LUCY FLEMING (JENNY Richards) reflects on her experience working on Survivors in a profile feature in today’s Sunday Telegraph (26 April 2026).
As part of a longer consideration of her career on stage, on screen and on radio, Fleming recalls working on Survivors in the 1970s. Amongst other reflections, she notes that Survivors:
had a good cast: Ian McCulloch, Denis Lill, Carolyn Seymour… We filmed in the mud and the wind and the rain, mostly through the winter. The scripts, I think, varied in the second and third series. But one was getting recognised, which was interesting… I could ride, I was always asking to get on horseback, but it wasn’t until later that I was allowed to.
The main hooks for the piece is Fleming’s work on The Archers radio serial, her shared responsibility for the management and licensing of Ian Fleming’s estate, and her relationship with her mother Celia Johnson.
A NEW BOOK scrutinising in detail the first thirteen episodes of Survivors is published today (17 April).
Survivors: The classic post-apocalyptic BBC series / Series one / 1975 thoroughly documents the genesis of the series, goes behind-the-scenes on the making of series one, and brings together the memories of key cast and crew members.
The book also offers comprehensive reviews of each episode, a photographic showcase of key filming locations, and explores how Terry Nation’s 1976 Survivors novel secured an extended life in print and on audio.
Any and all profits from sales, once printing and distribution costs are covered, will be donated to the international medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières who ‘act fast to save lives in conflict zones, natural disasters and epidemics’.
Two further volumes, offering a critical history of series two and series three of Survivors, will follow. Work on both titles is already progressing.
This first book is available to buy from online retailers including Blackwells and Waterstones in UK, and can be ordered through any bookshop (by quoting the ISBN 9781919386300).
Rich Cross. 2026. Survivors: The classic post-apocalyptic BBC series – Series one / 1975. Inky Hand Press. ISBN: 9781919386300 (pbk.)
The book can also be ordered—at a discounted price—directly through this website, using this link or the QR code below.
IAN McCULLOCH (GREG Preston) will appear at the Weird Worcester convention in July 2026, at which he’ll be joined by other cast members from the celebrated 1979 Italian horror movie Zombie Flesh Eaters.
Returning for a second year, Weird Worcester offers “a celebration of the frightful, the bizarre and the fantastic” from the world of cult film.
McCulloch will be joined by Al Cliver (‘Brian Hull’, in the actor’s first UK convention appearance) and Ottaviano Dell’acqua (stuntman, actor and accomplished zombie performer), in a session reflecting on the first of McCulloch’s three Italian-made horrors.
Ian McCulloch will also take part in three themed photoshoot sessions (tickets for which can be prepaid in advance) — one solo session; one with fellow cast members from Zombie Flesh Eaters; and one with Luigi Cozzi, the writer and director of the alien horror Contamination (1980), which McCulloch also starred in.
Weird Worcester is BACK after a critically acclaimed first event. Hosted once again by boutique home video label Treasured Films, we are thrilled to be welcoming another top tier roster of cult film veterans to Worcester! It takes place in the Midlands, at the Worcester Arena, overlooking the River Severn.
A grassroots led event, come join fellow cinephiles and collectors for this weekend only event, celebrating all things cult films! Our second year will see us welcome more luminaries of Italian genre cinema along with guests from other areas of legendary cult filmdom!
Meet our special guests, have merchandise or autographs signed, get photos, dress in cosplay, partake in Q&As, browse the dealer tables! Licensed bar and food available!
DENIS LILL (CHARLES Vaughan) will join a large ensemble of cast and crew members from Only Fools and Horses at a sold-out convention in Milton Keynes in May.
Lill featured in the long-running sitcom in the recurring supporting role of Cassandra’s father, Alan Parry.
Organised by the Only Fools and Horses Appreciation Society, the 2026 convention adopts the theme ‘Only Fools Mafia’, bringing together ‘Miami’ and ‘London’ panels. Lill joins the ‘Miami Mafia’ on Saturday 9 May.
Two other Only Fools alumni with Survivors connections will also appear at the event — Hazel McBride (Alice, Bridgehead) and Roy Marsden (The Captain, Long Live the King).
Only Fools Mafia DoubleTree by Hilton Milton Keynes, Stadium Way W, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK1 1ST 9-10 May 2026 Ticket waiting list: Craigwood@onlyfools.net
THE FILM IS Fabulous charitable trust has confirmed that it has taken possession of behind-the-scenes filmed footage shot on location in 1976 during the making of the second series of Survivors.
The trust was recently thrust into the genre news headlines following its acquisition by donation of two previously missing episodes of Doctor Who (‘The Nightmare Begins’ and ‘Devil’s Planet’) featuring William Hartnell’s Doctor and first screened in November 1965.
