A FOR ANDROMEDA & THE ANDROMEDA BREAKTHROUGH.

First broadcast on FAB RADIO INTERNATIONAL at 19:00 on October 1st 2023

This week, our resident researcher of some of the earliest examples of television science-fiction, MICHAEL HERBERT returns, this time to talk all about the seven-part 1961 BBC television serial A FOR ANDROMEDA, and its six-part sequel from the following year, THE ANDROMEDA BREAKTHROUGH.

Mostly remembered as being a breakthrough role for JULIE CHRISTIE, and possibly as one of the stepping stones towards the creation of DOCTOR WHO in 1963, all but one episode of A FOR ANDROMEDA is lost, presumably forever, although the surviving episode, alongside episode reconstructions based upon surviving film clips and the telesnap archive mean that you can sort of get to watch the serial, albeit in a somewhat fragmented form.

THE ANDROMEDA BREAKTHOUGH, however, survives in its entirety - although sadly for home viewers, in a long-deleted DVD set. Such are the quirks of the television industry of that time, however, it now featured SUSAN HAMPSHIRE in the role of Andromeda.

Written by FRED HOYLE and JOHN ELLIOT, both serials feature a rare leading role for PETER HALLIDAY playing the hero JOHN FLEMING. HALLIDAY is an actor who listeners might know better for his roles in several DOCTOR WHO stories such as THE INVASION and CARNIVAL OF MONSTERS, but, as we discuss, that’s not the only DOCTOR WHO connection that A FOR ANDROMEDA has.

Incidentally, as well as all of his insights into A FOR ANDROMEDA, MICHAEL also has a brief update to share about his continuing work on his biography of MALCOLM HULKE that he shared in a previous edition of the show, so you’ve also got that to look forward to as we head back to the radio astronomic new frontiers of the early 1960s…

PLEASE NOTE - For Copyright reasons, musical content sometimes has to be removed for the podcast edition. All the spoken word content remains (mostly) as it was in the broadcast version. Hopefully this won't spoil your enjoyment of the show.