A horror that was so terrifying that it was destroyed by the broadcaster is set to be aired for the first time in 60 years.
Showbiz
Lost BBC Horror Returns After 60 Years!
A BBC horror that was so terrifying that it was destroyed by the broadcaster is set to be aired for the first time in 60 years. The episode of Late Night Horror...
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The episode of Late Night Horror, which featured six parts in total, was very nearly lost to history until a reel of it was discovered in an old film can in Dorset.
No Such Thing As A Vampire centres around a woman who falls ill with a mystery ailment... but she has two small bite marks on her neck.
While it sounds like a simple enough premise, the BBC series shocked viewers at the time with storylines about chopped-up bodies and ghouls, prompting many people to complain to the broadcaster.
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BFI film curator Atlas Obscura said: 'It was quite shocking, I think it was controversial.'
Following the original airing of the series in 1968, it was quite literally destroyed in a bid to free up film space for the broadcaster.
A BBC horror that was so terrifying that it was destroyed by the broadcaster is set to be aired for the first time in 60 years - No Such Thing As A Vampire
The story centres around a woman who falls ill with a mystery ailment... but she has two small bite marks on her neck
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Prior to the advent of new technology, there was only so much storage space for film canisters, which means that many examples of early film and TV are lost to history.
In fact, there are a whopping 90 episodes of Doctor Who from this time that will never be seen again.
However, horror fans got unexpectedly lucky when cinema projectionist Darren Payne was digging around a storage room at the 1930s art deco cinema The Regent in Dorset.
He explained that the film was very much 'on the verge' of being thrown away for good, but when he saw the words Late Night Horror on the can, he vaguely recalled the short-lived BBC series.
Darren said: 'I was asked to check one of the rather nondescript silver cans, which had the words Late Night Horror handwritten on the label.
'I'm a passionate horror aficionado, and the title rang a distant bell with me…
'Lo and behold, it turned out to be the long-lost first episode of the Late Night Horror series. I had to pinch myself; it was an astonishing and quite emotional moment.
'I wouldn't underestimate that experience of being the first to watch a production for the first time in nearly 60 years.'
The episode of Late Night Horror, which featured six parts in total, was very nearly lost to history until a reel of it was discovered in an old film can in Dorset
No Such Thing As A Vampire will air on September 20 in Dorset at Grind-fest - a three-day celebration of horror, sci-fi and fantasy films.
