Barratts sweet cigarettes. Strange product looking back at it now!
I do remember a number of sweet products based on cigarettes back then.
Never saw Secret Service cigarette cards myself but did have plenty of UFO ones at the time.
First introduction to the show was in the pages of Countdown.
Was keeping my eye on Suzan Farmer soon to play girlfriend of Paul Foster in Survival.
One of the few episodes I remember vividly from the 60s/70s.
Very atmospheric and eerie then and was still so on a recent viewing.
As part of Gerry Anderson Day 14/04/2026 The Secret Service is getting a Blu-ray release.
Poor uptake of the show by ITV regions meant that it wasn't until The Secret Service Convention, Griffin Hotel, Leeds 30/10/1988 that I got to see the show nearly twenty years later.
youtu.be/G_7wM-jTh2s?...
I eventually settled on five lower case letters, sometimes strayed into words like vodka, women and beers when I was head scratching for something relevant at 03:00 in the morning.
Original snippets of source code in production releases is definitely something my games had.
It was never really thought about at the time to keep the code clean from such artifacts.
The assembler labelling strategy I used gave me howls of laughter decades later when it was revealed to me.
UFORIA 2, 08-10/09/1989 Manchester.
Fanderson VHS of the convention in four parts captured from my copy 20+ years ago. Forgive the quality and enjoy the content.
Original Nosey Parker is Go! at start of part 4.
youtu.be/hdQRhSmZjRE
youtu.be/cA0DF-No7rw
youtu.be/Y8n2gM57BwI
youtu.be/rZ64plfAyo4
My pleasure. This has recently been released on the 60th Anniversary Thunderbirds Blu-ray boxset but not with the original.
The original was released shortly after the convention and was one of the first VHS releases Fanderson did.
Jeff Smart rocked up at the Uforia 2 convention with this affectionate gem tucked under his arm completely unannounced.
Fanderson squeezed in several screenings over the weekend to the delight of all in attendance - myself included.
Here it is restored and extended in HD.
youtu.be/-dAkg_bK24Q?...
Bought an extra copy to cut out the entry form as I was desperate to get a telescope such as this at the time.
From the first issue I decided that I would collect these and keep them safe in as good a condition as possible hence the extra copy.
Didn't win.
Have this book myself and it's lovely.
If anyone is undecided then get your sensible offer in now as the asking prices elsewhere are eye-watering.
This has the makings of quite an original game on the Acorn Electron.
Watch it and let a shiver run down your spine at the very simple yet highly effective animation on display.
Issue 3 of this great comic from yesteryear. This really fired up my imagination back in the day.
More retro goodness in a new game for the Acorn Electron that has just been released.
Very smooth animation, great graphics with wonderful game play.
There's still life in this 40+ years old micro and long may it continue.
Indeed they were both strong, always enjoyed to see their performances in whatever they happened to be in.
Always a great atmosphere with very friendly attendees and guests. Glad I got to see these people from my favourite show and get their autographs.
Fun highlight was the onstage banter between Shane Rimmer and George Sewell, the kind of which you only get between old friends.
Rod Serling wrote the original script for Planet of the Apes including the Statue of Liberty ending with the producer.
Michael Wilson, himself a brilliant script writer (Bridge on the River Kwai), refined it extensively. It does play in part like a Twilight Zone episode.
One of my favourites.
Countdown to TV Action book detailing the history of these publications.
This is a gold mine of information about Countdown & TV Action, especially where Robin got his information from.
Available on eBay.
George Sewell and Dolores Mantez sign autographs.
Shane Rimmer signs an autograph with Derek Meddings on his right.
Derek Meddings signs the convention booklet with Dolores on his left.
Ed Bishop at the signing table with fans.
UFORIA, 18/06/1988 London
Some photos of the convention guests for this over-subscribed one-day event organised by Fanderson.
George Sewell, Dolores Mantez, Shane Rimmer, Derek Meddings and Ed Bishop.
I have read that this was the only convention that Derek Meddings attended.
That's just so fascinating to watch, so few pixels yet incredibly life-like. Interesting to see where this goes.
Getting Lemmings vibes!
One wonders what gems are still hidden away in private collections.
Why do we have to wait for them to pass before we find out? Seems extraordinarily selfish if they know what they've got.
Yes, shall be glued to iPlayer when they drop! Hope they get a terrestrial broadcast to raise awareness.
Thankfully it didn't happen in the YTV region. Wasn't so lucky when Space: 1999 aired later that decade. Found me furiously channel hopping during The Android Invasion in particular.
Second great issue in newsagents, four more stamps to cut out, lick and stick to the wall chart on my 70's bedroom wall.
Twenty years ago I managed to buy an unused wall chart/stamps from the first 3 issues. A few years ago, issue 5 stamps turned up. Very rare.
It wasn't until I attended a Secret Service convention in Leeds in the mid 80s that I actually got to see my first episodes.
Such was the abysmal take up of the program by the ITV regions.
Head and shoulders above TV Comic.
How interesting, never seen cooking presented in comic strip form before.
One of the finest comics to ever grace a newsagents shelf. Still being actively traded today on Ebay fifty-five years after publication.
An eclectic mix of fact, fiction and fun.
Remember it well. Glued I was to the black and white television.
Didn't understand the half of it but it was so exciting!
Reprinted content seemed much more prevalent later with the center strips of Scarlet & Thunderbirds. To me it was all new although I did get TV21 earlier it had been forgotten about. Think the penny dropped when the Zero-X reprints started to appear.
Agreed. Then later it devolved even further with the re-inking of Tom Baker's likeness over Jon Pertwee's for story reprints. Remember feeling short changed at the time.