Time Bomb Comics has announced a new partnership with Anderson Entertainment in a deal brokered by Larkshead Licensing. The first publication, Spectrum, will be a 44-page comic anthology featuring three cult titles from the mind of prolific creator Gerry Anderson: New Captain Scarlet, Space Precinct and Terrahawks.
Gerry Anderson’s work was a huge part of the British television landscape from the 1960s to the 1990s, and his shows remain popular with science fiction fans across the globe. The three titles included in Spectrum span the genre from alien fighting to space-based police procedural.
New Captain Scarlet was a reboot of the original 1960s show broadcast in the 1990s. Using CGI as an evolution of the original Supermarionation puppetry, the show followed the titular Captain Scarlet in his battle against the invading Mysteron aliens.
Terrahawks used an altered version of the Supermacromation style, refined with 1980s technology and incorporating latex hand-puppets. The series sees a ragtag group of humans defend Earth after the destruction of NASA.
Finally, the 1990s Space Precinct was a live action series that incorporated puppetry in creating realistic and sophisticated alien characters. A police procedural set in space, it was known for its groundbreaking special effects.
The creative teams for the new anthology are Steve Tanner (writer), Pete Woods (artist) and James Grey (letters) on New Captain Scarlet; Richmond A Clements (writer) and James Gray (art and lettering) on Space Precinct; and Dan Whitehead (writer), Ste Pickford (artist) and James Grey (lettering) on Terrahawks. The cover will be drawn by Steve Pugh, known for his work at DC, Marvel, Dark Horse and 2000AD.
Every aspect of the publication has been personally approved by Jamie Anderson, Managing Director and CCO of Anderson Entertainment, and son of Gerry Anderson. The collaboration is also perfectly timed as it coincides with Time Bomb Comics’ 15th anniversary year and marks an exciting development for the company.
Time Bomb Comics’ chief, Steve Tanner, says: “Spectrum marks the first licensed title released through Time Bomb Comics and I’m delighted it features characters and concepts that are truly warmly recognised around the world.
“Like many of my generation I grew up enjoying the television shows created by Gerry Anderson, and I’m thrilled that we’ve partnered with Anderson Entertainment to create new stories featuring some of his most iconic shows.
“New Captain Scarlet, Space Precinct, Terrahawks and Time Bomb Comics – what a combination!”
Jamie Anderson adds: “Seeing these three Anderson titles getting a new lease of life is a real thrill for me. The Time Bomb team has done a fantastic job of building out the worlds, keeping an authentic feeling to the stories, and making stunning-looking strips. I can’t wait for Anderson fans across the globe to enjoy these new stories.”
Spectrum will be opening for pre-order sales on Kickstarter in April with publication later in 2022.
Anderson Entertainment has stepped into the world of wall-art with the launch of a series of limited edition silk-screen prints insipired by some of its most iconic properties. Featuring characters, craft, and scenes from Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet, the imagery will be drawn from the popular Anderson comics that appeared in the ’60s and ’70s.
Anderson Entertainment was founded by Gerry Anderson, the man behind iconic shows like Thunderbirds and Space: 1999 as well as more modern hits like Space Precinct and the 2005 reimagining of Captain Scarlet.
In its latest artistic endeavour, the company is launching a series of 50 limited edition prints by the artist John Patrick Reynolds, whose handmade silkscreen prints, inspired by classic cartoon characters, have been popular with collectors and fans all over the world, as well as stockists and art lover in the UK, since 1999.
The prints are now available at the official Gerry Anderson Store, where they will target a growing customer community numbering in the tens of thousands. They will also be available at John Patrick Reynolds’ site, thecomicartwebsite.com.
The silkscreen printing approach is highly suited to comic imagery, a medium that is stylised and that uses strong colours and inks. The silkscreen process highlights and enhances these bold graphics to powerful effect.
