The Phenomenal Rise of Uncanny: How a Paranormal Show Became a Global Sensation

From bizarre encounters with spectral figures to unexpected celebrity appearances, the creators of the hugely popular paranormal series "Uncanny" discuss their remarkable journey to global acclaim.

"Oh. Em. Gee." murmurs Danny Robins, self-proclaimed "high priest of the paranormal," as he commands the London Palladium stage, sans his signature red anorak, recounting chilling ghost stories. Tales range from a phantom infant to a spectral presence in a Teams meeting, and even a "hairy flasher." Each narrative is meticulously examined by parapsychologists Evelyn Hollow, representing "Team Believer," and Ciarán O’Keeffe, the "Team Sceptic" who notably unmasked Most Haunted's medium, Derek Acorah, as a fraud – an event Robins likens to "the Biggie and Tupac of the paranormal" for its impact.

The captivated audience, a diverse blend of millennials, boomers, and Gen Z, eagerly contributes their own spine-chilling accounts. One woman's voice trembles as she recounts a skeletal entity attempting to harm her sister. This encapsulates the gripping essence of "Uncanny."

Much has transpired in the five years since "Uncanny" first emerged as a Radio 4 paranormal investigations podcast, captivating listeners with its iconic opening, "I know what I saw." Its inaugural episode, "The Evil in Room 611," featured scientist Ken, who vividly described inexplicable terrifying experiences from his university days decades prior. Accounts of a malevolent dark figure and rattling doors elicited the shocked response, "Bloody hell, Ken." Subsequently, two experts offered their perspectives: parapsychologist Caroline Watt suggested hypnagogic hallucinations, while ordained minister Peter Laws attributed the occurrences to poltergeist activity.