Alan Fennell

Career overview

Alan Leslie Fennell (10 December 1936 – 10 December 2001) was a British writer and editor whose career was closely linked to the television productions of Gerry Anderson. He is credited with creating the children’s magazines TV Century 21 and Look‑in, and served as the first editor of TV Century 21. Fennell’s writing contributions extended to several of Anderson’s science‑fiction series, including Fireball XL5 and Stingray, and he co‑authored a substantial portion of the Stingray scripts, collaborating with Dennis Spooner on a total of thirty‑six episodes.

In addition to his television work, Fennell wrote more than ten episodes of the iconic rescue series Thunderbirds, one of which is titled “30 Minutes After Noon.” He also produced numerous comic‑strip adaptations related to Anderson’s programmes. Outside the screen, Fennell authored several books, notably a novelisation of the 1973 film Digby, the Biggest Dog in the World, and two original novels based on the TV series Freewheelers, both published in 1972 by Pi. His credited output on the TMDB database lists twenty‑seven writing credits, reflecting a diverse portfolio that spanned television, magazine publishing, comics, and prose.