Highly regarded by art collectors and fans for over 20 years, John Patrick Reynolds’s handmade silkscreen prints have been featured on TV shows and in newspaper and magazine features. His best-selling titles include Asterix, Dennis the Menace, Minnie the Minx and Alf Tupper. All his prints are limited editions printed on paper from St Cuthbert’s Mill in Somerset – one of the last English paper mills.
The launch of these silkscreen prints comes hard on the heels of a new agreement with rightsholder ITV Studios which allows Anderson Entertainment to expand its ranges of product derived from its classic brands. This agreement will enable a wide range of new and innovative products inspired by the best-loved Gerry Anderson creations.
John Patrick Reynolds said: “As a child I was a big fan of Gerry Anderson’s inventive and exciting shows and I’m not at all surprised that his characters and concepts are still popular today. It’s an absolute delight to be asked to produce silkscreen prints of some of his best-loved properties based on some wonderful and striking imagery.”
Writer, producer, director, and MD of Anderson Entertainment, Jamie Anderson added: “Limited edition prints are a new category for Anderson Entertainment and one that I’m certain will be welcomed by fans of Gerry’s shows. John Patrick Reynolds’ work is rightly admired, and he has produced some amazing and exciting prints based on classic Anderson imagery that will be much sought-after – by fans and art lovers alike.”
Anderson Entertainment is helping the sci-fi fandom scene into hyperdrive with the launch of a range of cosplay t-shirts inspired by the crew uniforms worn in the live action classic, Space: 1999.
Founded by Gerry Anderson – the name behind iconic shows including Thunderbirds and Space: 1999, as well as the 2005 reimagining of Captain Scarlet, Anderson Entertainment has been eyeing strong partnerships and product roll out to expand its pop culture offering and growth its presence on a global scale.
The Space: 1999 cosplay long-sleeve t-shirts are replicas of uniforms worn by the crew on Moonbase Alpha. The collection has been designed to closely match the original outfits worn by the show’s cast. As in the show, the colours on the sleeves refer to the different ranks and characters in year one of the iconic 1970s Gerry Anderson series.
The collection begins with the black colourway for John Koenig, leader of Moonbase Alpha, and orange for Alan Carter, chief pilot. These will be followed by red (Main Mission/Command Centre) and purple (security staff).
The outfit’s move into the cosplay category comes hard on the heels of a new agreement with rightsholder ITV Studios, which allows Anderson Entertainment to expand its ranges of product derived from its classic brands. This agreement will enable a wide range of new and innovative products inspired by the best-loved Gerry Anderson creations.
The online Gerry Anderson store, whose existing range includes toys, apparel, model kits, gifts, calendars and homewares, is expanding its category offering significantly this year to meet demand. A major move into publishing, focusing on hardbacks, coffee table books, comic anthologies, series guides, audiobooks and more, is already under way.
Writer, producer, director, and MD of Anderson Entertainment, Jamie Anderson, said: “Gerry Anderson fans have been asking whether the stylish Space: 1999 look will be made available to wear for a long time. Well, the first-ever t-shirts in the classic style of the hit show’s uniforms are now on sale, with more designs on the way. We’re delighted with these designs – and we think the massive Gerry Anderson fanbase will be too.”
Anderson Entertainment is a content production company set up by the late Gerry Anderson, creator of Supercar, Fireball XL5, Stingray, Thunderbirds, Thunderbirds Are Go, Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons, Thunderbird 6, Joe 90 and The Secret Service, along with live-action productions Doppelgänger, UFO, The Protectors, Space:1999 and The Day After Tomorrow, as well as the more recent Terrahawks, Dick Spanner, Space Precinct, Lavender Castle and New Captain Scarlet.
Anderson Entertainment has made its entry into the direct to consumer publishing business as it details plans to launch a wide range of titles for fans of the studio’s classic Anderson properties, as well as new projects now in production or planned.
Anderson Entertainment is the company founded by Gerry Anderson, the brains behind iconic shows like Thunderbirds and Space: 1999, as well as more modern series such as Space Precinct and the 2005 reimagining of Captain Scarlet. New book launched by the firm will be aimed at its vast and still growing audience.
