BBC Sounds, June 20, 2022

Up close and personal with the Uncanny crew at Hay-on-Wye – where interactive paranormal investigation meets impeccable comic timing.

We kick off this third spooky summer special with some Uncanny community theories on our Newfoundland mystery from the previous instalments. Lots of theories thrown into the mix, from sea caves and earthquakes to electrical interference – all of which could lead you down an interesting rabbit-hole of investigation, if you want to dive in deeper.

The main event, however, is the live show from this year’s Hay-on-Wye festival, and right from the off, Danny’s enthusiasm for the perennial question ‘are we alone?’ is infectious and this has the vibe of an in-the-flesh listen live event with audience participation very much the order of the day.

We are presented with four new cases to explore and Ciaran O’Keeffe and Evelyn Hollow are here to help us unpick our witness accounts from all sides of the debate. It’s excellent to be scientific and analytical, critically assessing all evidence, but I like Evelyn’s way of looking at it: to her, she says, it wasn’t a question of ‘are ghosts real?’, it was ‘what are ghosts?’

From a sinister ghost who likes to take children for walks in the middle of the night to a time-slip during a shopping spree that could have a prosaic explanation, Danny and the gang unpack the different possibilities and audience theories are woven-in expertly and engagingly. Ciaran’s deadpan responses and comic timing are an unexpected delight, and our trio informs and entertains, as usual.

Verdict: Frightening, fascinating and fun – do signs point to another roadshow? Tap twice for yes… 9/10

Claire Smith