Fireball XL5

Like Ice In The Sun

Posted on by Parker

It’s fitting that on this, Fanderson’s 43rd anniversary, we bring back an aspect of fandom that was big when the club started but has been largely forgotten over the years.

We’re proud to present the first chapter of a new Fireball XL5/Stingray crossover story by Robin Day and Keith Ansell. We’ll publish the story, one chapter each weekend, over the next 25 weeks.

Like Ice In The Sun

Underwater breathing experiments at Marineville start events that could end in a global civil war between the undersea races and the surface world and lead to the destruction of the entire Solar System.

The lives of Steve Zodiac and Troy Tempest along with the crews of Fireball XL5 and Stingray will never be the same again.

This is a crossover adventure set in the Gerry Anderson Universe.

Of this unique project, Keith says:

“Like Ice In The Sun began life as a writing game over 20 years ago with my friend Robin writing the first few pages and sending them to me to pick up where he left off. I then wrote the next few pages and sent the story back to him and so it went on for years gradually evolving into the novel length story. This was a labour of love written by two massive fans of Fireball XL5 and the related comic strips.

“Robin hosted a website called Space City for many years and produced the CGI artwork used by Carlton in their Fireball DVD release. I have been a member of Fanderson since 1992 and have written many short stories and comic strips for their publications collaborating with Shaqui le Vesconte and Richard Farrell. I also used to contribute to Dave Nightingale’s Century 21 magazine in the early 90s, writing the Fireball XL5 Encyclopedia that was published in issues 11 and 12, along with other features.

“Robin sadly passed away on 23rd February 2022 which was a great shock to me and his wife Pauline. We had still been working on Like Ice In The Sun right up to his death and had almost got it finished and ready for publication. I was determined to finish our epic tale and with Pauline’s help I think does justice to the two great TV series it is based upon.”

Download all the chapters released so far from our Fan Fiction page.

Like Ice In The Sun has been formatted as an A5-sized PDF, so it is readable on most devices, or can easily be printed. We’ll add a chapter per week here, then present the entire story as a complete work in week 25.

[UK] Network titles live on, thanks to Spirit Entertainment

Posted on by Parker

Some of Network’s amazing HD restorations of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson productions are becoming available once again, thanks to Spirit Entertainment.

Fireball XL5, Stingray, Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons, Joe 90 and both Ultimate and Super Space Theater  Space:1999 Blu-ray Discs are available for pre-order now (due 5th August), with Supercar appearing on DVD too.

[UK] All Fireball XL5 episodes and Century 21 Slough now on ITVX

Posted on by Parker

Although most episodes of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s productions have been available for some time on ITVX, free of charge, inexplicably only two episodes of 1962’s Fireball XL5 have been included. Now that’s been remedied, with all 39 episodes available from today on the streaming service.

Also added to ITVX today is the Century 21 Slough documentary:

On the eve of demolition, the former film studios where Stingray, Captain Scarlet And The Mysterons and Thunderbirds were launched are brought to life one last time. Join original AP Films team members as they say goodbye to the buildings, sharing memories as they tour recreated sets, models, and puppets alongside studio originals.

ITVX is free to view, with most of the Anderson content available ad-free too. There’s a free seven-day trial of the subscription Premium service (normally £5.99 a month/£59.99 a year) which offers even more content, ad-free, from the BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Studio Canal.

Talking Pictures TV’s Noel Cronin awarded BEM

Posted on by Parker

Film producer, editor and founder of Talking Pictures TV, Noel Cronin has been awarded the British Empire Medal in the 2024 New Year Honours, for services to Television Broadcasting.

Talking Pictures TV is a free vintage film and TV channel, and is currently the UK broadcast home of Fireball XL5 and Thunderbirds. It’s available on Freeview/Youview 82, Freesat 306, Sky channel 328 and Virgin 445.

See more on this story at the Watford Observer.

Image: Talking Pictures TV

[UK] The Noble Art of Fireball XL5 on TPTV

Posted on by Parker

Talking Pictures have added The Noble Art of Fireball XL5 to their free Encore streaming service.

In this fascinating 17-minute documentary by Fanderson member Jeff Smart, legendary TV Century 21 and Look-in artist Mike Noble talks about his work on Fireball XL5, Captain Scarlet, Zero X and Space:1999 comic strips, among others.

The programme will also be broadcast on Talking Pictures at 14:40 on Saturday 20th January 2024. Talking Pictures TV is a free vintage film and TV channel available in the UK on Freeview/Youview 82, Freesat 306, Sky channel 328 and Virgin 445.

Don’t forget Jeff’s Talking Thunderbirds series on Encore too! Encore is a free service – watch via the red button on internet-connected Freeview TVs,  or register to gain access to a wealth of classic television and films.

Vote for Talking Pictures TV! (closes 14th November)

Posted on by Parker

Vote now for Talking Pictures TV in the TV Choice Awards!

