The New Avengers, Series 1 — Episode 7
To Catch a Rat

Production details

Produced:June, 1976

Regional broadcasts

Broadcaster	Date	Time
Thames Television	30/11/1976	8:00pm
ATV Midlands	3/12/1976	8:00pm
Granada Television	3/12/1976	8:00pm
Anglia Television	30/11/1976	8:00pm
Border Television	3/12/1976	8:00pm
Channel Television	3/12/1976	8:00pm
Grampian Television	3/12/1976	8:00pm
Southern Television	3/12/1976	8:00pm
Scottish Television	3/12/1976	8:00pm
Tyne Tees Television	3/12/1976	8:00pm
Ulster Television	3/12/1976	8:00pm
Westward Television	3/12/1976	8:00pm
Harlech Television	14/11/1976	7:50pm
Yorkshire Television	3/12/1976	8:00pm

This episode was shown in the Netherlands before it was broadcast on any ITV region in the UK, see below.

TV Times listing

International broadcasts

ABN2 Sydney, Australia	9/03/1977	8:30pm
ABV2 Melbourne, Australia	9/03/1977	8:30pm
ABC New York, USA	16/02/1979	11:30pm
TF1 France	15/01/1977	9:32pm
Suisse Romande, Switzerland	30/11/1976	9:30pm
French title	Pour attraper un Rat
ZDF Germany	23/03/1978	9:45pm
German title	Die weiße Ratte
KRO Netherlands	4/11/1976	8:25pm
Dutch title	Ratten vangen
Italy	22/06/1978	10:05pm
Italian title	Caccia al topo
Spain	23/08/81	7:35pm
Spanish title	Coger una rata

This episode was shown in the Netherlands on November 4 1976, ten days before it was broadcast on any ITV region in the UK.

Continuity and trivia

The little girl who accidentally hits Gunner in the head with the swing is played by Ian Hendry’s daughter, Corrie. You can see them enjoying a rare moment of family togetherness on set during the scene.

Steed’s call sign was ‘the new doberman’ or the ‘new d’ for short - and he was called ‘the nudie’, naturally!

Karen Cooper and Anni Preston do not seem to appear in the final footage of the episode - they played two of the operators at the security headquarters and has been identified through the props of Karen’s ID card and Annie’s ID card.

The Transport

Marque	Colour	Number Plate
Volkswagen Beetle 1200 [Typ 1] 1967	white	6/7 214
Ford Cortina Mk III 1971	pond green	JMD 347K
Gambit’s Range Rover Series I 1976	white	LOK 537P
Steed’s “big cat” Jaguar XJ12 C Broadspeed 5.3 Litre Coupe Automatic 1976	british racing green	NWK 60P
Rover 2000 TC P6 1971 police car	white	?
Triumph Stag Mk 2 1974	burgundy	NHP 16M

Who’s Killing Whom?

Victim	Killer	Method
Cledge	Gunner	shot by his own revolver during struggle

The Fashions

Gambit’s fashions

1. dark brown single-breasted 3-piece suit with flared trousers, brown tie with diamond motif, beige shirt with brown pinstripes
2. brown suede jacket, cream rollneck, brown trousers
3. light brown checked single-breasted 3-piece suit with flared trousers, slit breast pocket, tailored with darts,pale yellow shirt, brown tie

Purdey’s fashions

1. pink dress with white cardigan
2. black leather bomber jacker with fleece neck, blue & white scarf, pale grey rollneck, blue jeans, short black boots
3. purple & white hooped t-shirt with purple cardigan, white piping, khaki plus fours (or culottes?), long purple boots
4. orange and black Japanese print wrap-around dress
5. purple velvet suit single-breasted with wide lapels, 3 buttons, pink pinstriping, white and grey thick striped shirt with French cuffs, wide white silk tie

Steed’s fashions

1. slate grey 3-piece single-breasted suit, purple tie with white spot, cream shirt
2. grey suit single-breasted 3-piece, grey shirt, green-gold metallic tie
3. grey suit single-breasted 3-piece, with blue tie with white spot, white shirt
4. grey suit single-breasted 3-piece, grey shirt, green-gold metallic tie
5. dark green waistcoat, cream shirt, brown tie, beige riding trousers
6. navy suit, blue shirt, brown tie with white spot, black bowler hat