with the sole purpose of destroying their competitor.

Fans will fondly remember house robots such as Sir Killalot, Shunt and Sergeant Bash, which took on competitors under the watchful eye of host Craig Charles and pit reporter Philippa Forrester, although the first series was helmed by Jeremy Clarkson.

It's not clear whether any of the old favourites will be back, but local fans will be hoping for a return of Razer - the robot built in Bournemouth by Ian Lewis and Simon Scott and recognised as one of the most sucessful competitors in the series' history.

Razer gained a massive fan following as champion of the fifth series, was runner-up in the sixth, and won the first two Robot Wars World Championships. 

The team which built Razer were also behind a second robot, Warhead, and are currently part of the American series Battlebots on ABC. (More on what Simon and Ian think about the series return later, we hope)

The new six-part series promises a ''raft of technological advances'' including a new bullet-proof, purpose-built fighting arena and ''state-of-the-art cameras'' to capture every saw, claw and flame-thrower.

Alan Tyler, BBC acting controller of entertainment commissioning, said: ''The redeveloped Robot Wars proved compelling, offering a mix of real people, real passion and raw power. It is remarkable to see how much more powerful these robots have become since the series last aired, with battles now staged in an arena that is literally bullet-proof.''

Mentorn Scotland will film the series at the new arena in Glasgow and it will air later this year.