International Thunderbirds Day, more commonly known as just Thunderbirds Day, is a yearly event that has been celebrated in some official capacity since 2017. It is held on September 30th, the anniversary of the original airing of the classic series episode Trapped in the Sky, which was the premiere of the series on British television. Originally conceived to promote the series Thunderbirds Are Go by ITV Studios, the day also celebrates classic Thunderbirds via various revival Supermarionation projects by Century 21 Films (primarily The Anniversary Episodes), and in more recent years, Anderson Entertainment's Thunderbirds series on audio.
History[]
2017[]
The inaugural Thunderbirds Day in 2017 was announced by ITV Studios on August 15. The major event was a limited national (to the UK) cinema screening of the then-upcoming Thunderbirds Are Go! season 2 episodes Volcano! and Power Play as well as The Abominable Snowman.
Also organised to celebrate the event was a "takeover" of the London Cable Car, which would see the terminal decorated as Tracy Island (including large-scale models of Thunderbirds 1 and 2), and the cable cars themselves decorated in Thunderbirds Are Go!-themed livery. The takeover ran from September 22nd through to October 29th. Rounding out the celebrations was a Lady Penelope themed afternoon tea held at The O2 between September 15th and October 30th, with various specially designed cocktails (from Lady Penelope's Cocktails) and treats on offer. Also present were replica Lady Penelope and Parker puppets created by Century 21 Films for The Anniversary Episodes.
2018[]
The second Thunderbirds day consisted of a special live-stream event co-organised by ITV and Shout! Factory on the Twitch platform. Starting at 2:30pm British Summer Time on the 30th, the schedule ran until 11:30pm the following day (October 1st), and contained all 32 episodes of the original series of Thunderbirds, with Introducing Thunderbirds, The Abominable Snowman and The Stately Homes Robberies also making a rare public screening.
2019[]
Following the pattern of the previous year, 2019's event was spearheaded by Century 21 Films via a second live-stream event held simultaneously on various streaming services. Originally running for 15 hours from 9am to midnight on the 30th, the live-stream featured repeated broadcasts of The Anniversary Episodes from 2015, which at the time had not seen a commercial release beyond a very limited run during the project's initial funding stage. Unlike the previous year's stream however, the original 32 episodes were not part of the line-up. Also headlining the stream were three new episodes of sorts - adaptations of the audio versions of Thunderbird 1, End of the Road and Vault of Death with newly shot puppet sequences featuring narrators Scott Tracy, Brains and Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward respectively. Rounding out the stream were interviews with producer Gerry Anderson, designer Mike Trim and photographer Doug Luke, as well as the documentaries Century 21 Slough and The Anniversary Episodes.
Elsewhere, Gulliver's Theme Parks hosted Thunderbirds Are Go!-themed weekends from the 14th through to October 10th, where patrons could take on various missions across the park and rides, as well as take photos with Virgil Tracy and a model of Thunderbird 1. Vice Press launched a limited edition run of various art prints and collectible pin badges.
2020[]
2020's Thunderbirds Day went largely uncelebrated. Thunderbirds Are Go!'s involvement had now ceased due to the series having concluded in February. Anderson Entertainment released a short documentary The Genesis of Thunderbirds, their first major production produced for the day.
2021[]
Thunderbirds Day in 2021 saw a variety of new releases from Anderson Entertainment, with the primary release being an audiobook version of Four Hours to Eternity. Also of note was the announcement of Peril in Peru (an audiobook adapting Calling Thunderbirds), as well as the premiere of the third season of Century 21 Tech Talk.
2022[]
2022's Thunderbirds Day saw the release of Thunderbirds Versus the Hood by Anderson Entertainment, as well of the official revival of the TV Century 21 brand in the form of an audio annual. Fire and Fury, the next release in their audio range, was also announced. Newcomer Reality+ launched International Rescue Club to the general public, a collectible digital art project (NFT).
2023[]
The lead up to 2023's Thunderbirds Day saw the short stories Brains' Gamble and Flight to Destruction adapted and released as mini audio-books, with narration by Andrew Clements and music by Joe Kraemer. Danger and Deception, the sixth release in Anderson Entertainment's Thunderbirds audio series, was also announced, the first such release in almost a year.
2024[]
While 2024's Thunderbirds Day was a comparative non-event in anticipation of the 60th anniversary in 2025, Century 21 had been releasing their new documentary series Thunderbirds Unseen in previous few weeks, prompted by the discovery of original discarded studio prints not seen since 1965.
2025[]
Although falling on the diamond jubilee with Thunderbirds's 60th anniversary, the 30th of September itself remained largely uncelebrated. Anniversary projects Lady Penelope Investigates and Hidden Dangers, originally announced for a 2025 release, were both quietly pushed back into 2026. A new ITV mini documentary series, Thunderbirds at 60, starring Scarlett Moffatt interviewing guests Dee Anderson, Jamie Anderson, Anthea Turner and Mary Turner among others, was also announced for a mid-October release, but eventually emerged in November.
The day was preceeded by a limited cinema run of a 4K double-bill restoration of Trapped in the Sky and Terror in New York City beginning on September 20, with pre-orders for the home-media release opening online on the 30th.
Elsewhere, seat K15 inside BAFTA's Princess Anne Theatre was dedicated to the life and memory of Sylvia Anderson, and her contributions to women in the British media industry, and Anderson Entertainment released an short audiobook adaption of Inferno.