Time Riders took one of science fiction’s oldest questions — what if you could travel through time? — and wrapped it in a distinctly British television sensibility. It mixed adventure with education, history with fantasy, and that uniquely early-nineties atmosphere where earnestness and oddness often went hand in hand.

Welcome to Very British Futures, the podcast where we digthrough Britain’s small screen visions of tomorrow. In thisinstallment we’re heading back to 1991, to a curious and largely forgotten corner of children’s television: Time Riders.Produced by Thames Television for ITV, it arrived at a moment when British-made telefantasy was largely being carried by children’s drama. And with the absence of Doctor Who, maybe there was room for a new temporal adventurer – Dr B B Miller? Played by Hadyn Gwynne, with TV newcomer Kenneth Hall as her young sidekick. Although this series was inspired more by Back to the Future than the old time lord.

Written by Jim Eldridge, and directed by Michael Winterbottom, years before he became an award-winning filmmaker.

But nearly thirty-five years later, Time Riders has become one of those intriguing television artefacts that sits justoutside the mainstream memory. For those who watched it, there are flashes of recognition — themes, moments, perhaps a particular feeling — while for others it’s almost vanished entirely into the fog of children’s television history.

So what exactly was Time Riders? How was it made? Whatwas it trying to do? And what does it tell us about the futuresBritish television was imagining at the beginning of the 1990s?

Joining me to explore all of that are three exciting guests:Rebecca Wray and Kevin Hiley from I Don’t Do SciFi podcastand brand new voice Tina Jones.

So set your coordinates, rev your Yamaha motorbike, and join us as we travel back to Time Riders — and to a very particularvision of Britain’s future, from the recent past.

Produced and hosted by Gareth Preston, with guests Kevin Hiley, Rebecca Wray and Tina Jones.

Music by Chatri Art

Artwork by Ken Moss

A Phantom Frame Production

I Don't Do SciFi - https://open.spotify.com/show/6vPllHxYmotp85gcFFxmJd

Jim Eldridge Home Page - https://www.jimeldridge.com/

Gareth Preston's blog - https://garethpreston.blog/

Ready to take a trip to Tracy Island? In the latest episode of Very British Futures, host Gareth Preston is firing up the atomic engines for a deep dive into the 1960s puppet masterpiece: Thunderbirds.

To help navigate the high-stakes world of International Rescue, Gareth is joined by a powerhouse trio of guests from the Official Talking Pictures TV podcast: Mel Byron, Scott Phipps, and Daniel Reifferscheid.

The gang isn't just looking at the flashy vehicles (though, let’sbe honest, we all want to pilot Thunderbird 2). They’re gettinginto the nuts and bolts of what made Gerry and Sylvia Anderson’s vision so enduring. Concentrating on three varied episodes: “Trapped in the Sky”, “Attack of Alligators”, and “Alias Mr Hackenbacker”. Since TPTV is the spiritual home of vintage telly, the guests bring their expert perspective on why Thunderbirds still looks "F.A.B." on modern screens.

Includes Dinky Toys, Busted and the most popular Blue Peter make ever.

It’s a warm, witty, and wonderfully nostalgic conversation.Whether you’re a lifelong fan who knows their Thunderbird 4 from their Thunderbird 5, or you just have a soft spot for Parker’s "Yus, M'Lady," this episode is a lovely tribute to acultural touchstone of British television.

Useful links

Very British Futures on Xhttps://x.com/FuturesVery

The home of Gerry Anderson shows https://gerryanderson.com/

The Official Talking Pictures TV podcasthttps://talkingpicturestvpodcast.libsyn.com/

More on Gilly’s Antiqueshttps://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/25842588.boltons-gillys-antiques-full-thousands-treasures/

Gilly’s Antiques on Ebayhttps://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/gillysantiques

Mel Byron’s home page https://www.melbyron.co.uk/

Welcome to Very British Futures, the podcast where we explore Britain’s past visions of tomorrow on the small screen — the futures that became part of pop culture, and the ones that somehow slipped through the cracks of television history.

We are launching a brand new season with an episode takes us back to 1977 and a groundbreaking docu-drama made when such programmes were relatively rare - Alternative 3.

Originally aired on ITV on the 20th of June that year and immediately caused confusion, alarm, and a fair bit of late-night debate in pubs and living rooms across the country. Was it a serious investigative documentary? A science fiction thriller in the vein of Quatermass? Or an elaborate hoax that proved more convincing than its makers intended?

