Thunderbirds to return with new audiobook adaptations of classic stories
Jon Culshaw and Genevieve Gaunt will play Parker and Lady Penelope, with original Parker voice artist David Graham having retired.
Thunderbirds are go... again! The classic Supermarionation series created by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson is returning - in the form of a new series of audiobooks.
The first release, Thunderbirds: Terror from the Stars, is due out in May and is based on author John Theydon's 1965 novel Thunderbirds.
Terror from the Stars is the first of Anderson Entertainment's new range of audio versions of classic Gerry Anderson stories from the 1960s and 1970s, as part of a new licensing deal with ITV Studios.
The audiobook will include a message from actor David Graham, who voiced Lady Penelope's trusted chauffeur Parker (as well as Brains and Gordon Tracy) in the original Thunderbirds television series in the 1960s but who has now opted to retire at the age of 96.
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Replacing him will be actor and impressionist Jon Culshaw, who will voice characters including Parker and Jeff Tracy, appearing alongside Genevieve Gaunt (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) as the new Lady Penelope.
The cast also includes Wayne Forester (New Captain Scarlet), Justin T Lee, Joe Jameson and Anna Leong Brophy.
"I grew up with Gerry Anderson’s shows, so working on this audiobook has been a delight," said Culshaw. "I also love voicing contrasting characters – and they don’t get much more different than Jeff Tracy and Parker!”
Originally aired from September 1965 to December 1966, Thunderbirds follows the exploits of International Rescue, a secret organisation founded by American industrialist and ex-astronaut Jeff Tracy, who works alongside his five sons - Scott, John, Virgil, Gordon and Alan - and London agent Lady Penelope, who is always accompanied by her butler and chauffeur Parker.
Thunderbirds: Terror from the Stars is available for pre-order from the 11th of April in a four-CD set that includes a behind-the-scenes documentary, with a hardcover reissue of the original book also available for pre-order. Both are available exclusively from the Gerry Anderson store, while a digital version of the book can be exclusively pre-ordered from Big Finish.
More Gerry Anderson audiobooks are also now in production, including stories set in the worlds of Stingray, Joe 90, Space: 1999, UFO, and further Thunderbirds stories.
The release of the Thunderbirds: Terror from the Stars audiobook and hardcover edition will take place in May – shortly after the first-ever Gerry Anderson Day on the 14th of April, celebrating the life and works of the legendary producer with special events, live streams and new content from Anderson Entertainment.
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Authors
Morgan Jeffery is the Digital Editor for Radio Times, overseeing all editorial output across the brand's digital platforms. He was previously TV Editor at Digital Spy and has featured as a TV expert on BBC Breakfast, BBC Radio 5 Live and Sky Atlantic.
