Unseen since its first transmission on ITV in 1965, this vintage six-part Rediffusion sciience fiction serial will delight aficionados of the golden age of British television drama. Now newly remastered, the BFI brings Object Z to Blu-ray and DVD for the first time, released in a Dual Format Edition in September with special features including audio commentaries for every episode, each by a different expert.

A mysterious mass – known only as Object Z – hurtles through space, threatening earth with destruction. As society erupts into riotous panic and extremist political factions attempt to snatch control, the world's nations must unite to find a solution in the face of Armageddon. Television producer Peter Barry (Trevor Bannister) and assistant Diana Winters (Celia Bannerman) become embroiled in the race to find answers – but time is running out. The cast also included Margaret Neale, June Challis, Denys Peek, Robert Duncan and Ralph Nossek. 

Hard-hitting and contemporary, Rediffusion's progressive programming for teatime viewers challenged the traditional dominance of BBC television in the 1960s. The cataclysmic world-under-threat sci-fi of Object Z will appeal to anyone who thrilled to Nigel Kneale's The Quatermass Experiment.

This release is part of the September BFI Southbank TV season ASSOCIATED REDIFFUSION: THE UK'S FIRST GROUNDBREAKING TV FRANCHISE, which celebrates seventy years since the birth of modern commercial television in the UK. Launched on 22 September 1955, Associated-Rediffusion, ITV's original weekday London television franchise, quickly distinguished itself from the BBC with a heady mixture of highbrow programming and populist fodder, with progressive drama, current affairs, discussion programmes and issue-led documentaries rubbing shoulders with flashy game shows, children's entertainment and groundbreaking comedies. 

Object Z will be released as a Dual Format (Blu-ray and DVD) edition by the BFI on 29 September 2025 at the RRP of £24.99.

DUAL FORMAT FEATURES:

• Newly remastered in 2K and presented in High Definition and Standard Definition
• Audio commentary on Episode 1 by Jon Dear
• Audio commentary on Episode 2 by Dick Fiddy
• Audio commentary on Episode 3 by William Fowler and Vic Pratt 
• Audio commentary on Episode 4 by Dr Elinor Groom
• Audio commentary on Episode 5 by Kevin Lyons
• Audio commentary on Episode 6 by Celia Bannerman and Toby Hadoke
• In Search of Sierra Nine (1963/2025, 7 mins): edited highlights from the sole remaining episode of the Rediffusion science fiction drama Sierra Nine accompany this investigation of a mostly missing television series
• Object Z Episode 1 shooting script
• Image gallery: rarities and curiosities relating to Object Z and its missing sequel series, Object Z Returns
• FIRST PRESSING ONLY: lllustrated booklet featuring new essays by Jon Dear, Dick Fiddy, Dr Elinor Groom and William Fowler, and credits