Web 3.0 platform Reality Gaming Group becomes Reality+

Reality Gaming Group has rebranded as Reality+. The company already has a proven track record in the games and blockchain entertainment space, developing and managing experiences on behalf of the BBC (Doctor Who: Worlds Apart) and ITV Studios (Thunderbirds: International Rescue Club), and as Reality+ (www.realityplus.com), it will offer a full-service Web 3.0 platform enabling brands around the world to utilise blockchain technology and NFTs to engage their most loyal fans.

The company’s UK- and Denmark-based in-house development studio, which has a five-year track record creating engaging experiences, is now focused on helping global brands develop and deliver their go-to-market blockchain strategies.

The development offering is backed up by a powerful technology platform and world-leading expertise in all aspects of Web 3.0, including tokenisation, metaverse integration and construction, NFT marketplace deployment and more.

Reality+ has grouped its operations into four distinct but complementary divisions: Web 3.0, Metaverse, Blockchain Games and NFTs.

Reality+ is currently building out its international reach as it seeks global opportunities, following a significant ramping of its leadership and development teams in 2021 and 2022.

The company has also confirmed the appointment of Katherine Taylor-Jones as CFO. Taylor-Jones is a highly experienced CFO specialising in PE/VC backed, fast pace, high growth companies in the tech sector, leading them through growth. In addition, the company has appointed Mark Hojgaard, CEO of Coinifi, and Hans Henrik, COO of Coinify, to bolster its board and help Reality+ reach new verticals and markets.

Crucially, all Reality+ projects are managed using the company’s own ‘side-chain’ of the Ethereum mainnet. This enables the creation of environmentally friendly Web 3.0, blockchain and NFT experiences that offer substantial reductions in the amount of energy used to produce and trade digital collectibles. Reality+ also ensures ESG (Environmental, Social and corporate Governance) KPIs are tracked and reported for each of its projects, giving brand partners absolute peace of mind across all their Web 3.0 projects.

Reality+ Co-Founder and CEO Morten Rongaard says: “Web 3.0 moves fast, and we’re moving along with it. We’re happy to announce that Reality Gaming Group has rebranded to Reality+. This isn’t just a name change and new corporate colours. Reality+ represents a big step towards our plans for a connected future. We’re no longer just a blockchain gaming company. We’re a full-service Web 3.0 platform where the metaverse, NFTs and online collectible marketplaces combine to give you and your customers access to a new, community-led digital future.”

Reality+ Co-Founder Tony Pearce adds: “We believe that through demonstrating utility, quality, and variety in our projects and partnerships, we can build a more equal and democratic digital economy for everyone. From introducing Doctor Who to the potential of digital ownership to launching a brand-new Web 3.0 Thunderbirds project to a whole new generation of fans, we’re helping worldwide brands find their voice in our new, connected world.”

 

Anderson Entertainment launches limited edition silkscreen print collection inspired by its iconic IP

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 enters direct to consumer publishing market with plans for further growth

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 is home 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 hails first Gerry Anderson Day and international success

Anderson Entertainment has expressed confidence in the growing interest around its portfolio of sci-fi and adventure themed properties and partnerships, having launched the first ever Gerry Anderson Day to much success across the UK and international space.

With more and more of Gerry Anderson’s classic shows  – including the likes of Thunderbirds and Space: 1999 – appearing on TV and streaming platforms, as well as consistently strong sales across DVD and Blu-Ray and new series launches and audiobooks on the way, the appeal of the Anderson Entertainment line-up “remains as strong as ever.”

The firm is currently celebrating the launch and international success of the first Gerry Anderson Day, an event held on April 14th – the same date as the sci-fi world creator’s birthday – that saw streaming and linear TV services, as well as stars, fans, and media platforms line up to support the man and his creations.

Appropriately enough, it was the classic shows that took centre stage on the day. BritBox, the subscription-based streaming service for great British telly and iconic films, offered its selection of the ten greatest episodes from Gerry Anderson’s 60-year career, along with bespoke introductory content featuring exclusive previously unheard audio from Anderson himself, produced by Anderson Entertainment.