The direct-to-consumer approach builds on the strength of the online Gerry Anderson shop and Anderson Entertainment social and owned channels – with access to over 150,000 fans. This approach will allow Anderson Entertainment to market effectively by initially targeting its strong customer community.
However, this is only the first phase of the publishing strategy. After the direct-to-consumer publishing business is established, these books will also be made available through the mainstream book trade.
The publishing project begins with novels – a series of stories originally published in the 1960s and 1970s. These books are now being reprinted and repackaged for a modern audience. In particular the books will target a growing fanbase of all ages now able to access Anderson classics on both linear and streaming services.
The books will be available in four formats: as physical print books in hardback (with slight adjustments to the content for a 2021 audience), as Kindle e-books, as digital audio downloads and as packaged audiobooks, including extras.
Thunderbirds: Terror from the Stars, an adaptation of John Theydon’s 1965 book Thunderbirds, is the first of the new books. The audiobook version features both narration and a full cast, with characters voiced by such major names as Dead Ringers favourite Jon Culshaw and Harry Potter star Genevieve Gaunt. The packaged audiobook comes in a four-CD set that includes a behind-the-scenes documentary.
All physical formats are being made available at the Gerry Anderson online store from July. The digital download audiobook version is now available and is also being sold on the website of Anderson Entertainment production partner Big Finish, while e-book releases will be available globally via Amazon. More titles will appear on a monthly basis from this summer.
Following this, late 2021 will see more new titles added, including a two-volume anthology of comic strips based on the popular live action Anderson show UFO. It’s the first time all the UFO comic strips have been collected in book form.
The second book will be a Moonbase Alpha technical manual, a guide to the scientific research centre that ishome to the cast of Space: 1999. It’s a coffee table book in the style of a 1970s technical manual but updated with new written material and hundreds of newly commissioned images. It will also be the first authoritative guide to the iconic Moonbase – a must for fans of the hit 1970s live action show.
The plans for growth come hard on the heels of a new agreement with rightsholder ITV Studios, which allows Anderson Entertainment to expand its ranges of product derived from its classic brands. This agreement will enable not only published output but also a wide range of new and innovative products inspired by the best-loved Gerry Anderson creations.
Writer, producer, director, and Gerry Anderson’s son, Jamie Anderson is MD of Anderson Entertainment. He will also be directing some of the cast-led audiobook productions.
He said: “Beginning a new era as a publisher with direct-to-consumer product will build on the close relationship we have with many tens of thousands of Gerry Anderson fans around the world. At the same time we firmly believe that the growing popularity of both classic and new Anderson output will help us to target a wider audience that can also be reached by traditional online and physical booksellers.
“This is an exciting venture for Anderson Entertainment and one that underlines the continuing strength of the Anderson name and brands and is the perfect addition to our existing threads of direct-to-consumer activity.”
Anderson Entertainment, the production company founded by Gerry Anderson – the man behind shows like Thunderbirds and Space: 1999 – has detailed a ‘significant new arrival in the audio market’, with the launch of Thunderbirds: Terror from the Stars.
An adaptation of John Theydon’s 1965 book Thunderbirds, the title is the first of Anderson Entertainment’s new series of audio versions of classic Gerry Anderson stories from the ’60s and ’70s. The series is now being made available thanks to a new licensing deal with ITV Studios.
A newly printed collector’s hardback version of the original book will be included with the boxed four-CD set. A download-only version will also be available.
This ‘significant new series’ will build on the vast popularity of Gerry Anderson’s creations and the appeal of audiobooks to a wide range of consumers – from commuters and homeworkers to joggers and gym users.
Anderson Entertainment has already enjoyed success in the audio entertainment market, notably through collaborations on Terrahawks and Captain Scarlet with production company, publisher and distributor Big Finish and its own all-new audio drama First Action Bureau. These audiobooks, however, are entirely Anderson Entertainment-devised and produced, although Big Finish will be handling distribution of the digital download-only versions.
This will also be the first time a dedicated series of audiobook and hardback packages has been produced across a wide range of Anderson titles – most of which have never before been adapted for audio.
