IAN McCULLOCH (GREG Preston) will appear at the Weird Worcester convention in July 2026, at which he’ll be joined by other cast members from the celebrated 1979 Italian horror movie Zombie Flesh Eaters.
Returning for a second year, Weird Worcester offers “a celebration of the frightful, the bizarre and the fantastic” from the world of cult film.
McCulloch will be joined by Al Cliver (‘Brian Hull’, in the actor’s first UK convention appearance) and Ottaviano Dell’acqua (stuntman, actor and accomplished zombie performer), in a session reflecting on the first of McCulloch’s three Italian-made horrors.
Ian McCulloch will also take part in three themed photoshoot sessions (tickets for which can be prepaid in advance) — one solo session; one with fellow cast members from Zombie Flesh Eaters; and one with Luigi Cozzi, the writer and director of the alien horror Contamination (1980), which McCulloch also starred in.
Weird Worcester is BACK after a critically acclaimed first event. Hosted once again by boutique home video label Treasured Films, we are thrilled to be welcoming another top tier roster of cult film veterans to Worcester! It takes place in the Midlands, at the Worcester Arena, overlooking the River Severn.
A grassroots led event, come join fellow cinephiles and collectors for this weekend only event, celebrating all things cult films! Our second year will see us welcome more luminaries of Italian genre cinema along with guests from other areas of legendary cult filmdom!
Meet our special guests, have merchandise or autographs signed, get photos, dress in cosplay, partake in Q&As, browse the dealer tables! Licensed bar and food available!
DENIS LILL (CHARLES Vaughan) will join a large ensemble of cast and crew members from Only Fools and Horses at a sold-out convention in Milton Keynes in May.
Lill featured in the long-running sitcom in the recurring supporting role of Cassandra’s father, Alan Parry.
Organised by the Only Fools and Horses Appreciation Society, the 2026 convention adopts the theme ‘Only Fools Mafia’, bringing together ‘Miami’ and ‘London’ panels. Lill joins the ‘Miami Mafia’ on Saturday 9 May.
Two other Only Fools alumni with Survivors connections will also appear at the event — Hazel McBride (Alice, Bridgehead) and Roy Marsden (The Captain, Long Live the King).
Only Fools Mafia DoubleTree by Hilton Milton Keynes, Stadium Way W, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK1 1ST 9-10 May 2026 Ticket waiting list: Craigwood@onlyfools.net
NEWLY RELEASED ARCHIVAL footage of the hugely respected British character actor Morris Perry–who memorably appears as the misanthrope Doctor Richard Fenton in the third series Survivors episode Mad Dog–shows him as a representative of Islington council in London, persuasively making the case for the widespread introduction of parking ‘bollards’ on the borough’s streets.
The segment, shot on location on 16mm film in the Spring or Summer of 1976, was recorded as a news feature for the weeknight BBC early evening current affairs show Nationwide (1969-83).
It became viewable online earlier this week–for the first time since its transmission–as part of the project to release more material from the BBC’s archives onto the corporation’s official BBC Archive YouTube channel.
The installation of ‘bollards’ of various designs across Islington–to prevent drivers from parking their vehicles half-on-the-road and half-on-the-pavement on already busy streets–had proved a controversial local party political issue in the mid-1970s, despite the benefits it brought to pedestrians.
Debates in the Islington press about the development proved sufficient to attract the interest of Nationwide‘s news editors–who contacted the council.
So what’s the connection between a Survivors actor and ‘bollards’ being installed on the streets of London?
In addition to his prolific and varied stage and screen career, Morris Perry was also a political actor. Elected as a Labour councillor in Islington in the 1970s, he was soon a natural fit to chair the borough’s Arts & Recreation Committee.
The limited council records available online also suggest that Perry became chairman of Islington’s Planning Committee for a time. He would, of course, have been entirely unfazed at the idea of representing the council on camera, when the borough was looking for an effective public face.
