Mac McDonald, who played Captain Hollister in the first episode, was originally considered for the part of Confidence. But he was decided against because the producers felt that Hollister would be brought back eventually. He does return in the second and eighth series.
Craig Ferguson and Lee Cornes, who play Confidence and Paranoia respectively, originally auditioned for the parts of Lister and Rimmer, respectively.
Peter Wragg's effects team built a full-sized dummy of Confidence to explode outside the ship with a high pressure burst. Craig Charles appeared to be hurt, but was only acting.
The computer keyboard Lister is typing on in the control room is a Commodore 64 computer.