Fanderson is saddened to report the death of Dr Gerry Anderson, Gerry and Sylvia’s son.
Dr Gerry Anderson was the only son of Sylvia and Gerry, the legendary husband and wife team of Thunderbirds fame. He was born in Windsor on 31st July 1967 and his parents issued an invitation to the celebration of his birth in the image of a clapper board saying “Proudly presenting Gerry Anderson Jnr” bearing his weight and time of birth.
Gerry had been suffering from an incurable brain tumour for a number of years, but prior to that was a renowned anaesthetist, who was headhunted from the UK to New Zealand. He was then offered a prestigious medical consultancy in Tasmania, where he decided to live with his wife and three children.
Gerry had taken a different route to his parents and sister Dee Anderson, who were all in the creative arts, as he had always wanted to enter the medical profession. Dee remembers him asking her for a blood pressure monitor as a Christmas present when only 8 and diagnosing medical conditions from an early age.
Gerry had many experiences in his medical career before becoming an anaesthetist. One of his favourite memories was when he was a ‘flying doctor’ travelling all over the world to treat the sick and dying. He also set up a medical centre in the middle of a remote area of the Amazon forest where he treated a primitive tribe, alongside two other doctors who were travelling with him. He was always trying to utilise his medical skills to improve people’s lives.
In later years, Gerry was an exceptional anaesthetist, who had a gentle confidence which was reflected in his work. Many of his patients kept in touch with him years after their treatment, saying he had made a huge impact on them and their hospital experience.
Although Dee was several years older than Gerry she shared extraordinary experiences with him when they would spend their holidays on film sets at Pinewood Studios, watching their parents programmes being made like Space:1999 and UFO, and mingled with stars from stage and screen like Cliff Richard, Joan Collins, Shirley Bassey and Des O’Connor, who visited their home in Gerrards Cross or at their villa in Portugal.
Gerry was married with three teenage children, Kelsey, Eamear and Max, who gathered around his bedside with his wife Andrea in the last few days of his life.
Dr Gerry Anderson was just 55 years old when he passed away on Wednesday 26th April 2023, and although he did not pursue the stage or screen, was really a true star who made a difference as he touched so many people’s lives.
The following photos are © Sylvia Anderson estate
