MANILA, Philippines – Britt Allcroft, the creator of the hit British TV series Thomas and Friends, has died at 81 years old, filmmaker Brannon Carty announced on social media on Friday, January 3 (Manila time).
Carty said that Allcroft’s family asked him to share the news of her passing to show’s fandom, adding that the family has requested privacy as they mourn the creator’s death.
It is with great sadness that I share with you the passing of Britt Allcroft.
— carty™ (@cartycinema) January 3, 2025
The Allcroft-Wright family has asked me to bring this news to the Thomas fandom. A full obituary will be released in the London Times later today. The family is currently in mourning and asks that… pic.twitter.com/LSFq8VL7jK
“Britt was an adoring mother and wife. A visionary producer. She brought so much joy and happiness to people everywhere during her time on Earth,” Carty described Allcroft.
The 28-year-old filmmaker shared that he and Allcroft developed a “close connection” in the years they knew each other, as she had stood as both his mentor and friend when she was still alive. He also said that in 2023, fans were able to meet her as she attended the New York screening of An Unlikely Fandom: The Impact of Thomas the Tank Engine — a film that takes a close look at the adult fandom behind the books, toys, and series.
She was also a part of the documentary, with Carty adding that Allcroft had always been a vocal supporter of the fandom’s cause.
“I think I can speak for the entirety of the fandom when I say that all of us will deeply miss her. Without her, so many of us would never have met,” he continued.
He shared that Allcroft’s family appealed to the public to consider donating to their local chapter of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in her name.
“While I am devastated by her passing, we can all find comfort in the certainty that her legacy will endure forever through Thomas and his fans around the world,” Carty said.
Allcroft created the children’s TV series Thomas and Friends in 1984, its last episode airing in 2021. The show is an adaptation of the famous The Railway Series books by Wilbert Awdry and Christopher Awdry.
In 1989, alongside American producer Rick Siggelkow, she went on to create Shining Time Station, a sitcom-style children’s TV series that would insert two episodes of Thomas and Friends within each episode.
Allcroft worked on several more films and shows after that, which included Magic Adventures of Mumfie, The Thomas the Tank Engine Man, Mr. Conductor’s Thomas Tales, Mumfie’s Quest: The Movie, Storytime with Thomas, and Thomas and the Magic Railroad. – Rappler.com