Jeff Tracy doesn’t appear in ‘Thunderbirds Are Go!’ because writer Rob Hoegee wanted to let the younger characters "shine".
The head writer of ITV’s revamp of the sci-fi series has explained why they decided to leave one of the main characters – who was the father of the Tracy brothers and head of International Rescue – from the original series out of the latest update.
Speaking at a screening of ‘Thunderbirds Are Go!’ at London’s BFI Southbank last night (31.03.15), Rob said: "Jeff Tracy is not a character that can be sidelined or minimised in any way shape or form. He is a huge presence – in the world of ‘Thunderbirds’ and on the screen – and the show we’re making right now couldn’t be about Jeff Tracy – it has to be about the boys and Kayo."
The new series features the voices of actors including Kayvan Novak as Brains and Rosamund Pike as Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward and producers were keen to move the story on from where it last left off.
Rob added: "Our feeling was… what would be a way to make Jeff Tracy mean something to the show and be just as important, but still be in a place where the rest of the boy can take a step forward and shine?
"So our decision to take him out of the picture was really motivated by that, and it became a situation story-wise where [the show] became less about, ‘What dad tells us to do’, and more about, ‘What would dad do?’
"The currency we get from the absence of their father is hugely important as we move forward with the series."
‘Thunderbirds Are Go!’ kicks off this Saturday April 4 at 5pm on ITV.
Jeff Tracey not in Thunderbirds Are Go! to let younger characters ‘shine’
