This Year’s Guests

DAVID HUCKVALE

David Huckvale has written 17 books for McFarland and Co in America, among which are James Bernard – Composer to Count Dracula (2006), Hammer Films and the Musical Avant Garde (2008), Touchstones of Gothic Horror – A Film Genealogy in Eleven Motifs and Images (2010), Hammer Films’ Psychological Thrillers (2014), Poe Evermore: The Legacy in Film, Music and Television (2014), A Green and Pagan Land – Myth, Magic and Landscape in British Film and Television (2018), Movie Magick – The Occult in Film (2018), Terrors of the Flesh – The Philosophy of Body Horror in Film (2020), and Unlocking Dracula A.D. 1972: A Classic Horror Film in Context (2025). He is currently working on his 18th title, an examination of the 1971 Hammer classic Blood From the Mummy’s Tomb. After receiving his doctorate, he worked for several universities and as a writer and presenter for BBC Radio, and has appeared on many DVD and Blu-ray releases of horror and fantasy films.

AXELLE CAROLYN

Axelle has been a horror fan for as long as she can remember. 

She has written and directed several features, including The Manor (2021) for Blumhouse starring Barbara Hershey, and Wales-set ghost story Soulmate (2014), but is perhaps better known for her work in television with writing and/or directing credits on episodes of The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020) and The Midnight Club (2022) for Mike Flanagan, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018), American Horror Story (2021), Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen (2026), and two episodes of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2026).

She lives in Los Angeles in a house filled with oddities and horror props. 

SPENCER BANKS

Born in Chesterfield in 1954, Spencer Banks began his screen career with a role in the BBC adaptation of Émile Zola’s Germinal (1970). His big break came later that year when he starred as Simon Randall in the cult classic children’s SF series Timeslip (1970-71), which ran for 26 episodes. He gained further acclaim for his lead performance in the brilliant Penda’s Fenn (1974), a BBC Play for Today that was written by David Rudkin and directed by Alan Clarke. Further roles include the drama series The Witch’s Daughter (1971), comedy series Alexander the Greatest (1971), espionage thriller Tightrope (1972), spooky children’s series The Georgian House (1976), Dennis Potter’s classic Pennies from Heaven (1978), 11 episodes of the long-running ITV soap Crossroads, and guest spots in shows such as Minder (1979), Shine on Harvey Moon (1985), and the horror movie The Amityville Playhouse (2015).

LOUISE JAMESON

In Louise Jameson’s 55-year career (and counting!), she has performed in over 250 plays, been a regular in ten different TV series, including Doctor Who, where she played the role of the 4th Doctor’s companion Leela (1977-78), The Omega Factor (1979), Tenko (1981-82), Bergerac (1985-90) and EastEnders (1998-2000), and she has also dipped her toe into the film world. She is currently playing Mary Goskirk in Emmerdale, a feisty lesbian with no censorship between her brain and her mouth! She also pursues a writing career and is currently developing a TV series, a comedy centred around mental health.

Louise’s website.

SEAN HOGAN

Sean Hogan is a UK filmmaker and author. His feature credits include TO FIRE YOU COME AT LAST, THE DEVIL’S BUSINESS, FUTURE SHOCK! THE STORY OF 2000AD and THE BORDERLANDS. In collaboration with Kim Newman and a host of other genre writers, he co-created and directed the anthology horror plays THE HALLOWE’EN SESSIONS and THE GHOST TRAIN DOESN’T STOP HERE ANYMORE. He is also the author of the novels ENGLAND’S SCREAMING, TWILIGHT’S LAST SCREAMING and THE CORPSE ROAD. He is currently in post-production on a new feature film, THE DARK GETS IN.