Since it was launched, the trust’s small team has taken delivery of a huge and growing array of donations, principally from private collectors.
Amongst the material it has received is an (unknown quantity) of ‘non-broadcast’ footage from Survivors‘ second series, donated as part of the personal archive of Michael Wilson, the late stills-photographer and cameraman. Michael was married to June Hudson—the costume designer and wardrobe manager on Survivors whose designs did so much to define the visual appearance of Abby Grant, Greg Preston, Jenny Richards, Charles Vaughan and others.
“Photography was Michael’s passion, and he had a natural eye for it from a young age,” Film is Fabulous confirmed. “As a freelancer, he was regularly engaged by the BBC as a stills and film photographer. These engagements included several Shakespeare productions alongside his wife, costume designer June Hudson, which were directed by theatre grandee, Trevor Nunn.”
“A feature of Michael’s work was the location filming. He was prolific. During such engagements he often acted as the film cameraman. The recordings of the Survivors‘ television series (1976) provide a fascinating insight into the production. Michael also filmed behind the scenes, and the collection contains unique films of the cast and crew.”
Few more details are yet known as to the nature of the Survivors footage, but from limited information provided so far, it appears that the material most likely is:
Behind-the-scenes footage shot on location in 1976
16mm film footage, taken on a hand-held film camera
Mute (rather than recorded with sound – this is the case with the first reels Film is Fabulous has examined)
More than a single reel of film (how many reels is unknown, but multiple reels do not guarantee that the footage is extensive in duration)
A mixture of personal off-camera moments of cast and crew and observations of rehearsals or recording
While fans of classic TV shows are naturally impatient to see all new discoveries as soon as possible, it is inevitable that material will take time to review and assess — to ensure its preservation (and repair the material when necessary), and to decide on the most appropriate method for both its retention and for making the content safely and securely accessible to fans and researchers.
For the two newly-recovered Doctor Who episodes, that meant a combination of screening events and making the material freely available to screen on the BBC’s iPlayer.
But that level of ‘open access’ is likely to be the exception rather than the norm. So much material has already been recovered, that different options will need to be chosen, depending on the nature of the material in question and the level of likely interest.
Film is Fabulous has already returned a significant number of progamme episodes and other footage to the BBC Archive, and a large number of titles to the BFI National Archive for the purposes of preservation.
Of the Survivors footage, Film is Fabulous say: “Once the films have been catalogued, they’ll be deposited with a suitable repository. The missing material will be screened at future Film is Fabulous events, together with other recovered items.”
On Facebook, one of the Film is Fabulous team added: “It’s our hope that the BBC Archive will accept the [whole of the Michael Wilson] collection, and they’ll be able to review the unique material for possible screening.”
AFTER MANY FALSE starts and fan disappointments over the years, a potential remake of the Terry Nation created BBC space-opera Blake’s 7 (1978-81) now appears to be moving towards production.
Blake’s 7 was Survivors creator Terry Nation’s next project for the BBC after his creative connections with Survivors ended at the close of the first series.
The four series of Blake’s 7 told the story of the efforts of a group of rag-tag rebels — led initially by the indomitable Roj Blake (Gareth Thomas), and later by the steely Kerr Avon (Paul Darrow) — determined to challenge the galactic tyranny of The Federation, epitomised by the ruthlessness of Space Commander Travis (Brian Croucher, Stephen Greif) and Supreme Commander (and later President) Servalan (Jacqueline Pearce).
A two-season ‘reimagining’ of Survivors was produced for the BBC in 2008-10. Long after the transmissiobn of Blake’s 7 fourth and final series on BBC 1 in 1981, the property was licenced from the Terry Nation estate by audio-drama company Big Finish, who have gone on to produce numerous full-cast dramas and audio-books set in the universe that Nation devised.
The prospect of Blake’s 7 returning to the small screen, in a fresh guise, was given a significant boost on 19 January 2026 when it was announced that new genre TV company Multitude Productions had licensed the rights for a reboot.
At the centre of the new pitch were Emmy-nominated director Peter Hoar (who’s recently worked on both The Last of Us and Doctor Who), and producers Matthew Bouch and Jason Haigh-Ellery (the managing director of Big Finish Productions). Lizzie Worsdell has also signed on as executive producer.
“The Blake’s 7 story is legendary because they were given the… slot that was intended for police drama with a budget intended for one big set and a few location shoots,” Hoar explained to Deadline. “At the time it felt like it meant something. Those shows got into my veins. I could tell they didn’t have money but I was able to compartmentalize and enjoy the ride knowing that the sets wobbled.”
