A long-lost episode of the BBC anthology series Late Night Horror, which was believed to have been destroyed due to its terrifying content, has been rediscovered nearly six decades after its original broadcast. The episode, titled No Such Thing As a Vampire, is based on a short story by Richard Matheson, author of I Am Legend, and features a woman who falls mysteriously ill with two pinprick marks on her neck.
The Rediscovery
The film was found by cinema projectionist Darren Payne in a storage area of The Regent, a 1930s art deco cinema in Christchurch, Dorset. Payne was asked to check a box of tapes that was on the verge of being thrown away. He noticed a silver can labeled Late Night Horror and, being a horror enthusiast, recognized the title. Inside was the missing first episode of the series.
“I had to pinch myself; it was an astonishing and quite emotional moment,” Payne said. “I wouldn’t underestimate that experience of being the first to watch a production for the first time in nearly 60 years.”
The Series
Late Night Horror originally aired in 1968 as a six-episode anthology known for its graphic content, including severed limbs and creatures of the night. The series was pulled from screens and the BBC archives within two years, with contemporary reports citing complaints that it was too scary and that BBC technicians were left shaken. At the time, up to 70% of BBC output from the 1960s and 1970s was purged to free up tape, but a 2007 BBC feature speculated that the sheer horror of Late Night Horror led to its destruction.
Four episodes remain lost: William and Mary, The Triumph of Death, The Bells of Hell, and The Kiss of Blood. In 2016, archivist Chris Perry recovered The Corpse Can’t Play after a 30-year search. Now, No Such Thing As a Vampire has resurfaced.
Screening Event
The episode will be screened on September 20 in Dorset as part of the three-day Grindfest event, in collaboration with BBC Archives. This rediscovery adds to a growing list of recovered BBC footage, including recently restored Doctor Who episodes featuring William Hartnell, which were released on iPlayer.
The BBC’s 1984 drama Threads, which depicted the aftermath of a nuclear blast, also remains rarely aired due to its disturbing impact on audiences.