In Thunderbirds: Terror from the Stars, the ex-con cockney chauffeur Parker and the stylish aristocrat Lady Penelope, originally voiced by David Graham and Sylvia Anderson, will be brought to life by voice actor and impressionist Jon Culshaw, star of Dead Ringers and Spitting Image, and actress Genevieve Gaunt, also known as Pansy Parkinson in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Wilhelmina ‘Willow’ Moreno Henstridge in the popular soap opera The Royals.
Jon Culshaw will also be voicing Jeff Tracy, the head of the Tracy family, and Genevieve Gaunt will play Grandma Tracy. The Tracy brothers, the evil Hood and the brilliant Brains will also be voiced by a talented cast that includes Wayne Forester, Justin T Lee, Joe Jameson and Anna Leong Brophy.
The Thunderbirds: Terror from the Stars audiobook and hardcover reissue of the original book will launch in May on the Gerry Anderson store (shop.gerryanderson.co.uk). The package has been available for pre-order from April 11th in a four-CD set that includes a behind-the-scenes documentary.
Thunderbirds: Terror from the Stars will be followed by audio and hardback versions of other iconic Gerry Anderson creations, including Stingray, Joe 90, UFO and Space:1999. There will also be more Thunderbirds adaptations.
Jamie Anderson, MD of Anderson Entertainment, said: “The success of Anderson Entertainment’s audio-focused ventures, like the all-new audio drama First Action Bureau and Terrahawks, has underlined the strong appeal of audio formats. With material available in the form of popular 1960s and 1970s books and strong support from talented voice casts, we think this new venture will be eagerly embraced by a wide audience.”
If ever you needed an excuse to spend the day streaming episodes of Thunderbirds, Stingray, or any of the plenty other titles in the vast, yet iconic, library of Anderson Entertainment, then let the matter that today marks the first ever Gerry Anderson Day be it.
If you don’t need an excuse, then you’ll be pleased to know that this inaugural event marks just the start of a wider, far-reaching play being made by Anderson Entertainment as the company – headed up by Jamie Anderson, son to the creator of so much now familiar to the sci-fi genre today – looks to build on the rich heritage, nay, pedigree of the Anderson name.
From new content across the entertainment mediums – including audio stories and live action – and tantalising new IP, to its fast-expanding range of merchandise and more left-field licensing opportunities, which includes hotels and themed escape rooms, Anderson Entertainment is a family business with an enduring legacy and some major plans for building upon it.
Here, Robert Hutchins talks to Anderson Entertainment MD, Jamie Anderson about the heritage of a name, the enduring legacy of the series that pioneered the sci-fi genre, and how – when it comes to toys – the Anderson Entertainment portfolio is spanning the generations, as well as why now is the right time to be launching and celebrating Gerry Anderson Day.
Jamie Anderson is a respected writer, director and producer whose CV includes audio plays based on his father’s creations.
We’ve not failed to mention that his father is Gerry Anderson, creator of some of the most iconic and era-defining, as well as genre-defining, television and brand named in entertainment, including Thunderbirds, Stingray, Space: 1999, Terrahawks, and plenty more.
“I’m also MD of Anderson Entertainment, which deals with both the production and merchandising sides of my father’s business,” Anderson tells ToyNews. “I’m not only tasked with building on the continuing popularity of classic shows like Space: 1999, Thunderbirds and Stingray but my team is developing new audio and video productions based on established favourites like Thunderbirds and Terrahawks.
“We’re also building brand-new IP, like audio drama First Action Bureau and the sci-fi drama Firestorm. And there’s a fast-growing merchandising arm to manage! All of this has to be true at all times to the legacy of Gerry Anderson and his creative vision. So, there’s a little pressure…”
David Lane adjusts Alan in Thunderbird 3
And of course the product side has to connect with audiences across the many generations that Anderson spans.
