Danny Robins’ Uncanny Returns with a Halloween Special and a New Series

By Jon Donnis

Danny Robins is bringing his smash-hit BBC Radio 4 and Sounds podcast Uncanny back this October, and for the first time, he's doing it live. The return is marked by a Halloween special recorded right in front of an audience at London's BBC Radio Theatre.

The hour-long episode is set to air on Halloween night itself, and it's the kick-off for a brand-new, ten-part series. It promises the usual chills and, naturally, plenty of lively debate for both the "Team Believer" and "Team Sceptic" camps.

In the run-up, fans can expect some daily treats: short ghost stories sent in by listeners across the UK will be dropped into the podcast feed as a kind of Halloween countdown. Then comes the main event: a really gripping investigation into a case from Bath. It focuses on Virginia and her family, who found out their new home wasn't the only one on their street dealing with peculiar goings-on. The London audience won't just hear the story, though; they'll get to question Danny, weigh in with their own theories, and hear from experts and a mystery celebrity guest.

Robins himself has called Halloween "paranormal Christmas," suggesting it'll be a deeply atmospheric night that sets the tone perfectly for this fifth series. Rhian Roberts, the BBC commissioning editor, echoed that excitement, saying Uncanny is the ideal way to mark the occasion while also really testing what we believe. Later episodes in the new run are lined up to cover all sorts, including ghostly encounters on the A229, the infamous Men In Black, and a Tudor house that's truly frightening its current residents.

It marks yet another milestone for Robins, who's really become the leading voice for paranormal storytelling in the UK. With the success of The Battersea Poltergeist and The Witch Farm behind him, and the theatre hit 2:22 – A Ghost Story still touring worldwide, he's clearly much more than just a podcaster now. Uncanny has already moved to TV and the live circuit, and this Halloween special looks set to be one of Radio 4's must-listen events of the year.

The Uncanny Halloween special is on BBC Radio 4 at 9pm on 31 October. The new episodes then follow every Tuesday at 11pm from 4 November.