Independent international media group and rights owner Coolabi Group has announced an exclusive new partnership between the award-winning brand, Clangers, and BBC Studios’ legendary adventure brand, Doctor Who, as part of Clangers’ 50th anniversary celebrations.
The iconic British space-based adventurers come together to launch the new DoppelClangers merchandise range, a series of iconic and quirky mash-ups of Clangers with different icons from pop culture, from musicians through to scientists and celebrities.
The first line in the DoppelClanger product range is inspired by the Fourth Doctor, as played by the legendary Tom Baker. The designs, featuring Major Clanger dressed up in the Doctor’s long coat and colourful scarf, are available on a range of items from mugs and t-shirts to tote bags.
The DoppelClangers Doctor Who series, available from the official Clangers and Doctor Who online ships, is set to continue, initially with the first seven Doctors, ensuring the products will have true cross generational appeal.
True fans will know that these much-loved programmes, Clangers and Doctor Who, have come together before, across space and time, in the 1972 Doctor Who story, “The Sea Devils”, with Jon Pertwee as the Doctor. In the episode, the Master watches Clangers on his television screen, whistling along with their tuneful interactions.
More recently, Clangers featured a Doctor Who reference within the special commemorative episode “The Visitor”, which aired on Saturday on CBeebies. The storyline, features an astronaut, inspired by space scientist Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE, who is greeted on arrival with gifts from the Clangers, including a hand knitted Fourth Doctor-style scarf.
The episode is a homage to “The Tablecloth” episode from the original series, which also celebrates the moon landings.
Michael Dee, Director of Content at Coolabi Group comments: “We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering with BBC Studios to produce this unique and wonderful selection of products that will appeal to all ages. Clangers and Doctor Who are such iconic and timeless brands with shared values of friendship, adventure and imagination and we can’t wait to see what fans old and new think of this ‘out of this world’ product range.”
Jason Easy, Head of Licensing BBC Studios said: “This is an ideal collaboration of much-loved British characters embodied in a range of exciting new products. For anyone that ever loved the time travelling Doctor or those loveable Clangers, this merchandise will make the perfect gift.”
• The new Doctor Who range is available exclusively on Clangers’ official online shop (shop.clangers.com) and the Doctor Who official online shop (shop.doctorwho.tv)
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.
Categories: Animation, Doctor Who, downthetubes News, Merchandise, Other Worlds, Television
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Great idea but I want to buy the Doppelclanger itself
I assume that must surely be coming