Bouch confirmed that the team are “looking to the international market and seeing if there is a way of dovetailing that British low-budget sensibility with international markets. We know in the U.S. there’s a big contraction and we all need to think about finding ways to make things more economical.”
There’s no word yet on the new series’ likely format, production partners, new and returning characters, casting or scripts.
Multitude Productions remain optimistic, convinced — in Bouch’s words — that “there is a gap in the market in terms of what we are doing… Our expertise straddles both international and British lower budget material. Obviously the proof will be in the pudding.”
A NEW BOOK exploring every aspect of the first series of Survivors has its publication date set for 17 April 2026.
“It’s taken longer to complete than I’d originally planned,” says author Rich Cross. “But I’m really pleased with how it’s turned out.”
Featuring new interviews, original source material and previously unpublished photographs, this comprehensive and meticulous study explores all aspects of the first series of an exemplary post-apocalyptic BBC TV series from what’s now celebrated as a golden era of British genre television.
Coming in at 380 pages, the book provides an extended history of the genesis of Survivors and the making of the first series — on location and in the studio. It also includes interviews with members of the cast and crew, and detailed reviews of all thirteen episodes.
The book also offers a selected guide to series one filming locations, and documents the life of creator Terry Nation’s 1976 Survivors novel — on the page and in audio-book format.
It’s also illustrated throughout by evocative behind-the-scenes photographs taken on location back in 1975 — some of which have never been published previously.
The book will be available to buy from online retailers including Amazon and Waterstones in UK, and can be ordered through any bookshop (by quoting the ISBN 9781919386300).
Shortly after the 17 April publication date, it will also be possible to order copies (in the UK and the US) directly through this web site.
The book provides an extended history of the genesis of Survivors and the making of the first series, on location and in the studio
“Back in 2005, it was great to be able to publish The End of the World? The Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to Survivors through Telos Publishing,” Cross says. “The title appeared on the shelves shortly after the third and final series of Survivors was first released on DVD.”
“But one of the disappointments with the Telos book was the cramped layout and design of the whole interior,” Cross reflects. “The text was simply too small on the page, with lines and paragraphs bunched tightly together, and — although many more photos appeared in the book than Telos had originally allowed for — most images were scaled down in size significantly.”
“For several years, the plan had been for myself and my End of the World co-author Andy Priestner to produce an updated edition for Classic TV Press,” he continues. “But when that project was eventually cancelled, I decided to produce an extended edition of my own — updating all of the content that I had authored, and replacing Priestner’s sections with my own writings.”
“Because I wanted to give the words and images more space to breathe, I opted for a larger book format, and a design that was more attractive on the eye — and a lot more readable.”
That led to me to conclude that the best approach would be a series of three books — each one focused on a single series of Survivors
“Over time, that led to me to conclude that the best approach would be a series of three books — each one focused on a single series of Survivors — which would afford me the more open design opportunities and the expanded page count that I really wanted.”
“But it’s not just the look-and-feel of the book that is different — there’s a huge amount of new information in those pages, fresh insights into the production process, enhanced reviews and what are — hopefully — insightful reflections on the different social and cultural themes that the series addresses.”
“This first book has been a real labour of love,” Cross says. “I’ve poured many hundreds of hours into the project, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed researching, writing and designing the whole thing.”
“It’s important to me to add that the book is a not-for-profit endeavour,” Cross confirms. “Any and all profits from sales will be donated to the international medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières who ‘act fast to save lives in conflict zones, natural disasters and epidemics’.”
“I hope that the book attracts the attention of long-standing Survivors fans — but also draws in the interest of those less familiar with the programme, or who are entirely new to Terry Nation’s inspired imagining of a post-apocalyptic Britain.”
“Work on the next book in the series — scrutinising Survivors second series in a similar way — is already well underway.”
Rich Cross. 2026. Survivors: The classic post-apocalyptic BBC series – Series one / 1975. Inky Hand Press. ISBN: 9781919386300 (pbk.)
NEWLY RELEASED ARCHIVAL footage of the hugely respected British character actor Morris Perry–who memorably appears as the misanthrope Doctor Richard Fenton in the third series Survivors episode Mad Dog–shows him as a representative of Islington council in London, persuasively making the case for the widespread introduction of parking ‘bollards’ on the borough’s streets.
The segment, shot on location on 16mm film in the Spring or Summer of 1976, was recorded as a news feature for the weeknight BBC early evening current affairs show Nationwide (1969-83).
It became viewable online earlier this week–for the first time since its transmission–as part of the project to release more material from the BBC’s archives onto the corporation’s official BBC Archive YouTube channel.
The installation of ‘bollards’ of various designs across Islington–to prevent drivers from parking their vehicles half-on-the-road and half-on-the-pavement on already busy streets–had proved a controversial local party political issue in the mid-1970s, despite the benefits it brought to pedestrians.