The short Nationwide feature mixes ‘vox pops’ with local residents with the opinions of two local council officials.
In contrast to the unfocused complaints of the (poorly prepared) opposition councillor, Perry is an articulate and unruffled defender of the bollards’ utility.
While Perry’s natural fluency is instantly recognisable, for fans of his acting career, this news segment is an unexpected context in which to find him.
Within months of this Nationwide appearance, Perry would travel to the Derbyshire Peak District to record the classic Survivors episode Mad Dog, alongside Denis Lill (Charles Vaughan).
A NEWLY PUBLISHED special edition in Doctor Who Magazine‘s just-launched Legends series celebrates the work of Survivors creator Terry Nation.
As would be expected, the principal thread of the 84-page, full-colour magazine is on Terry Nation’s contributions to the world of Doctor Who.
However, there are some interesting snippets along the way for the Survivors aficionado.
As well as a few familiar BBC publicity shots and screencaptures, Nation’s work on Survivors is discussed briefly in extracts from a previously unpublished interview with him by Simon Shaw from 1991.
There is also a short discussion of Nation’s work as the Survivors show creator and series one script writer as part of a broader appraisal of his work across the 1970s.
Especially interesting is a new interview with Nation’s daughter Rebecca and son Joel, who reflect on the experience of growing up with their scriptwriting father.
Rebecca recalls their home life at Lynsted Park in the early 1970s, when Terry Nation was taken with the idea of testing out the pleasures and pitfalls of self-sufficiency. A process that reflected his growing preoccupation with the themes of survival and human adaptability that would culminate in his work on Survivors.
This experiment in low-tech husbandry and hands-on animal care was not one that his wife Kate particularly warmed to, but it was clearly an opportunity that their children took some pleasure from.
But it is the world of Doctor Who that this first issue of DWM‘s ‘Legends’ principally focuses upon.
“Terry Nation is the first member of what is essentially Doctor Who Magazine‘s hall of fame,” DWM editor Marcus Hearn explains. “We think a tribute to Nation is long overdue, because he’s probably the show’s most influential and underrated writer. Everyone knows he gave us the Daleks, but he doesn’t get the credit he deserves for being the first person to unleash the full potential of Doctor Who.”
“He devised the format for the most successful stories, and it’s still the blueprint, more than 60 years later,” Hearn says.
Doctor Who: Legends – Terry Nation is available to buy in-store and online for £9.99, and will be available in digital format from pocketmags.
PRENTIS HANCOCK, WHO appeared as the rogue trader McIntosh in the third series Survivors episode A Little Learning has died at the age of 83.
Hancock appeared alongside Sean Caffrey (who played fellow trader Millar) – a pair who sell infected rye to Eagle’s community of children, and who withhold information from Jenny about Greg’s whereabouts.
A Little Learning was written by Ian McCulloch (Greg Preston) and directed by George Spenton-Foster.
Hancock had a long and varied career in genre television, becoming especially well known for his role as Deputy Commander Paul Morrow in the first series of Space 1999 and for his appearances in Doctor Who.
He appeared in different roles in Planet of the Daleks and Spearhead from Space, alongside Jon Pertwee, and in The Ribos Operation and Planet of Evil alongside Tom Baker.
Hancock also had roles in Z-Cars, Warship, Return of the Saint, The New Avengers, The Professionals, Secret Army, Danger UXB, Chocky’s Children, Chocky’s Challenge and Outlander.
His film appearances include the 1976 film version of The Thirty-Nine Steps, the 1981 horror-comedy The Monster Club,the 1985 political thriller Defence of the Realm and the 1990 TV movie Jekyll & Hyde.
IAN McCULLOCH WILL be appearing at day two of The Shed of Hell horror and sci-fi convention being held in Rushden on 5-6 July 2025.
Sponsored by The Dark Side magazine, The Shed of Hell event promises “a spine-chilling weekend filled with iconic horror characters, creepy memorabilia, and everything macabre.”
