The Avengers

Get the real story behind the sixties cult series in this definitive TV documentary, never before released in the US.

Harry H Corbett plays a tycoon husband Harry Fender, who has built up the supermarket business from the time he was a delivery boy in his teens - he's now over forty and obsessed with developing the exotic plants in his hothouse. Diana Rigg plays his wife, Anita.

When The Avengers was bought by the ABC network in the United States in 1966, network executives were concerned that the audience might not take to the show if it didn't understand the characters, so they commissioned a short introductory sequence to fill in the perceived gap. The sequence was only ever broadcast in the USA, so when Canal+ remastered the episodes, it was omitted from the DVDs produced for the US market. A&E and Canal+ were surprised at the uproar this caused, so when the Emma Peel episodes were repackaged after the Ian Hendry episodes came to light, it was included as a feature on the disc.

Filmed on the set of Honey for the Prince, this three-minute advertisement for the US market announced that "The Avengers" were switching to colour film - a move entirely motivated by the sale to America as Britain still broadcast in black & white. This is the only time we see Emma Peel is that tight leather catsuit with the zips in colour, and it's revealed to be a deep mahogany instead of the black everyone always assumed it was.

The stars of The Avengers are interviewed for German television by Joachim Fuchsberger.

The Tara King actress introduces episode 14 from series 6.

The Tara King actress introduces episode 21 from series 6.

The Tara King actress introduces episode 23 from series 6.

The Tara King actress introduces episode 27 from series 6.

The Tara King actress introduces episode 31 from series 6.

Series retrospective presented by Patrick Macnee.

Original German documentary, titled « Auf den spuren von Tara King ».

Actress Elizabeth Shepherd discusses her early role in the development of the iconic sixties series and her memories of filming episodes for the show before being replaced by Diana Rigg.

Interview with Honor Blackman

Screenwriter Richard Harris speaks to Jaz Wiseman about his work on The Avengers as well its precursor, Police Surgeon.

Actor Peter Wyngarde talks about his participation in the episode 'Epic'.

Interview with Cyd Child (stunt double for Diana Rigg and Linda Thorson).

Cyd Child, Linda Thorson's stunt double, talks about working on the episode Noon Doomsday

Oliver Karlov meets Linda Thorson.

Actress Jennifer Croxton gives her insights on working on the episode Killer.

Director Jeremy Burnham and actress Veronica Strong give their insights into working on the series.

The Tara King actress introduces episode 29 from series 6.

The only surviving episode of the short-lived TV series 'Police Surgeon' starring Ian Hendry. Called on to give evidence in connection with a young man arrested for robbery, Dr Geoffrey Brent gives his opinion - but one that is far-removed from that expected by the arresting officer.

Interview with John Dorney, writer of the Big Finish reconstruction of Tunnel of Fear.

An interview from the UTV programme Preview