Paul Jericho was a wrong 'un in Doctor Who, too. He had one of 'those' faces.

GRANGE HILL: "Slip on the wet floor, did you?" Phil Redmond's hard-hitting school drama didn't pull its punches. In a 'they did things differently back then' scene from 1981, hard but fair P.E. teacher 'Bullet' Baxter doles out justice to a colleague who's been bullying kids.

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SURVIVORS (1975): Terry 'Daleks' Nation's classic drama about a plague that wipes out most of humanity, and the lengths the rest must go to to restore civilisation. The first series is dark and bleak, but after Nation leaves it's a bit like The Good Life with added starvation, death, and rabies.

I need them all!

It's Sunday afternoon - time for Worzel Gummidge! How about THE CROWMAN (1979), an episode which saw Worzel don his infamous Handsome Head and propose to a female scarecrow, who proceeds to beat him with a broom and dismember him. Folk horror fun for all the family!

Ooh, brilliant! Thanks for the heads up, Gary!

Ghosts, Vampires, Werewolves, and all manner of high strangeness abound in these beautifully illustrated books. I missed out on these at the time, sadly. Anyone for reprints?

Usborne's SUPERNATURAL GUIDES (1979): Following up on their seminal World of the Unknown trilogy, these fantastic pockets books gave kids a whole new set of nightmares (1/2)

Yeah, right to the nads!

The differences between SCIENCE NINJA TEAM GATCHAMAN (1972) and its child-friendly American version, BATTLE OF THE PLANETS (1978) are stark indeed. In this Gatchman scene, missing from BotP, team leader Ken gives a bad guy a good hiding. I counted eighteen punches. Eighteen!

RED TRAFFIC SIGN: MUST NOT (1974) Some public information films were like mini-movies. And some just got straight to the point, like this five second beast.

Must not. Must not. MUST NOT.

Out now: a very special episode of Jesus Christ They’ve Done It!

When I set out on this podcast odyssey six months ago, my biggest dream was to interview Mick Jackson, the director of Threads.

Well, sometimes dreams come true. Enjoy!

@bangpodcast.bsky.social @scarredforlife.bsky.social

Quick reminder that the 10% discount off our books is on till midnight on Friday!

Staying up late to watch horror films of a weekend was always a joy when I was a kid. This scene from SOMETHING EVIL, a 1972 'demonic possession' TV movie directed by Steven Spielberg, scared the living stink out of me when I was 8 or 9, and it stayed with me for decades.

SEWING MACHINE (1973): A startling PIF, directed by the master of the form, John Krish, featuring the final minute of a little girl's life. It generated a flood of complaints; not because of the horrific elements, but because it featured a black child. That's more shocking than anything in the film.

Here's what the critics are saying!
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Always a pleasure! ;)

Papa Lazarou for toddlers.

SESAME STREET: LIMBO (early 70s) Also known as 'Nobody', this Jim Henson creation consisted of two eyes and a mouth made of string, with a voice provided by New York DJ 'Rosko' Mercer. One of my earliest TV memories, Limbo scared the pants off me when I was 3 or 4.

Fancy joining me and @bobfischer.bsky.social in Colchester on Friday 30 July? The Scarred For Life Folk Horror show is coming, and there'll be ancient rituals and cursed eyebrows...

DOMINIC (1976): Sequel series to 'The Boy Dominic' sees our 16 year-old hero searching for the footpads who brutally murdered his parents (19th century teenage Punisher, anyone?). Family fare which aired at 5.35pm on Sunday afternoons!

*UNREPENTANT

Cheers, autocorrect... 🙄

It was an honour to be interviewed by James Simpson for UNREPENTENT CINEMA, his new book about extreme horror films. Squeamish old me talks about how I couldn't get through the likes of Guinea Pig and Nekromantik, and actively avoided A Serbian Film! It's a brilliant book, and it's out now!

Haha!

Not weird at all! Maximilian is in my top five ;)

THE BLACK HOLE ACTION TRANSFERS (1979): Letraset released four lovely sets for Disney's dark sci-fi epic, though they're sadly lacking Anthony Perkins getting shredded by Maximilian, or a rub-down metaphysical Heaven and Hell. Missed a trick there.

SAPPHIRE AND STEEL: ASSIGNMENT ONE (1979) The first case for our enigmatic agents involves two kids, their missing parents, and a haunted house. Originally conceived as a children's show called The Time Menders, Assignment One still features remnants of those early ideas.

RAID ON IRAN: Steve Jackson Games, publisher of long-running vehicle combat game Car Wars, released this topical 'what if?' minigame in 1980, allowing players to take another stab at the abortive mission to rescue 53 hostages from the embassy in Tehran. Blimey.

If you haven't read our trilogy of enormous books, now's the time! This week's big 15% discount is on till midnight on Friday!