Embrace Spooky Season with films and TV shows screaming now on iPlayer…
Spooky season is upon us we’ve got you covered for all things Halloween. From scary films to Scooby-Doo adventures, paranormal podcasts to creepy quizzes, there’s plenty to enjoy this October ahead of the the big night.
Fancy a frightening film night with the lights turned low? We’ve got classic chillers and new thrillers that’ll have you hiding behind the cushions. Or, if you’re of a slightly more nervous disposition, settle in for a night of laughs and light scares with some quirky vampires (or non vampires…) and look forward to the annual Strictly spook-tacular.
And if you fancy a screen break BBC Bitesize has plenty of ideas to help you celebrate creatively, from spider cupcakes to pumpkin-carving hacks.
Fear-fuelled films
Warning: these terrifying films may cause gasps, goosebumps and inspire a sudden need to leave the lights on.
The Mist
A puritan police sergeant arrives on a Scottish island in search of a missing girl, who the Pagan locals claim never existed.
- Watch The Wicker Man on iPlayer
Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Centuries-old vampire Count Dracula comes to England to seduce his barrister Jonathan Harker’s fiancee, Mina Murray, and inflict havoc in a foreign land.
- Watch Bram Stoker’s Dracula on iPlayer
Even more films
Immaculate
A young nun from America thinks she’s found her calling when she joins a convent in the beautiful Italian countryside, but in the catacombs beneath the convent, a dark and horrible secret is lurking.
Candyman
An artist begins to explore the macabre history of the urban legend known as Candyman and unwittingly unleashes a terrifying wave of violence that puts him on a collision course with destiny.
A fast drop and a sudden stop await Becky (Grace Fulton) and Hunter (Horror Express
Gothic horror in which an English palaeontologist discovers a frozen monster which thaws out on the train journey home and runs amok onboard the Trans-Siberian Express.
I Walked with a Zombie
A nurse tending a paralysed woman on a Caribbean island discovers that her charge hides a terrifying secret.
Longlegs
A rookie FBI agent is assigned the case of a series of murder-suicides in Oregon, each of which features a mysterious coded letter left at the scene.
The Awakening
Haunted by World War I and the loss of her fiance, hoax exposer Florence Cathcart visits a boarding school to explain sightings of a boy’s ghost.
- For more h
<img src=” https: alt=”Key art of the reluctant vampire, half of the screen is made up of four vampiric figures at night looking menacing the other three normal villagers during day light”>As vampire heir to the throne, there are great expectations for Val to follow in his father’s traditional footsteps, however he’s never really got to grips with the usual bloodthirsty rites of passage.
When his mum reveals he’s not actually a vampire at all but is in fact human, he finds himself caught between two-worlds trying to hide his secret and protect his family while grappling with his own identity and the pull of human life.
The heart-warming comedy based on the books by Eric Morecambe is
- Watch The Reluctant Vampire on BBC iPlayer
What We Do in the Shadows
Bickering undead housemates, living the vampire life in suburban Staten Island. There’s blood, death and arguing over chores.
Starring Matt Berry, Kayvan Novak and Natasia Demetriou.
- Watch What We Do in the Shadows on BBC iPlayer
Ghosts
Alison and Mike, a cash-strapped young couple struggling to buy their first home, think their prayers are answered when a distant relative bequeaths them a sprawling country estate. The catch? The old house is haunted by the ghosts of its former inhabitants.
The restless spirits, horrified that the new owners plan to turn the peaceful pile into a bustling hotel, make plans to oust the troublesome newcomers. But their bungled efforts have unintended consequences…
Grown-up comedy from the Horrible Histories team.
- Watch Ghosts on BBC iPlayer
And for those who are feeling a little more adventurous, there are plenty of spine-tingling thrills on offer…
Wreck
Not everyone will make it out alive. Searching for his missing sister, Jamie takes on a bloodthirsty business with a killer secret.
Comedy, conspiracy and a slice of slasher.
- Watch Wreck on BBC iPlayer
Uncanny
Are you team believer or team sceptic? Danny Robins brings his hit podcast to the screen, investigating stories of the paranormal. It’s about to get weird.
- Watch Uncanny on iPlayer
Loch nam Madadh / Wolf Bay
(Image: Sonja Blietschau / Storyboard Studios) The short-form Gaelic horror series follow Angus who is reluctantly returning to North Uist for his grandfather’s funeral. Hoping to slip back unnoticed, he instead finds himself stuck on a ferry with his ex-girlfriend, Màiri, her fiancé Colin, and her formidable mother, Margaret.