“That’s right,” says Anderson. “One thing all audiences share is a love of the Anderson name, but we obviously differentiate IP and products depending on demographics: merchandise available ranges from model kits and dress-up to t-shirts and collectables. Ideas under consideration include limited edition, hand-coloured silk screen prints, nostalgia-driven publishing – there’s a lot of uncollected material out there – music content and even themed escape rooms.”
And, of course, toys.
“We have high hopes for an expanded toys and collectibles range – and not just for kids. Who doesn’t want to have a Thunderbird 2, a Stingray or a Space 1999 Eagle on their office desk?”
The range of IP to work with is pretty wide too. Anderson is about more than just the Supermarionation puppets of Thunderbirds and Stingray that made it famous. There’s live action like UFO, animated comedy like Dick Spanner and more recent output such as First Action Bureau, an audio sci-fi drama now on its second series.
Clearly, decades after he started out, the Anderson name still resonates. Hence the decision to launch Gerry Anderson Day on his birthday, April 14th. But the timing of the first Gerry Anderson Day is important for other reasons.
“More and more of Gerry’s classic shows are appearing on TV and streaming services; there will be special showings on Gerry Anderson Day. The classics are also enjoying strong sales on DVD and Blu-Ray, while new series and new product ranges are on the way. It’s a good time to celebrate the guy who started it all.”
The continuing relevance of Gerry Anderson’s work is underlined by written and spoken input from writers, stars, famous fans and guests on Gerry Anderson Day. But what inspired the creativity that they are all queuing up to praise?
“Dad’s main inspiration came from real life,” says Anderson. “Right from his early days he was fascinated by aviation. In fact many of the pilots in his shows were inspired by his brother Lionel, a flyer who was killed in the Second World War. But news stories, science documentaries, and things he saw in real life, including, on one occasion, a plane doing an emergency landing, inspired him too. He stored up hundreds of ideas – and many made it to the screen.”
And what about his own creativity? How far did the apple fall from the tree? Take even just a glance at the output that Jamie Anderson has to his own name, and it’s a strong argument that creation is genetically encoded into the Anderson gene. However, in his role at Anderson Entertainment, where do his focuses lay? Is is in IP creation, or spotting the right opportunities for the Anderson brands?
“It’s both,” says Anderson. “Obviously my own background as a writer, director and producer helps me to see opportunities for both new IP and developing existing IP.
“One of our big projects right now is a new series of audio books, the first of which is Thunderbirds: Terror from the Stars. It boasts impressionist Jon Culshaw, star of Dead Ringers and Spitting Image, as Parker and Jeff Tracy and Genevieve Gaunt of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban as Lady Penelope.”
Many other audio books will follow, bringing early novelisations to a new audience with the help of some major names. Many of these actors – like Jon Culshaw – were themselves, childhood fans of Gerry Anderson.
“Famous fans like Jon – and Jonathan Ross, Eddie Izzard, John Barrowman and so many others – perfectly illustrate the fondness of so many generations for Gerry’s tremendous legacy,” adds Anderson.
That said, Anderson Entertainment has done lots of new work – against, it has to be said, some tough odds. “Dad would love the idea that we completed series one of First Action Bureau and the new audio book during a lockdown,” says Anderson.
There will be even more famous names featured in a forthcoming Gerry Anderson documentary – “the first serious, in-depth look back at his life, amazingly” – which is being produced by The Format Factory. Coming to TV screens in 2022, it will be, as Benjamin Field of The Format Factory puts it “an appraisal of a great and sometimes flawed man – honest, unflinching, but always fascinating”.
Jamie Anderson has been surprisingly busy given a year of lockdowns. What’s the first thing he’ll doing when all restrictions end?
“In work terms, I’ll probably be doing much the same as I was during lockdown: planning, having meetings, writing, directing – except that I can now do all that with real people in real studios and offices. And I suspect there’s going to be lots to do…”
The European hobby specialist, Bachmann Europe, has detailed a slew of new licensed releases with the launch of its Spring catalogue that includes buildable models from the classic Anderson Entertainment IP, Thunderbirds, and a new Natural History Museum range of dinosaurs.
