Winter lockdown at home with The Avengers

Not only can you now stream films as they are released and watch recordings of 'live' theatre on demand in your living room (often on TVs that are practically the size of a small cinema screen), you can also now plug into virtual events, online conventions no loss. The latest of these to catch my eye is StudioCanal's sixtieth anniversary celebration of the classic tele series, The Avengers. The exclusive, streamed event called The Avengers At 60 will take place on January 29, 2021, although the show's landmark birthday actually fell on January 7. Ground-breaking for its time, the series ran from 1961 to 1969, starring Ian Hendry, Patrick Mcnee, Honor Blackman, Diana Rigg and Linda Thorson. As anyone of a certain age will recall, it quickly became famous for its bowler hats, often outrageous plotlines and the glamour and sass of Cathy Gale, Emma Peel and Tara King. On January 29, 5000 fans of The Avengers will have the opportunity to take part in 'a unique chance to enjoy episodes of the show together', hosted by special guests, with Q&As, discussions and tributes to recently departed Blackman and Rigg. I’ve been lucky enough to interview both during my career, Blackman was an absolute delight to chat to, Rigg, an experience I still dine out on. That both were icons of their era is undisputed. Three of the 161 classic episodes will be streamed with the 'very special guests' popping up in between each screening. I wonder who they will be – Thorson is the only one of the show’s stars still with us. Tunnel of Fear, the twentieth installment of the first series, opens proceedings. One of only three episodes from that original run known to survive, it was lost for 55 years only to be discovered in a private film collection four years ago. It features top government secrets leaked from a funfair – quirky. The Nutshell, episode four from the third series, is the second choice, shown as a tribute to Blackman who died last year, aged 94. Directed by Raymond Menmuir, a name that will be familiar to fans of The Professionals, features a top-secret underground nuclear shelter – very Sixties’.Finally, paying tribute to Rigg, who died in September, aged 82, The Forget-Me-Knot completes the programme. The first episode of the sixth series, it introduces Thorson as King. Throughout the event, attendees will be able to interact using a live chat bar while enjoying the social experience in real time, from the comfort of their home. It’s that phrase ‘comfort of their own home’ that makes these online events so appealing, especially in the middle of an Edinburgh winter when a trip out (were we allowed) would involve facing the elements – there’s nothing worse than having to head out into rain, wind and temperatures south of minus one. That said, come the summer, nothing beats a night out. Maybe streaming events will become a seasonal thing. I could live with that. Tickets for The Avengers At 60, costing £5 each, are available from https://virtual.ourscreen.com/screenings/the-avengers-60th-anniversary A message from the Editor: Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers. If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription

Winter lockdown at home with The Avengers - Liam Rudden