The second day of the event will offer “Sunday horror with a sprinkling of sci-fi”. As well as McCulloch, other confirmed day two guests include James Taylor (Star Wars, MCU) and Ross Sambridge (Solo: A Star Wars Story).
Also appearing at the event is Tony Mardon, the director of the upcoming film The Witches of the Sands in which McCulloch appears.
Ian McCulloch has achieved fame in several cult television and film productions. He first became a household name via his central performance as Greg Preston in Terry Nation’s popular BBC television series Survivors, about a genetically engineered germ plague that nearly wipes out the entire population of the earth.
He then starred in several notoriously violent Italian made horror films of the early 1980s that were part of the “video nasty” controversy within the UK. McCulloch was the male lead in the Romero inspired Zombie Flesh Eaters aka “Zombi 2” directed by Lucio Fulci, he was back battling more living dead in Zombie Holocaust aka “Dr Butcher MD” directed by Marino Girolami, and then McCulloch took on interplanetary invaders in the Alien rip-off Contamination, directed by Luigi Cozzi.
McCulloch returned to BBC television, which included playing a villain in Warriors of the Deep: Part One, another role he is well-remembered for by cult television fans as well as a role in Doctor Who.
THE ORGANISERS OF the 2025 Romford Horror Festival have posted the video recording of Ian McCulloch’s Survivors question-and-answer session, which followed the screening of two episodes of the show.
McCulloch, who also appeared at last year’s festival, featured in two sessions of this year’s event – joining a Q&A after the screening of the Italian horror Zombie Flesh Eaters, and a Survivors Q&A after the audience had watched Law and Order (series one) and the McCulloch-scripted The Last Laugh (series three).
In his Survivors Q&A, which was chaired by Spencer Hawken, McCulloch discusses his work as an actor and script writer on the series, his relationship with show creator Terry Nation and producer Terry Dudley, professional and person dynamics amongst cast, his decision to reduce his involvement in the third series, and much more besides.
Ian McCulloch holds up a copy of The End of the World? Survivors book, written by Rich Cross and Andy Priestner, during the Survivors Q&A at the 2025 Romford Horror Festival
UPDATE (11 March 2025): A recording of the Zombie Flesh Eaters Q&A serssion featuring Ian McCulloch and Ottaviano Dell’Acqua, from the Romford Horror Festival 2025, is also now available online.
IAN McCULLOCH WILL return to the Romford Horror Festival next month, to join a ‘Fulci trio’ of guests for a showing of Zombie Flesh Eaters, and – Survivors: A World Away can reveal – to answer questions from attendees following the screening of two episodes of Survivors.
McCulloch attended the 2024 Romford Horror Festival (aka Horrhiffic) and was interviewed about his role in three celebrated Italian horror films Zombi Holocaust, Contamination – and Zombie Flesh Eaters.
At the 2025 event, which takes place between 27 February and 2 March, McCulloch will be joined (on Saturday 1 March) by Silvia Collatina (best known for her role as Mae in The House by the Cemetery) and Ottaviano Dell’Acqua (who appeared alongside McCulloch in Zombie Flesh Eaters). Both films were directed by the acclaimed Italian horror director Lucio Fulci.
McCulloch will also discuss his work on Survivors (Sunday 2 March) following the screening of two episodes from the show.
After discussion with Ian McCulloch as to his preferences, the festival will screen episode nine from the first series of Survivors (often claimed to be the show’s finest fifty minutes) and episode ten from series three (the latter written by McCulloch himself).
Survivors
Law & Order – In celebration, the gang have a party. Not being used to the effects of alcohol, things get a little out of hand and the gang vote on a suitable punishment for those at fault.
The Last Laugh – Greg, travelling alone, has become paranoid and mistrustful of strangers. Will his fears ultimately be confirmed, and what secrets will he uncover as a result?
– Romford Horror Festival
Zombie Flesh Eaters
Strangers searching for a young woman’s missing father arrive at a tropical island where a doctor desperately seeks the cause and cure of a recent epidemic of the undead.