Debates in the Islington press about the development proved sufficient to attract the interest of Nationwide‘s news editors–who contacted the council.
So what’s the connection between a Survivors actor and ‘bollards’ being installed on the streets of London?
In addition to his prolific and varied stage and screen career, Morris Perry was also a political actor. Elected as a Labour councillor in Islington in the 1970s, he was soon a natural fit to chair the borough’s Arts & Recreation Committee.
The limited council records available online also suggest that Perry became chairman of Islington’s Planning Committee for a time. He would, of course, have been entirely unfazed at the idea of representing the council on camera, when the borough was looking for an effective public face.
The short Nationwide feature mixes ‘vox pops’ with local residents with the opinions of two local council officials.
In contrast to the unfocused complaints of the (poorly prepared) opposition councillor, Perry is an articulate and unruffled defender of the bollards’ utility.
While Perry’s natural fluency is instantly recognisable, for fans of his acting career, this news segment is an unexpected context in which to find him.
Within months of this Nationwide appearance, Perry would travel to the Derbyshire Peak District to record the classic Survivors episode Mad Dog, alongside Denis Lill (Charles Vaughan).
WORK ON THE new series one Survivors book is progressing well, now that author Rich Cross is again able to devote the necessary time to complete this exciting project.
“Since the start of the year, I’ve been ridiculously busy,” Cross admits. “And the demands of multiple different work deadlines have unavoidably pulled my attention away from the book.”
“I’ve been involved with two major collaborative publishing projects–neither of them connected to Survivors–right throughout 2025, which have only recently reached a conclusion.”
“I’ve also taken on more writing responsibilities at Starburst magazine, including more reviews of big-screen and small-screen releases, and a new regular TV column for the print edition, that have also called on my inevitably limited writing time!”
“It’s meant that I’ve not published news stories and updates on the S:AWA site as regularly as I would have wanted to since the Spring, which I’ve found really frustrating!”
“That story, of my lack of available time, is not meant as an excuse, just an explanation!”
“But in the last few weeks, I’ve been able to return to work on the series one Survivors book in a more consistent way, and have made a lot of progress.”
Cross’ hopes to be able to publish the book before the end of the year might now be out of reach.
“It might just be too tight!” he acknowledges. “But I’m hanging on to the mantra ‘better late than not at all’!”
“If things end up slipping into 2026, then that won’t be ‘the end of the world’–to coin a phrase.”
“I’m grateful to everyone who’s already expressed in an interest in the book–and I’m especially thankful for their patience in waiting for news.”
“I can certainly commit to more regular, pro-active updates about the book from now onwards,” says Cross.
“Of course, I’m probably biased,” he concedes. “But I do think the book will be worth the wait in the end.”
A NEWLY PUBLISHED special edition in Doctor Who Magazine‘s just-launched Legends series celebrates the work of Survivors creator Terry Nation.
As would be expected, the principal thread of the 84-page, full-colour magazine is on Terry Nation’s contributions to the world of Doctor Who.
However, there are some interesting snippets along the way for the Survivors aficionado.
As well as a few familiar BBC publicity shots and screencaptures, Nation’s work on Survivors is discussed briefly in extracts from a previously unpublished interview with him by Simon Shaw from 1991.
There is also a short discussion of Nation’s work as the Survivors show creator and series one script writer as part of a broader appraisal of his work across the 1970s.
Especially interesting is a new interview with Nation’s daughter Rebecca and son Joel, who reflect on the experience of growing up with their scriptwriting father.
Rebecca recalls their home life at Lynsted Park in the early 1970s, when Terry Nation was taken with the idea of testing out the pleasures and pitfalls of self-sufficiency. A process that reflected his growing preoccupation with the themes of survival and human adaptability that would culminate in his work on Survivors.
This experiment in low-tech husbandry and hands-on animal care was not one that his wife Kate particularly warmed to, but it was clearly an opportunity that their children took some pleasure from.
But it is the world of Doctor Who that this first issue of DWM‘s ‘Legends’ principally focuses upon.
“Terry Nation is the first member of what is essentially Doctor Who Magazine‘s hall of fame,” DWM editor Marcus Hearn explains. “We think a tribute to Nation is long overdue, because he’s probably the show’s most influential and underrated writer. Everyone knows he gave us the Daleks, but he doesn’t get the credit he deserves for being the first person to unleash the full potential of Doctor Who.”
“He devised the format for the most successful stories, and it’s still the blueprint, more than 60 years later,” Hearn says.
Doctor Who: Legends – Terry Nation is available to buy in-store and online for £9.99, and will be available in digital format from pocketmags.
