Series 8 (also referred to as the 2016 series) marked the return of Robot Wars to television after a 12-year hiatus. The series was presented by Dara Ó Briain and Angela Scanlon, with Jonathan Pearce returning as commentator. Professor Noel Sharkey returned as a judge, alongside new judges Professor Sethu Vijayakumar and Lucy Rogers. The weight allowance for standard heavyweights was increased to 110kg, while the weight limit for walkers was reduced to 135kg, with the series containing 39 heavyweights and one middleweight.