As the ship enters the treacherous waters of “Wolf Bay” Angus is forced to confront both his own past and the mysterious evil that prowls the decks. Will he be able to survive the night, save the passengers, and make peace with Màiri?
- Watch Loch nam Madadh / Wolf Bay on BBC iPlayer and the BBC ALBA YouTube channel on Friday 23 October
Even more TV
Inside No.9
Jaws will drop and spines will tingle. Heads might even roll. Darkly twisted comic tales from the imaginations of Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, joined by a host of stars.
Paranormal
Sian Eleri delves into otherworldly mysteries – from Britain’s most haunted house to a village visited by aliens. She’s about to uncover extraordinary true stories. Or is she?
Hauntings
Chilling true tales. With new testimony from witnesses, take a deep dive into puzzling paranormal stories that continue to baffle and bemuse – and leave a terrifying legacy.
Doctor Who-lloween
Fancy some Who-lloween thrills? There are plenty of eerie Doctor Who episodes available from The Empty Child to The Waters of Mars, Midnight to The God Complex, Silence in the Library to The Halloween Apocalypse, Village of The Angels, Listen, Hide, Blink and more.
- Watch Doctor Who on BBC iPlayer
Strictly Come Dancing Halloween Week
(Image: BBC/Guy Levy) It’s the spookiest night of the year in the Strictly ballroom as our celebrities and their professional partners crack out some spine-tingling routines on October 31st.
And of course, the judges join in too. Who could forget twins Craig and Anton’s Halloween 2025 looks?
Will they be handing out tricks or treats on the night? We’ll have to wait and see…
- Watch Strictly Come Dancing on BBC iPlayer
Family Friendly Halloween Fun
Looking for some family-friendly chills this Halloween? BBC iPlayer has plenty of spooky adventures that are a little more treat than trick. From mystery-solving favourites like Scooby-Doo to ghostly fun and not-too-scary thrills, there’s something for all ages to enjoy together.
What’s New Scooby-Doo?
Cartoon capers with the cowardly canine and his human companions.
- Watch three series on iPlayer
Fright Krewe
A girl who lives for horror accidentally breaks a spell and unleashes an ancient evil.
Crazy Fun Park
A shy teen seeks acceptance at school while battling undead ghouls.
- Watch series one on iPlayer
Even more for the family
Shaun the Sheep: Farmageddon
When an alien crash-lands near the farm, Shaun has to help her return home before the Ministry of Alien Detection discovers her.
Monster Loving Maniacs
Three monster loving kids living with their monster hunting grandpa. What could go wrong?
The Worst Witch
Mayhem and mishaps follow young witch Mildred Hubble wherever she goes. She just can’t help it! But with her friends’ help, Mildred always manages to avoid disaster just in time.
Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island
The intrepid investigators explore an inhabited haunted house on spooky Moonscar Island.
Spooky Sounds
Looking for some paranormal podcasts, bone-chilling ghost stories and some classic halloween party anthems, there’s no better time to get into the spooky spirit with BBC Sounds.
Halloween on BBC Sounds
The Witch Farm
Dare you visit Britain’s most haunted house? Joseph Fiennes and Alexandra Roach star in a new paranormal cold case from Danny Robins, creator of The Battersea Poltergeist.
After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal
The podcast that unpicks history’s spookiest, strangest, and most sinister stories.
Uncanny
From ghostly phantoms to UFOs, Danny Robins investigates real-life stories of paranormal encounters. So, are you Team Believer or Team Sceptic?
The Battersea Poltergeist
A paranormal cold case re-investigated through a thrilling blend of drama and documentary. The true story of one of Britain’s strangest hauntings, with Dafne Keen and Toby Jones.
Voices in the Valley
Strange tales set in Barrowbeck, an isolated village on the Yorkshire/Lancashire border, from British folk-horror writer Andrew Michael Hurley.
Weird in the Wade
Weird in the Wade brings you true tales that are weird, wonderful and a little off kilter
Halloween across the BBC
Already worked your way through your Halloween watchlist? There are plenty of other things to keep you occupied this October. From quizzes and baking to pumpkin carving, there’s something different for everyone to get stuck into.