Talking Pictures TV, the vintage-film and nostalgia television channel founded by producer/editor Noel Cronin, recently made history for the premiere UK networked broadcast of Fireball XL5 as well as bringing back Thunderbirds for the first network broadcast in over two decades! It’s also home of the Talking Thunderbirds series of short interviews with people who worked on Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s 1964 masterpiece.

Talking Pictures TV has been shortlisted for the Favourite Channel/Streaming Service award, where it’s up against BBC iPlayer, Channel 5 and Netflix!

Vote now to show your support for “the smallest show on Earth” – Talking Pictures TV!

Voting closes on 14th November.

UPDATED: Let’s make it an Annual Affair!

Posted on by Parker

UPDATED 23/11/23: Offer extended to end of December

As we prepare our winter mailing to all club members, we can now make remaining stocks of FAB Annual 2023 available to buy, just in time for Christmas.

And to really make it a Christmas to remember, until the end of November December we’ve got two great offers for you:

See all six items here. Just be sure to apply the relevant coupon code at checkout before you pay.

OFFER TERMS AND CONDITIONS (in addition to our standing Ts&Cs)

  • Discount will be applied to items as detailed above in the same transaction.
  • Apply either coupon code AnnualAffair3 or AnnualAffair6 before you pay to get the relevant discount detailed above.
  • Members must apply the coupon code themselves to get the discount. It cannot be applied after you have paid, and we cannot apply it retroactively.
  • This is an online-only offer. It cannot be redeemed via the post.
  • This offer ends on 30th November 2023, though Fanderson reserves the right to close the offer early.

UPDATED: [UK] Fireball XL5 on Talking Pictures TV

Posted on by Parker

UPDATED 31/10/23: Fireball XL5 returns to Talking Pictures TV from 2nd December at 15:00 with The Triads.

UPDATED 18/7/23: Watch again at Tuesday teatime, from 25th July!

Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s 1962 series Fireball XL5 is to be broadcast in the UK on Talking Pictures TV!

This will be the series’ first UK broadcast since 1987, when it had enjoyed a piecemeal run over two years on what was then the wonderful network of local ITV stations. Talking Pictures TV will start their run with Planet 46 on Saturday 3rd June at 14:35. See their schedule for that week here.

Talking Pictures TV is available in the UK on Freeview/Youview 82, Freesat 306, Sky channel 328 and Virgin 445, with a streaming service at www.tptvencore.co.uk

 

UPDATED: Space:1999 items up for auction – 13/14th October

Posted on by Parker

UPDATED 15/10/23: We’ve updated the listing to include hammer prices (in US$).

Heritage Auctions (“The World’s Largest Collectibles Auctioneer”) will be auctioning over 550 items from the film and television science fiction in The Greg Jein Collection on 13-14th October 2023.

The landmark Greg Jein Auction features the collection of the Oscar- and Emmy-nominated miniature-maker who helped create the mothership from Close Encounters Of The Third Kind and worked on most of the Star Trek movies and TV series since 1977. Jein spent decades putting together this unparalleled assemblage, which includes one of the largest collections of Star Trek props, costumes, models and production photos ever offered to the public, from the original series to nearly every big- and small-screen sequel and spinoff that followed. They’re joined by some of the most significant pieces from sci-fi and cinema history, including his mothership maquette. It spans Jein’s beloved 1940s and ’50s serials, including Spy Smasher and Commando Cody: Sky Marshal Of The Universe, to such 1960s TV shows as Batman and Lost In Space to 2001: A Space Odyssey and Star Wars.

Lots likely to be of interest to Fanderson members:

  • 89041: photos from Supercar through to Joe 90 ($9,375)
  • 89429: Altares spaceship from The Day After Tomorrow ($15,000)
  • 89430: Gwent spaceship from The Infernal Machine ($13,750)
  • 89431: John Koenig spacesuit ($13,750)
  • 89432: Dr Helena Russell spacesuit ($13,750)
  • 89433: Moonbase Alpha rocket pack ($5,750)
  • 89434: Moonbase Alpha medical kits ($8,125)
  • 89435: three Moonbase Alpha uniforms ($18,750)
  • 89436: three Moonbase Alpha uniforms ($32,500)
  • 89437: two Moonbase Alpha uniforms plus Dr Helena Russell tunic ($16,250)

 

 

Will you win the FAB Challenge?

Posted on by Parker

Something we’ve been asked for many times over the years is now, thanks to club members Matthew Teevan and Mark Whyte, finally available – the exclusive FAB Challenge card game from Fanderson!

Easy to play, but fiendish to master, FAB Challenge presents 40 of the greatest vehicles from Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s productions in a card game. Accompanying the brand-new vehicle artwork on each card is the FAB Spec & Tech, from which you must choose one item to beat your opponents and seize the hand!

LIMITED TIME INTRODUCTORY OFFER: We know that some members will want to play FAB Challenge with their friends and family, whilst keeping a set pristine (possibly unopened!). So, put two in your basket together and apply the coupon code FABChallenge before you pay and you’ll save £4! This offer will expire on 1st October 2023.

IMPORTANT: Members must apply the coupon code to get the discount. It cannot be applied after you have paid, and we cannot apply it retroactively.