Terry Nation pitched Blake's 7 to the BBC as "The Dirty Dozen in space", referencing the 1967 film about convicts sent on a suicide mission during World War II.

Nation reportedly conceived the idea for Blake's 7 in a sudden moment of inspiration during a pitch meeting with BBC drama executive Ronnie Marsh, who immediately commissioned a pilot script.

The show was heavily inspired by the legend of Robin Hood, with the crew members representing dark, morally ambiguous versions of the Merry Men, including a thief, a smuggler, and a murderer.

Script editor Chris Boucher drew inspiration from Latin American revolutionaries, especially Emiliano Zapata, when developing the characters' motives and the consequences of their rebellion.

The final episode, titled 'Blake', was inspired by the films The Wild Bunch and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

The BBC had originally planned to end the show after series three, but controller Bill Cotton watched the finale 'Terminal', enjoyed it greatly, and personally ordered a fourth series to be announced immediately.

Gareth Thomas agreed to return for a final appearance as Blake in series four only on the condition that his character be definitively killed off.

Actor Glynis Barber, who joined in series four as Soolin, had previously appeared in series one playing a Mutoid in the episode 'Project Avalon'.

When Gareth Thomas and Sally Knyvette chose not to return for series three, suggestions to cast a replacement actor as Blake were rejected, leading the writers to make Avon the new lead instead.

Gan was chosen to be killed off in series two, over other regular characters, because he had been underused and was considered the least popular character.

Interior scenes were shot on videotape at BBC Television Centre and Ealing Film Studios, while location filming for bases and bunkers often took place in real power plants and water turbine stations.

Filming locations included Quex Park in Kent, Betchworth Quarry (used as an alien planet surface), and Wookey Hole Caves (used as an alien mine).

The theme music was composed by Dudley Simpson, who also scored Doctor Who for over a decade, and the same title recording was used across all four series.

The Series One episode 'Duel' does not feature Simpson's music because director Douglas Camfield had a personal grudge against him and refused to work with him, so library music was used instead.

Gareth Thomas was open to a crossover with Doctor Who, as he was close friends with Tom Baker and both actors wanted their characters to briefly cross paths on screen, though the idea was ultimately scrapped.

Dutch musician Arjen Anthony Lucassen named his side-project Star One after being inspired by Blake's 7.

In 2004, a 15-minute comedic short film parody titled 'Blake's Junction 7' premiered at several film festivals, featuring Mackenzie Crook, Martin Freeman, Johnny Vegas and original Blake's 7 voice actor Peter Tuddenham.

Critic Clive James gave a scathing review, joking about the absence of an apostrophe in the title and mocking the show's low-budget spaceship design.