Journalists on a science magazine show claimed to reveal a secret plan devised by world governments and scientific elites: a desperate response to a dying planet involving disappearing scientists, a secret space programme, and a supposed off-world escape route for the elite of humanity. It was bleak, conspiratorial, and delivered with astraight-faced authority that blurred the line between factualreporting and speculative fiction.

Nearly fifty years later, the programme still holds a strangeplace in British broadcasting history. It sits somewhere between Cold War paranoia, mischief, and the enduring fascination with hidden truths.

To help us untangle the story behind Alternative 3 — its production, its reception, and the long conspiracy-theoryafterlife it spawned — Gareth Preston is joined by actor, writer,broadcaster, and noted expert on the odd corners of British film and television, Toby Hadoke.

So settle in as we dig into a real one-off of British telefantasy.

Very British Futures is hosted and produced by Gareth Preston, with guest Toby Hadoke. Music by Chatri Art, and James Leatherbarrow. Artwork by Ken Moss. This is a Phantom Frame production.

Find out more about Toby Hadoke and his work -https://tobyhadoke.com/

Order his marvellous book on The Quatermass Experiment -https://tenacrefilms.bigcartel.com/product/the-quatermass-experiment-the-making-of-tv-s-first-sci-fi-classic

Toby Hadoke’s adaptation of Nigel Kneale’s The Road -https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0000y1d

IMDB page for Alternative 3https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075664/reference/

Visit our website at http://westlakefilms.uk/verybritishfutures/

Follow us on X at https://x.com/FuturesVery

In this episode, Gareth Preston is joined by Ken Moss and Andrew Roe-Crines to venture into one of the quirkier corners of British science fiction television: Terrahawks.

Zelda, a centuries old android with incredible powers over matter, an army of renegade aliens, and a grievance against all humanity, threatens the Earth. Standing in her way are the Terrahawks, a secret organisation of pilots and scientists and their fleet of advanced vehicles. Not to mention their Zeroids, ball-shaped self-aware robot soldiers.

Created by Gerry Anderson and Christopher Burr and first broadcast by ITV in 1983, Terrahawks arrived at a moment of transition for Anderson’s career. Mixing model work and puppetry with early video effects, broad humour, and moments of genuine darkness, the series has long divided audiences. Was it a deliberate satire of the Supermarionation era, a children’s show struggling with changing tastes, or something odder and more stylish than it’s usually given credit for? As ever, the conversation ranges across production history, aesthetics, tone, and legacy, asking what Terrahawks tells us about British television science fiction in the early 1980s—and why, decades later, it stubbornly refuses to be forgotten.

Hosted and produced by Gareth Preston. Guests Ken Moss (The Extonmoss Experiment) and Andrew Roe-Crines (Westlake Films).

Music by Chatri Art

Listen to The Extonmoss Experiment here

Find out more about Andrew S Roe-Crines' work

Buy the Big Finish Terrahawk stories

Visit Gareth Preston's blog for more info on the podcast

In this episode of Very British Futures, Gareth is joined by writer Stephen Hatcher to explore The Guardians (ITV, 1971), the gripping 13-part dystopian drama that imagined a Britain under authoritarian rule.

Together, they revisit the series’ chilling vision of a one parry state, controlled media, violent political resistance, and a society kept in line by the brutal paramilitary force and secret police known as the Guardians, or ‘the G’s’. Gareth and Stephen examine its themes, production history, and the ways this drama resonates with contemporary anxieties about power and democracy. It stars a remarkable cast of actors, many before they became household names. They also consider a lost style of mainstream television, with long erudite scenes between characters.

Join us as we shine a light on one of British television’s most thoughtful and rarely discussed sci-fi political thrillers.

Very British Futures is a Phantom Frame production, hosted and produced by Gareth Preston. Music by Chatri Art.

You can follow the podcast on X @futuresvery

Find out more about Obverse Books Silver Archive https://obversebooks.co.uk/product-category/silver-archive/

Book now for The Quatermass Event at the Quad in Derby https://www.derbyquad.co.uk/events/thequatermassevent/The Guardians on IMDB https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066666/reference/?ref_=nm_knf_t_2

"All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension. Transuranic heavy elements may not be used where there is life. Medium atomic weights are available: Gold, Lead, Copper, Jet, Diamond, Radium, Sapphire, Silver and Steel. Sapphire and Steel have been assigned!"

This cryptic introduction sets the tone for an eerie blend of science fiction and supernatural mystery. It hints at a cosmic bureaucracy of elemental agents tasked with maintaining the integrity of time and reality — without ever fully explaining how or why.