Headlining the announcement, Bachmann has unveiled a range of Thunderbirds plastic kits produced under its Adventures in Plastic banner. Comprising 11 different kits across a number of scales, hobbyists can construct detailed models of vehicles from the original TV series.
All five Thunderbird aircraft and underwater craft feature, as well as Fireflash, The Mole, and Lady Penelope’s iconic car FAB 1.
The deal follows a slate of recent licensing activity for Thunderbirds’ IP owners, ITV Studios, who over the last month has secured an extended partnership with the streaming service BritBox to air classic Thunderbirds, a series that made its UK debut in 1965.
Prices on the new range start at £29.99 and each of the 11 kits is ready to be dispatched to Bachmann stockists from next week.
Additionally, and as part of its Spring 2021 MCC Announcements, Bachmann has partnered with the Natural History Museum to launch a licensed Dinosaur Collection.
Now available with new packaging that incorporates a fun and educational fact sheet, the range has been developed under the guidance of the Natural History Museum’s researcher, Dr Paul Barrett. The range includes eight sets to choose from and are available from Bachmann stockists now.
The two new ranges have been introduced as part of Bachmann’s first Model, Collect, Create branding announcements. A new mode of communicating its portfolio to customers, Bachmann will provide quarterly MCC updates on new plastic kits, toys, and collectables in the UK and around the world.
As with its successful 2020 British Railway Announcements, new items unveiled in the MCC Announcements are due to arrive with Bachmann stockists over the course of the next three months.
Anderson Entertainment, the production company founded by the creator of the original Thunderbirds, Gerry Anderson, has detail the first International Gerry Anderson Day to take place on April 14th – marking the birthday of the man behind other hits including Space: 1999 and Captain Scarlet.
Celebrating the life and works of the producer, Gerry Anderson Day will feature special events, live streams, unique new content from Anderson Entertainment, limited edition products, and a special YouTube programme.
There will also be special guest appearances from a number of celebrity fans.
Supporting these plans is the redesigned corporate website anderson-entertainment.co.uk, which launched in mid-January, while the event wouldn’t be an event without its own hashtag – #GerryAndersonDay
The launch of the event coincides with what is shaping up to be ‘one of the biggest years ever’ for the company that has recently secured broadcast deals with a slate of TV and streaming services to run series from its library of classics, while Thunderbirds, Fireball XL5, Stingray, and the 2005 reinvention of Captain Scarlet continue to enjoy strong sales on DVD and Blu-Ray.
Meanwhile, consumer demand is also driving merchandising growth. An expanded direct-to-consumer and retail merchandising offering on the popular online Gerry Anderson Store will see a large number of major launches during the first half of the year. The site is already on course to more than double its year-on-year sales in 2021.
New series are on the way too, overseen by Gerry’s son Jamie, himself a celebrated writer and producer and MD of Anderson Entertainment, including the new sci-fi drama Firestorm and a reboot of ’80s hit Terrahawks. The second series of the popular audio drama hit First Action Bureau – developed and produced during the spring lockdown – will also arrive this year. Series one has just been released on CD.
Jamie Anderson said: “Gerry Anderson’s work has been popular for decades and is still gaining new fans. His creations are today a multi-platform phenomenon that is inspiring an expanding product line and the continuing planning and development of new content.
“With interest high – and growing – across multiple generations of consumers and viewers, we expect strong engagement from both fans and media in the first-ever Gerry Anderson Day.”
BritBox, the subscription-based streaming service, is expanding its Gerry Anderson offering as part of its popular Old School collection of cult kids’ TV shows.
Gerry Anderson, the founder of Anderson Entertainment, is the name behind iconic shows like Thunderbirds and Space:1999, as well as more modern hits like Space Precinct and the 2005 re-imagining of Captain Scarlet.
The entertainment studio had previously secured a broadcast deal with BritBox for four of its best-loved series: the original Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, UFO, and Space 1999. Following the success of the partnership and the growing audience numbers for Anderson Entertainment productions, BritBox is expanding its Gerry Anderson output.
