2008 volume is still present in the 2009 book. Many strips look weak and washed out on the finer detail, looking like a photocopy. The 2010 annual is still in black and white, though the printing quality is much better. One Fred Basset book appeared in USA during 1969, Meet Fred Basset published as a 'Fawcett Gold Medal Book'. Several books appeared in Australia from 1979 to 1985 and one published in Germany. As of 2009, Summersdale Publishers UK published the Fred Basset Yearbook and published a gift book featuring some of the cartoons from previous strips in colour. 'Fred Basset for Garden Lovers' was published in September 2009. The 2010 Annual, released in October 2010, is unusually entitled "Fred Basset Yearbook 2010–2011", in an attempt to keep the book selling in 2011. This follows a tradition of annuals since the 1930s which were dated the next year to stop buyers thinking it was an older edition. A special 50th anniversary annual, Fred Basset Celebrating 50 Years was published in 2013 by Summersdale Publishers. In other media J Salmon Ltd currently print a Fred Basset calendar displaying twelve cartoons drawn by Michael Martin. Fred Basset, despite being a comic strip character, was read on radio regularly by Hamish Blake throughout Australia on the Today Network's Hamish and Andy Show (weekdays 4-6pm) on Friday afternoons (approx 5:50pm). Andy Lee does his best to stop the reading – trying everything from locking Hamish in a wheelie bin to smashing Hamish's digital camera in order to deter him. However, Hamish always reads the entire comic. The duo also own a real greyhound called "Fred Basset" which is raced in Victoria. Fred Basset television cartoon series During mid-1977 a short-lived 5 minute television cartoon of Fred Basset was shown on the BBC, made by Bill Melendez Productions, voiced by actor Lionel Jeffries . 20 episodes were produced. References Notes Sources consulted The Fred Files, Orion Books, 2005 'Fred Basset' Annuals & books 1963-date "Fred Basset" VHS Video Castle Vision External links Fred Basset at GoComics Fred Basset at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on 30 July 2016. Basset, Fred British comic strips Works originally published in the Daily Mail 1963 comics debuts Basset, Fred Basset, Fred Comics characters introduced in 1963 Gag-a-day comics BBC children's television shows 1976 British television series debuts British children's animated television shows Basset, Fred 1970s British animated