STUDIOCANAL is hosting an online event on January 29 to show classic episodes and discuss The Avengers at 60

In 1961, ABC television company brought The Avengers to our screens (black and white as they were) for an espionage thriller starring Ian Hendry as Dr David Keel and one Patrick Macnee as John Steed. The series refocussed and Steed took centre stage, ably assisted by notably stylish assistants: Cathy Gale (Honor Blackman), Emma Peel (Diana Rigg) and Tara King (Linda Thorson). In 1969, after 61 episodes the show ended, but was brought back as The New Avengers with John Steed now aided by Mike Gambit (Gareth Hunt) and Purdey (Joanna Lumley). There was a 1998 film and, more recently, Big Finish has produced a range of audios including recreating the earliest episodes, most of which are missing from archives, as well as more recent comic strip adaptations.

This Friday at 8pm, STUDIOCANAL (the copyright holder) is hosting an online event and showing three episodes: Tunnel of Fear (one of only three complete episodes known to survive from the first series), The Nutshell (Sted and Gale investigate espionage in a nuclear shelter) and The Forget-me-Knot (Steed, Peel and the first appearance of King). There will also be some Q&A sessions with superfan Paul O’Grady, director Sam Clemens, writer Richard Harris and stunt coordinator Ray-DeVeres Austin. Sam Clemens is the son of Brian Clemens, the latter having written several episodes, including The Forget-me-Knot. Sam Clemens is also involved in some of the Big Finish audio releases.

You can find out more about The Avengers at 60 from the virtual cinema page here. Tickets cost £5.