Curated Nightmares: Podcasts & YouTube Channels for Lovers of the Dark

Hello Horrorheads,

Those of you who have been following the blog for a while might remember a post I made about some of my favourite podcasts and YouTube channels. Well, this is something similar only with even more suggestions for you spooky lot. So, let’s not delay any longer! I’ll kick off with a few that are perhaps already well-known, but that I love nonetheless.

Podcast – The NoSleep Podcast

This is an anthology series of original horror stories, narrated by talented voice actors with fantastic use of music and sound effects. It’s perfect for consuming horror while driving, commuting, or, in my case, washing up. Some stories are stronger than others, but it’s a great way to support lesser-known authors. If you want a recommendation, start with “Whitefall” (Season 12, Episode 25). Written by C.K. Walker, it’s brilliantly performed and one my husband and I have listened to multiple times. Give it a listen and fall in love with horror fiction in audio form.

Podcast & TV Series – Uncanny

Available both as a podcast and with two series on BBC iPlayer, Uncanny focuses on real-life paranormal experiences. Danny Robins presents with such passion that it’s easy to get hooked. Each week, someone represents Team Skeptic and someone represents Team Believer, sharing their thoughts and expertise on each story. A standout episode is the “Shadow Man” episode from Season 2, Episode 3 of the TV series. It’s genuinely creepy and unnerving, a must-watch.

Podcast – Colors of the Dark

Presented by Dr. Rebekah McKendry and Elric Kane, both professors, writer-directors, and filmmakers in the horror genre, this podcast is perfect for fans of horror. They explore thematic elements, review the latest films, and often feature notable guests from the industry.

Podcast – The Boulet Brothers’ Creatures of the Night

Hosted by the iconic Boulet Brothers, this podcast complements their TV series The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula while also diving into horror movie reviews, famous hauntings, and celebrity interviews. It’s a bit niche, but as someone who’s watched all the Dragula series, I adore these two and think other horror fans will too, for bringing horror into drag.

YouTube – Ghost Pirate Entertainment

Hosted by Kainan Becker, this channel is all about horror. From recommendations to reviews, it’s perfect if you’re looking for films without spoilers or overexposed trailers. Kainan gives honest, thoughtful opinions, often championing lesser-known titles. As he himself says, “I highly, highly recommend” checking this channel out.

YouTube – The Grimm Life Collective

Run by Grimm and Jessica, this YouTube channel documents the couple’s travels as they visit real-life horror film locations, famous graves, and true crime sites. They always provide solid historical detail about the places they explore, and if you’re a horror fan it’ll give you plenty of inspiration. From Whitby and its historical links to Dracula, to a full tour of Tom Savini’s school and home, these two are well worth a watch.

YouTube – Into the Fog with Peter Laws

Presented by former church minister, author, and Fortean Times columnist Peter Laws, this podcast is a must for lovers of the supernatural. Through chilling true-life storytelling, Peter delves into real tales of hauntings, cryptids, and much more. With immersive sound design and compelling narration, this is one you’ll definitely want to check out.

Are there any I’ve missed? Any spooky sounds or channels I should check out? Leave a comment below—I’d love to hear your recommendations!

Stay Spooky!
👻SG👻

Wicked Watch – The Witch in the Window 2018

Hello Coven,

We are now in August and I feel like the year is just flying by. Please use this a reminder to take some time for yourself, even if it’s just 5 minutes, remember to take a breath and be kind to yourself.

I’m here to bore you with another Wicked Watch review. This time round I’ll be talking about 2018 film “The Witch in the Window”

This follows the story of a father and a son who are “flipping” a farmhouse in Vermont. Despite warnings from a local man, the pair live in the house whilst they do their work. Pretty soon, things start happening in the house, and it seems as if the pair are being haunted by the previous tenant Lydia. 

Lydia was rumoured to be a witch who was responsible for the death of her husband and son. And the more they renovate the house, the stronger her spirit seems to grow. The chemistry between the actors is great and the relationship is well written and believable to watch. In terms of horror elements, there is a good sense of suspense built, but other than a couple of jump scares and one scene involving a phone call (which actually made me hold my breath) there’s not much here that makes it stand out as a great horror film.

Whilst well acted and presented, there just wasn’t enough “horror” for me. So I have to give this one 3 out of 5 skulls.