Craig Morris, head of editorial, BritBox UK, said: “It was brilliant to be part of such a special day. I felt that it all fitted together perfectly. We have had a fantastic response to the introductions – and a huge spike in viewing to Gerry Anderson content. We look forward to future collaborations.”

Shout! Factory TV offered a 24-hour feast of some of Gerry Anderson’s masterworks broadcasting to fans across North America, and the Network Distributing streaming service offered a five-hour watch party, while Forces TV offered fans multiple platforms on which to vote for their favourite episode of UFO, which was broadcast on the day.

Adam Hardwick, deputy director TV & Cinemas, BFBS, said: “Forces TV really enjoyed being a part of Gerry Anderson Day and the fan engagement on all platforms was tremendous.”

There was also a Terrahawks listen-along organised by audiobooks producer Big Finish Productions, a long-standing partner of Anderson Entertainment.

Steve Berry, head of marketing and publicity, said: “Big Finish celebrated the excitement and enduring legacy of the worlds of Gerry Anderson and this day was the perfect opportunity for us to reach audiences worldwide with the stories they love.”

Online celebrations were led by a special edition 90-minute livestream edition of FAB Live – the Gerry Anderson video podcast hosted by Richard James and Gerry’s son Jamie Anderson – which welcomed to the 90-minute event writers, designers and fans, plus the two stars of the new Thunderbirds audiobook Thunderbirds: Terror from the Stars, 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.

As Jamie Anderson, himself a celebrated writer and producer and MD of Anderson Entertainment, said: “We trended on Twitter – for #GerryAndersonDay and Thunderbirds throughout the day, we had our most concurrent live viewers ever – and we saw quadruple the usual traffic to our sites.”

Radio coverage on both local and national stations, as well as magazine features and newspaper articles complemented online coverage in the run-up to the big day.

Plans are already being made for the 2022 event when broadcasting initiatives can be safely accompanied by live events, special appearances, retail support and new product launches.

Jamie Anderson added: “Dad’s optimism, vision and love of exciting, innovative entertainment have always been at the heart of his appeal and, judging from the response to the first-ever Gerry Anderson Day, that appeal remains as strong as ever. Our aim next year is to build on this success and to make full use of the opportunities for live events and get-togethers we didn’t have first time round. So we’re now raising a glass to the first-ever Gerry Anderson Day – and looking forward to an even bigger event in 2022.”

Terror from the Stars | Anderson Entertainment starts count down for Thunderbirds audio book series launch

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.”

String theory | The enduring legacy of Gerry Anderson and creating sci-fi worlds

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…”

Anderson Entertainment partners with Gail Myerscough to launch limited edition mug set

Anderson Entertainment has detailed a new collaboration with the surface pattern designer and illustrator Gail Myerscough that will witness the launch of a limited edition set of mugs and coasters bearing designs inspired by shows created Gerry Anderson.

The designs were commissioned by Jamie Anderson, MD of Anderson Entertainment and son of Gerry Anderson, who was impressed by a design inspired by control panels seen in shows like Thunderbirds. Each of the bone china mugs are hand finished at James Dean Pottery in Kent.

The mugs and coasters will be sold exclusively through Anderson Entertainment’s 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. They will be available from the beginning of April.

The core market for the mugs is expected to be Gerry Anderson fans and gift buyers of all ages, along with lovers of stylish, unusual homeware. 

Gail Myerscough said: “I take my inspiration from mid-century design and modernist architecture and I grew up watching Gerry Anderson shows, so bringing all these interests together in these designs has been a real pleasure for me. Anderson Entertainment has been a delight to work with and I’m looking forward to more collaborations in the near future.”

Jamie Anderson, MD of Anderson Entertainment, added: “Gail is a creative and versatile designer with a new and fresh way of looking at the Anderson classics which at the same time captures the essence of their appeal. These, stylish, original and fun mugs and coasters are an integral part of our ongoing plans for an expanded offering from the Gerry Anderson Store to meet growing demand. It’s going to be a very busy 2021.”

Thunderbirds and Natural History Museum join Bachmann Europe’s hobbyist portfolio

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 launches first official Gerry Anderson Day as consumer demand drives further growth

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 expands its Anderson Entertainment offering as SVOD audiences grow for Thunderbirds creator

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.”