Further to a previous poster, in 2017 a complete set of 16mm broadcast prints was discovered, misfiled in the archives of a longstanding UK ITV broadcaster (thought to be HTV). The films have subsequently been digitised and were released on dvd later that year.
The flying chariot did actually appear in a Rupert comic strip in the late 1950s so was not invented for this series. However it was used here out of context to allow Rupert to move around Nutwood quickly (in the comic strips he often ran) as making puppets walk, let alone run, convincingly is notoriously difficult. For this reason alone the film makers took liberties with the original stories for the sake of practical filmmaking.
Of the 156 episodes made only 74 are known to exist in their original colour film format, while there are a further 16 duped on black & white 16mm film. The remaining episodes are currently missing, whereabouts unknown.
Despite being hugely successful as part of ITV's children's programming, this show hasn't been broadcast in the UK since 1976. This was because the broadcast prints in circulation had been played so many times they had deteriorated. The production company wanted to renegotiate the broadcast fees with the ITV networks but they didn't like the proposed increase unless new film prints were part of the deal. When the producers refused to meet the cost themselves ITV walked away from negotiations. Several years later, distributor ITC went bankrupt and the rights to their back catalog lay in limbo for years resulting in this show falling into obscurity. Programme makers moving away from old fashioned puppet shows towards animation also did not help matters.
Produced by members of the then redundant Gerry Anderson's Supermarionation crew. As a 'nod' to their past, a Dinky model of Joe 90's car can be seen on the window sill at the beginning of the opening credits.