Already, 2021 has seen the addition of 1964’s Stingray (one of the earliest Anderson hits and the first British TV series to be produced entirely in colour) and 1969’s The Secret Service, a mix of live action and puppetry and the last Anderson series to use puppets before the arrival of Terrahawks in 1983.
Further expansion is expected over the course of the coming year, building on BritBox’s portfolio of British TV from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5, as well as its library of iconic films, remastered classic, and BritBox Originals.
Meanwhile, a multitude of international SVOD platforms have underlined the enduring popularity of classic Anderson Entertainment series. Terrahawks on Amazon Prime and shows on other platforms like Shout Factory, Comet and Pluto, as well, of course, as BritBox, are helping to build a new, younger following alongside the longer-term fanbase.
Linear programming is also getting in on the act through Forces TV and the Horror Channel, while shows on DVD and Blu-Ray continue to enjoy impressive sales.
Anderson Entertainment’s growth in broadcast and streaming partners will now combine with the arrival of new content and an expanded direct-to-consumer and retail merchandising offering to grow the company’s market presence throughout 2021.
The strategy is being led by the company’s highly successful e-commerce site, the Gerry Anderson Store, which boasts a growing list both of licensee-supplied product and new items developed and created by Anderson Entertainment.
A new corporate website, www.anderson-entertainment.co.uk, was launched in 2021 to support this ongoing expansion.
Jamie Anderson, MD of Anderson Entertainment, said: “We’re thrilled that BritBox, the premier home for the best of British creativity has extended its Gerry Anderson offering. This confirms the continuing strength of the Anderson brand among viewers of all ages, a strength that will underpin our ongoing expansion strategy for the coming year.”
Craig Morris, programming and scheduling lead for BritBox, added: “We’ve been delighted with the huge popularity of Gerry Anderson’s shows on BritBox and are proud to be working with the team at Anderson Entertainment to bring these beloved TV classics together on a streaming platform for the first time.”
An expanded direct-to-consumer and retail merchandising platform, more broadcast and streaming partners, and more new content development will all be at the heart of Anderson Entertainment’s 2021 plans for expansion.
Detailing a line-up of activity for the year ahead, the firm – founded by Gerry Anderson, the man behind the iconic Thunderbirds and Space:1999 – has earmarked 2021 to be “an exciting and busy year” for its merchandising and licensing activity.
This strategy will be led by the company’s highly successful e-commerce site, the Gerry Anderson Store, which boasts an expanding list both of licensee-supplied product and new items developed and created by Anderson Entertainment.
With 2020 sales from the Official Gerry Anderson Store having already eclipsed the 2019 figure, Anderson Entertainment is now building on the strength of its direct-to-consumer business and working with new partners. This year will also see many more products – and product categories – launching on the store’s site and through other online and physical retail outlets.
This expansion will be enabled by a new cross-category licence that Anderson Entertainment recently signed with ITV Studios, the underlying rightsholder for many classic Gerry Anderson properties.
This licence allows Anderson Entertainment to build on the global recognition of the Gerry Anderson portfolio with expanded product ranges and to build sales opportunities with other retail partners.
On the content side, classic shows will land across more streaming platforms as well as linear TV, DVD and Blu-Ray. New productions will also be a strong focus.
The popular audio drama hit First Action Bureau – developed and produced during the spring lockdown – is now on CD and a new series is planned. Firestorm and the imminent reboot of Terrahawks lead a growing slate of series under development or in production, many of which will be announced later this year.
A new corporate website was launched in mid-January at anderson-entertainment.co.uk which has been redesigned for easier navigation, highlighting the company’s classic and new content, along with its ongoing IP development, consumer products and services.
Jamie Anderson, MD of Anderson Entertainment, said: “We’ve spent a number of years establishing a strong merchandise offering, expanding into new platforms and developing new IP. Anderson Entertainment is now perfectly placed to build on the success of this coordinated strategy. It’s going to be a very exciting 2021.”