At the end of the movie stars Ian McCulloch and Ottaviano Dell’Acqua will be part of a live Q&A session with the audience.
To see this movie please purchase a Saturday day pass or Full Festival Pass.
– Romford Horror Festival
Fulci trio
For 2025, fresh from last year’s visit, the legendary Ian McCulloch, star of Zombie Flesh Eaters, Zombie Holocaust, Survivors, Doctor Who and Colditz (to name just a few) is making an epic return!
Previous year’s guest Silvia Collatina, best known as Mae from The House by the Cemetery, is also making a return, and she’s bringing a very special guest with her.
Also starring in Zombie Flesh Eaters is Ottaviano Dell’Acqua, a phenomenal actor with a whopping 106 acting credits and 368 stuntman credits. Ottaviano has a huge cult following with fans of both Italian horror and Giallo. With an outstanding personality, he’s an absolute scream to be with and knows literally everyone in the business.
This trio also has an immense amount of experience working with controversial horror director Lucio Fulci.
Ian and Ottaviano will join us to regale us with stories from Zombie Flesh Eaters straight after a screening of the movie, while Silvia will talk about her life living both by the cemetery and after it.
All three guests will be signing autographs on Saturday 1st March between screenings of the two movies.
Romford Horror Festival. 27 February-2 March 2025. Lumiere Cinema, The Mercury Shopping Centre, Mercury Gardens, Romford RM1 3EE. Festival site | Advance tickets
IAN McCULLOCH’S APPEARANCE AT ROMFORD HORROR FESTIVAL 2025
Saturday 1 March 2025 – Zombie Flesh Eaters screening (1pm, Screen 1), followed by Q&A with Ian McCulloch and Ottaviano del’Aqua
Sunday 2 March 2025 – screening of Survivors episodes Law and Order and The Last Laugh (2pm, Screen 8) followed by a Q&A session with Ian McCulloch
To attend these session, you’ll need to purchase a festival Day Pass (for either the Saturday or the Sunday, or both) at £18.00 per day. A Full Festival Pass, giving you access to the entire festival can also be purchased for £50.00.
IAN MCCULLOCH WILL be one of the guests at the Chiller Theatre convention in New Jersey, taking place between 25-27 October 2024.
Chiller Theatre is a ‘Toy, Model and Film Expo’ that has been running in different guises and with different names since 1990.
Rare appearance! Euro horror legend Ian McCulloch returns to Chiller Theatre for the 1st time in a decade!
Meet the star of Lucio Fulci’s Zombie, and Euro-cult classics Zombie Holocaust, Contamination, The Ghoul and popular British TV shows Survivors and Doctor Who!
Chiller Theatre
Chiller Theatre 25-27 October 2024 Hilton Parsippany, One Hilton Court, Parsippany, New Jersey 07054 USA http://chillertheatre.com/
DENIS LILL (CHARLES Vaughan, Survivors) will join other Doctor Who cast and crew members at the Doctor Who Appreciation Society (DWAS) Projections in Time event in London on Sunday 30 June 2024.
Lill, who appeared as Dr. Fendelman in the Doctor Who story Image Of The Fendahl, will join Louise Jameson (Leela, and Big Finish’s audio Survivors), Adrienne Burgess (Veet, The Sun Makers), Hilary Ryan (Rodan, The Invasion Of Time), Mat Irvine (Visual Effects), and A J Mitchell (Electronic Effects).
There will be episode screenings of Image Of The Fendahl (Part One), The Sun Makers (Part Four), Underworld (Part One) and The Invasion Of Time (Part Six).
Cast and crew will reunite live on stage for a special Question & Answer session, and there will be autograph and photo studio sessions (for which additional charges apply).
Projections in Time: Season Sevateem Sunday 30 June 2024, from 13:00 Riverside Studios, Hammersmith, London W6 9BN Tickets: £15, available to book from Riverside Studios
