New partners signed covering key categeories including toys, publishing, gifting and personal care

Following a spectacular global launch at LIE 2014 for its highly anticipated action adventure series, Thunderbirds Are Go, ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) has now announced its first licensing partners for the brand. The first products are scheduled to launch at retail from A/W 2015.

In the UK, the publishing category is led by Simon & Schuster for a series of activity, novelty, sticker and storybooks that capture the excitement and quality of the new TV series and that will be available across both print and digital formats. DC Thomson will publish the official Thunderbirds Are Go annual and monthly magazine.

Licensee Kokomo will lead the personal care category with a range of toiletry items and Danilo will produce a range of greetings cards and the Thunderbirds Are Go calendar. In addition, Posh Paws will launch bags and backpacks in 2016. Vivid Imaginations is the master toy licensee for worldwide manufacturing excluding US and Asia.

Thunderbirds Are Go will lead ITVS GE’s presentation slate at BLE this year, where the company will take its traditional spot in the centre of the Grand Hall. As part of its BLE activity ITVS GE will offer guests an exclusive ‘sneak peek’ at the Thunderbirds Are Go digital hub , which will become central to the Thunderbirds Are Go franchise. Visitors to the stand will also see the large scale model of Thunderbird 1, created for the show by Pukeko Pictures and Weta Workshop, and last seen at San Diego Comic Con.

The new series aims to bring the Thunderbirds brand to a new generation of children aged 5-11 years and to new international audiences, as well as revitalizing interest in the classic 1960s TV series, which celebrates its 50th Anniversary in 2015. Thunderbirds Are Go will be the first ever World Premiere TV Screening at MIP Junior, the world’s showcase for kids’ programming, when the first full episode of the new series is shown on Saturday 11 October at 6pm, in MIPJunior’s new Palm Beach location.

“The Thunderbirds Are Go consumer products programme is rolling out at full force!” says Trudi Hayward, SVP Head of Global Merchandising, ITV Studios Global Entertainment. “Following a superb international debut at Vegas, our strategic approach has been to sign partners that have a strong understanding of the heritage of Thunderbirds while embracing our new re-make to develop innovative new products. With impressive partners on board, the broadcast in place and an overwhelming response received from fans and the market to date, we cannot wait to unveil the next stage of the international roll-out of the series - we’re confident that Thunderbirds Are Go will be the talk of BLE!”

Thunderbirds Are Go is the exciting new remake of the classic 1960s TV series, timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary in 2015 and co-produced between ITV Studios and New Zealand’s Pukeko Pictures in association with world famous Weta Workshop. Debuting on TV screens from Spring 2015 Thunderbirds Are Go is produced using a unique mixture of CGI animation and live-action miniatures. The first series of 26x22 minute episodes will launch in the UK on ITV and CITV, the UK’s foremost kid’s commercial TV channel.