In this hauntingly nostalgic episode of Very British Futures, Gareth Preston is joined by Steve Exton and Mark Stalker to unravel the enigmatic threads of ITV’s cult classic Sapphire and Steel. Together, they dive into the eerie corridors of time where logic bends, reality fractures, and two elemental agents—played by Joanna Lumley and David McCallum—battle forces beyond comprehension. They even engage in some genuine discussion of the periodic table and its metals.

Expect spirited debate, affectionate critique, and deep dives into the show’s surreal storytelling, minimalist production, and its place in the pantheon of British sci-fi. Whether you're a longtime fan or a curious newcomer, this episode will leave you pondering: just what is time… and who’s really keeping it in check?

Very British Futures is hosted and produced by Gareth Preston, with guests Simon Exton of The Extonmoss Experiment and introducing Mark Stalker.

Music by Chatri Art.

Listen to The Extonmoss Experiment on your favourite app or here https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-extonmoss-experiment/id1451454324

Buy Big Finish's revival of the series here https://www.bigfinish.com/ranges/v/sapphire-steel

At the time of publication you can watch Sapphire and Steel on ITVX in the UK.

Welcome to Very British Futures, the podcast that dives deep into the hidden vaults of British science fiction television, uncovering the bold, the bizarre, and the brilliant. Hosted by Gareth Preston. Today we’re decoding a 80’s cold war thriller with a cerebral twist: the 1981 BBC teen drama Codename: Icarus.

Martin Smith may seem like a typical Northern teenager but he might be the next Einstein. An offer from the mysterious Icarus Foundation for gifted children seems like his golden ticket but soon Martin and his friend Susan suspect that the school is a front for something much more sinister.

Part spy story, part psychological mystery, and part techno-thriller, Codename: Icarus dared to ask what mighthappen if the brightest minds of tomorrow were weaponised today. With its moody visuals, strong cast, and a plot that spirals from boarding school corridors to global conspiracy, it’s a series that still resonates with viewers who like their sci-fi served with a dose of paranoia and intellect.

Joining me to dissect this enigmatic gem are two brilliant minds of our own: Kara Dennison, writer and pop culture analyst with a keen eye for British genre television, and Nicky Smalley, sci-fi enthusiast whose love for vintage drama runs deep. Together, they’ll explore the show’s themes, its place in the BBC’s legacy of ambitious children’s programming, and why Codename: Icarus deserves a place in the best of genre television.

So flex your keyboard skills, adjust your frequency, and prepare to enter a world where genius is dangerous and nothing is quite what it seems. Let’s begin.

Follow us:
X https://x.com/FuturesVery
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BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/garethpreston.bsky.social

Find out more about Gareth Preston and the podcast atgarethpreston.blog

Read more about Kara Dennison on her blogkaradennison.blogspot.com

Kara at Crunchy Roll TV

Learn more about Codename: Icarus from these excellentarticles:
https://www.curiousbritishtelly.co.uk/2015/10/codename-icarus.html

https://ayearinthecountry.co.uk/codename-icarus-hidden-teatime-cold-war-intrigues-wanderings-23-26/

https://www.the-medium-is-not-enough.com/2010/02/lost_gems_codename_icarus_1981.php

Welcome to a special episode of Very British Futures, where we dive deep into the UK cult classics that shaped sci-fi television history. Today, we're rewinding the clock to explore The Tomorrow People—the original 1970s British TV series that dared to imagine a new evolution of humanity.

With its blend of telepathy, teleportation, and teenage idealism, this show captured imaginations and sparked debates about what it means to be truly human, and what you might do if you "broke out" too.

Joining Gareth Preston for this nostalgic journey are two voices well-versed in retro sci-fi: Tim Reid and Charles Auchterlonie, the dynamic duo behind The Randomiser podcast. Together, they’ll unpack the series’ legacy, its quirky charm, and the bold ideas that made it a standout in the world of children's television. Expect lively discussion, behind-the-scenes trivia, and maybe even a jaunt through hyperspace.

So grab your belts of power and tune your mind to the frequency of tomorrow—because the future starts now.

Please subscribe to the show for more informed British geekiness. Follow us on X at @futuresvery or on Bluesky at @garethpreston.bluesky.com

Contact us at verybritishfuturespodcast@gmail.com

Listen to The Randomiser podcast at Apple Podcasts

Find out more about Very British Futures at garethpreston.blog