TV REPEAT Gem of a show kept us on our mettle

EACH episode began with an ominous voice declaring “All irregularities will be handled by the forces controlling each dimension...” That was the cue for Joanna Lumley and David McCallum to appear as interdimensional trouble shooters Sapphire and Steel to deal with evil forces trying to break through time.

Joanna was a vision in blue as Sapphire and had powerful telepathic abilities. Viewers also always knew when she was using her super powers because her eyes would turn a vivid shade of blue.

The emotionless Steel was a much cooler customer and had little patience for the humans who crossed their path – although he did have the ability to lower his temperature to absolute zero.

The ITV series created by Peter Hammond began on July 10, 1979, and was aimed at a more adult audience than its BBC rival Doctor Who.

The opening episode set the tone with creepy nursery

rhymes putting a family at risk in an old farm house.

Sapphire and Steel turned up to repair the rupture in time before it unleashed chaos on the modern world, but not before they also had some explaining to do to the family about their mysterious appearance on their doorstep.

A total of 34 episodes of the sci-fi series were made with Joanna Lumley and David McCallum continued to star in top TV Series: Joanna as Patsy in AbFab and David as Dr Donald “Ducky” Mallard in NCIS

each episode ending on a chilling cliffhanger.

The duo faced everything from ghostly figures at an abandoned railway station to a faceless figure who brought children to life from old photographs.

They sometimes had to call in help from other operatives, though, so viewers also got to meet the fun-loving Lead and the stylish Silver.

The final appearance of Sapphire and Steel saw the duo trapped forever in a motorway cafe floating in limbo. There was no further series to show how the cliffhanger was resolved.

Peter Hammond went on to work on Midsomer Murders and Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood. David McCallum is now known for US series NCIS and Joanna Lumley has proved Absolutely Fabulous as the outrageous Patsy Stone. Sapphire & Steel aimed for a more adult sci-fi fan