Has anyone else watched this? I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments below.

Stay Spooky!
👻LWG👻

Wayfaring Stranger

Hello my ethereal beings,

In a slight change of pace, I’ve been thinking about scary stories shared between family and friends. Usually it’s friends around a fire, roasting marshmallows…Or, if you didn’t grow up in a book, like me, then it was sitting in a circle on your bedroom floor, with the lights off and a single candle burning in the middle (on a plate of course, because my mum would have gone sick at me if I’d burnt the carpet) as you shared spooky stories and urban myths.

Some stories were great, others may have been great but the storyteller lacked the skill to do them justice. After all, who’s going to listen to or read a story that builds no atmosphere? And it reminded me of one of, many, times my dad told me a story. You have to understand, I was a daddy’s girl through and through, which meant I was naive and believed pretty much anything he told me (even that he used to sleep in a drawer and was so small as a child, that he could sit on a curb and swing his legs) But when he told me stories, I could see everything clearly in my mind. And one day he told me a story that had been passed from his Grandad, to his dad and eventually him. So allow me, albeit nowhere near as well as my dad could, tell you the same story. 

Are you comfortable? Have you got a nice, warm drink to keep the chill at bay?…Good, I’ll begin.

It was a clear night in Yorkshire, and already you could feel the cold icy fingers of Winter, reaching out to claim it’s hold on the world. It was the kind of cold that was biting leaving red noses and ruddy cheeks. My Great Grandfather blew into his hands and rubbed them together as he pushed open the door to his local pub…Well as local as you could get in Yorkshire at that time, a 5 mile walk each way. He didn’t mind though, it kept him young, kept his mind sharp.

As he closed the door behind him, already he could feel the edges of himself warming up. The cold dissolving from him, leaving invisibles pools of ice on the floor. He approached the bar and saw the familiar face of John the landlord. He nodded his head in a welcome gesture and reached for the glass. Being his local, John knew what he liked to drink. 

After getting his drink he headed over to some of his friends, who were sat by the fireplace. It enveloped them in a circle of orange light, as his eyes come to land on an unfamiliar face. The man was slender and pale, it made him stand out against the weathered faces of his friends. His brows pulled into a frown as the man seemed to sense his gaze and locked eyes with him. My Great Grandfather recalls feeling a feeling of unease wash through him and it made his blood run cold.

He was broken out of the spell as he was called over to the table by one of his friends. Looking back, he wished he had declined their invitation, but before he realised his feet had brought him to the table and he was taking a seat. He placed his beer on the round table covered in a red tablecloth and watched as the condensation pooled at the base of the glass, spreading out. It made my Great Grandfather think of blood, and once again he frowned at the sense of unsease that washed over him.

His friends introduced him to the man, they must have said his name more than once, but he never could recall what it was. The stranger was just a business man, travelling through, he’d be leaving in a few hours, and they were playing poker, would he like to join them?

My Great Grandfather didn’t have many vices and he wasn’t much of a gambler, already there was small pile of money on the table in front of the stranger. So he shook his head but, as friends do, they cajoled him into playing a hand or two. And he, reluctantly, agreed.

But he could barely focus on the game, there was something about the stranger that made him uncomfortable. His facial hair was…strange. Not really what the men were sporting at the time, but more than that his eyes, were almost black. And when the man looked into his eyes he was filled with a sense of dread, like his body was urging to him to hide, but his mind and head was in a vice that kept him there, holding the strangers gaze. 

After a few moments, my Great Grandfather realised he was shaking, and as he took a breath to steady his nerves, a few of his cards slid to the floor. He sighed and bent down to reach for them, but felt the breath catch in his throat as he saw four sets of legs beneath the table, three were normal but the strangers legs, were coated with a matted rust coloured fur ending in two black cloven hoofs. He left the cards, stood up and walked away, ignoring the shouts of his friends. When he reached the door, he glanced back once and he saw that the stranger was watching him, with a wide wicked smile on his face.

And that’s the story about how my Great Grandfather played cards with the devil…

I’d love to hear about any spooky/ghost stories you may have been told as a child, so please feel free to comment below, I’d love to read them.

A sprinkle of salt along doorways or windows will protect you from any negative energies coming inside.

Stay spooky!

👻LWG👻