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Dan Dare “mini-documentary” to feature on BBC “Inside Out” magazine show

By John Freeman on September 23, 2017

A Dan Dare mini-documentary will screen as part of an upcoming edition of Inside Out BBC North West on Monday 2nd October at 7.30pm.

The mini-documentary will tell creator Frank Hampson’s story, celebrating Dan Dare and Eagle, and bringing the story up-to-date showcasing the B7 Media all-new audio adventures.

Frank’s son, Peter Hampson, who hosts a tribute site to his father, and who was the model for “Flamer” Spry, features in the item.

“A couple of weeks ago I was invited by BBC North to take part in the filming of a short documentary about my father and Dan Dare,” Peter told downthetubes. “My contribution was filmed in Southport at the Atkinson Art Gallery and in the Old Bakehouse, the original Dan Dare studio.

“I’d never seen inside the Bakehouse before,” Peter reveals, “so this was particularly interesting for me. Not only were the original butler’s sink and concrete floor still there but amazingly, so was the original owner – now well into his nineties – who, in 1950, had rented the studio to my dad for 1/6d a week.

“It was easy to picture my father and his team of artists jammed into that small place, battling to meet publisher’s deadlines!”

The film is still scheduled to be shown on Monday October 2nd at 7.30pm on BBC One North West. If you have a Sky Box you can watch the regional opt for the NW on channel 958.

It will of course be on BBC iPlayer shortly afterwards for 30 days.

Dan Dare is enjoying something of a renaissance right now, with the audio adventures proving a hit with listeners, a new comic on the way from Titan Comics, and the resumption of the original Dan Dare strip collections, with Mission of the Earthmen Volume One – the new comic and new book both due for release next month.

• More about the Dan Dare Audio Adventures at www.dandareaudio.com

Dan Dare © Dan Dare Corporation

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.