 The presentation of smoking in Thunderbirds was the subject of a study published in the medical journal Tobacco Control in 2002 . Despite identifying examples in 26 episodes , Kate Hunt of the University of Glasgow concluded that Thunderbirds does not actively promote smoking – a view opposed by the Roy Castle <unk> Cancer Foundation ( <unk> ) at the time of the series ' relaunch on BBC 2 . <unk> the <unk> 's proposal that the remastered episodes be edited to digitally erase all visible cigarettes and cigars , the BBC stated that the series " does not glorify or encourage smoking " and described the activity as " incidental to the plot " . 
