Thundersbirds are Go: First pictures of modernised 'puppets' released

Lady Penelope, Brains and Parker have all been given a modern makeover

The modern Thunderbirds: L-R, Scott, Virgil, Alan, Gordon and John in front of their home, the exotic Tracy Island (ITV)

The faces of the new Thunderbirds have been unveiled, showing how Lady Penelope, Parker and Brains will look in the ITV’s rebooted version of the classic children’s show.

All three characters have been given a makeover for the modern age, and appear like computerised avatars in trendy clothes.

Brains has been transformed into a hipster geek and his ditched the bow-tie, sporting big square glasses with his top button undone.

Brains from the modern series Thunderbirds (PA)

Lady Penelope, who will be voiced by Gone Girl star Rosamund Pike, looks much younger than her Sixties original dressed in a deep v-cut dress with a cropped black blazer.

Sylvia Anderson, who voiced Lady Penelope in the original series, will also voice a new character in an episode due to air later this year.

Lady Penelope and Parker in the rebooted Thunderbirds (PA)

David Graham will return to the franchise to voice his character Parker, whose modernised avatar has slicked back hair and a chunky green polo neck.

But while children may enjoy the new Noel Gallagher and Taylor Swift lookalikes, others were less impressed with the new avatars.

Comedian David Baddiel has written the first episode of the new rebooted series, titled “Designated Driver” that will see Anderson voice the character of Lady Penelope’s Great Aunt Sylvia.

Then and now: Parker and Lady Penelope (ITV)

The new children’s series is set to debut on ITV later this spring fifty years after it was first broadcast on the channel.

Read more: Thunderbirds to return to small screen to mark 50th anniversary