ITV have been working on a new remake of the classic Gerry Anderson TV series Thunderbirds and at this year's MIPJunior television industry conference in Cannes the pilot appeared to audiences for the first time.

This new show, titled Thunderbirds Are Go!, apparently uses a blend of live-action models mixed with CGI effects, with ITV Studios working with the New Zealand based Pukeko Pictures and Weta Workshop (the guys behind the effects for Lord of the Rings).

The show will also feature what looks like a rather promising selection of actors to provide the voices, including Thomas Brodie-Sangster, whose previous roles have included Jojen Reed from Game of Thrones and the voice of Ferb in Phineas and Ferb. Most exciting for us fans of the original show is David Graham reprising the role of Parker, trusty man servant to Lady Penelope, herself now voiced by Rosamund Pike.

I grew up watching Thunderbirds with my dad, it is a cherished childhood memory. I still have my old Thunderbird 2 and 4 toys. Naturally, the idea of someone remaking it sent me into fits of nerd rage (when Ben told me, I curled in a ball and shouted NO for ten minutes). However, having heard more about the show I am actually starting to think this shows real promise. The cast is good and the people behind the effects and production are well known in the field.

Just as long as they steer clear of this, I think we could be in for a good show and the return of a classic.

Speaking of Thunderbirds, if you happen to be at Essen this year you might want to seek out Modiphius, who have been working on a new Thunderbirds board game with Matt Leacock, whose previous work includes Pandemic and Forbidden Island.

Modiphius will reportedly be holding a special press invite only playtest of the game, so hopefully we could soon be hearing more about how the board game is shaping up and just how it will play out.

Both the board game and the new series will be seeing release next year, with Thunderbirds Are Go! apparently debuting exactly 50 years after the original show. This definitely gives us fans of Gerry Anderson something to look forward to.

Does all this sound like it's F.A.B to you?