It’s Halloween in Walford next week, and it’s a spooky time for the Slaters as Kat shocks the Square as she blurts out Zoe’s huge secret – but what is it?
It’s set to be a spooky Halloween over in Walford(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barns/Kieron McCarron)
Next week in EastEnders, the Square continues to reel from Zoe’s shock revelation, Julie and Nigel face more struggles, and it’s a spooky Halloween over in Walford.
The soap are still keeping quiet about what Zoe’s bombshell revelation is until later this week – but what we do know, is that whatever it is isn’t going to go down very well.
A few weeks back, we heard Zoe made the shock admission that Dennis Rickman was the father of her son, with Sharon left devastated. Nevertheless, she offered to help Zoe find her son.
But things have taken a back burner since Joel’s horrific attack on Vicki. Next week, Ian about Zoe’s son and seeing how much it means to Sharon, Ian transfers her some money to help…
We start off the week in the Vic Quiz night, but Kat is distracted as Zoe’s revelation continues to play on her mind, although Alfie warns her to stay out of it. However, of course, Kat doesn’t listen and blurts out Zoe’s secret – causing commotion and Quiz Night comes to an abrupt end.
Kat later gives Zoe and ultimatum and things get worse at a spooky Halloween, when Alfie discovers a VHS tape from 1980s. Despite Kat attempting to keep the footage from Zoe, she later discovers it and throws everyone out of the Vic as a result. But what is on the video?
Elsewhere, Zoe accuses Kat for smashing a photo of the pair, but when she denies it, she later accuses Vicki of being responsible but Anthony steps in to calm her down.
Halloween week continues to get worse, as Zoe grows increasingly paranoid that someone is out to get her and accuses Anthony after arguing with him earlier in the week. He shares his concerns for Zoe with Kat, but it’s unclear whether she believes him. But what are the concerns?
It’s not all that’s kicking off in The Vic, as Kat overhears Vicki speaking to Ross – and makes a decision.
Suki and Eve are still looking to adopt, and despite Suki holding back at first, they go ahead and arrange a meeting with an adoptive family. However, the timing couldn’t be worse as Avani, Ravi, Priya and Nugget return from their holiday, as chaos ensues.
However, it seems like they later come round to the idea as they try to support the couple, who hit another hurdle as Eve panics when she learns she will need a reference from her mum to proceed.
Ravi has other problems on his hands, as he’s left feeling guilty about lying to Priya following their family holiday. He later meets with Okie and hands the business over to him after he assures him that Harry and Kojo have been released. But have they?
With spooky season upon us, John Ellis settled down for a night with the ghosts and ghouls at Chillingham Castle
21:29, 20 Oct 2025Updated 21:30, 20 Oct 2025
John spends a sleepless night at Chillingham Castle
As I switched off the light and climbed into bed, I trembled with fear. I was spending the night with the ghosts and ghouls at Britain’s most haunted castle – Chillingham, in Northumberland. I’ve loved all things spine-chilling for as long as I can remember. Horror films, ghost tours – I can’t get enough. That said, I have to say, lying in the dark in a place where people experience the paranormal on a daily basis, I did begin to wonder what I’d got myself into. Would there be a bump in the night? Only time would tell. But with Halloween just around the corner and spooky season in full swing, there was never a better time to find out.
Chillingham Castle dates back to the 13th century, although there’s been evidence of occupation on the site for 4000 years. It used to be a stronghold which protected England from Scotland and has therefore seen its fair share of violence. And it’s grim and grisly past lives on to this day with regular reported visits from beyond the grave.
“Chillingham has had many turbulent times and a fair amount of Scottish prisoners met their end here,” Richard Craig, Chillingam’s ghost hunt guide, tells me. “Then, when the castle moved into domestic matters and became more of a gentleman’s manor, there were a lot of staff coming in and out, along with all the aggravations of the time. They have embedded themselves in the walls of the place too. Along with nearby burial sites, there seem to be lines of energy at Chillingham which make it a meeting place for the moved on.”
Richard sees spooks all the time. “We’ve had some pretty curious occurrences. I could sit and talk to you all week. Yes, I’ve seen ghosts. It goes on day and night. On Wednesday I observed three different apparitions. One of them, it was raining at 4.30pm in the afternoon, on the south lawn. It lasted about five seconds and then it was gone. They like stairways too, areas of passage.”
Not all supernatural encounters are visual, he says. “Some you see, some you don’t. You might simply sense their presence. You might get a funny feeling, or one of sadness. There could be a strange smell. Lady Mary for example smells of roses, while the ghost of Crawling Key smells of rotten cabbage.”
Some are friendly, some are not. “Some have a sense of humour,” says Richard. “Simon the stone mason, he’s a shoulder tapper. He likes to mess about with men with tufty hair at the back. Crawling Key however goes for ladies’ ankles.”
Some of Chillingham’s ghosts lived there, some worked there. “One came through on a ghost listening app and told me his name – Booey – and I then found his name in one of the old books on site. He held quite a high position on the estate.”
On my arrival through the grand castle gates I had an uneasy feeling immediately. You could almost feel the history weighing on you in the courtyard. Chatting to Richard, it seemed I was not alone – in every sense of the saying. “The courtyard is haunted by the executioner… and a man named John,” he tells me. “If you go out after dark, chances are you’ll meet him – and the rest of our resident ghosts.”
Beside me, I could feel the regret radiating from my friend Glen for agreeing to come with me on my trip to Chillingham. “Why did I agree to this?” he muttered on a frequent basis throughout. But – sorry Glen! – it was too late to back out now. Richard advised us to download a couple of apps to enhance our paranormal experience. I know, right? Very high tech for a ghoul. But Ghost Talker Lite and Spirit Box, Richard said, would help us to communicate with any of the deceased who wished to make our acquaintance.
And later, ghost John did indeed come through. “John. Danger. Weapon…” the words popped up on the app. My twin, Stu, who had also come along for the ride, bristled at the encounter. Did he mean I – John – was in danger? Or he – also John – was in danger? I couldn’t be sure, but for one of us was impending peril. It sent a shiver down my spine knowing a ghost was so nearby.
Feeling spooked, we decided to walk around the castle grounds for some mental respite. However, we found none, instead chancing upon the castle’s Hanging Trees, a tangled mess of tumbled-over yews, the branches on which intruders and prisoners were once – as the name suggests – hung, until their flesh fell off their bones. How lovely. A clear night, the moon was out. A gentle breeze through the trees made an eerie creaking sound. Chilled to my core, I couldn’t get away fast enough.
So… do most people make it through their night at Chillingham Castle? I have to say it wasn’t looking good for the three of us. “The amount of runners I’ve had is unbelievable, lots of people chicken out,” laughs Richard. “One group of seven, we’d only been going 90 minutes and they couldn’t take any more. One of them kept getting poked in the ribs by a ghost and another was being pushed around. Even the tea room is haunted.”
I tell Richard where we’re staying in the castle – The Tower Apartment. “Ah yes, that is haunted,” he says. Glen nearly passes out. Stu turns pale. Richard continues: “In 2022, I stayed over, went to the bathroom, I was just about to turn the tap on, and a girl’s voice said ‘hello’. I had a good look around – no one.” So far, so terrifying.
And indeed, it was a fitful night’s sleep to say the least. Glen slept with the light on. Stu was unbothered and snored his way til morning. And me? Every sound I heard, every bang or bump, I wondered if it was a paranormal pest… or simply the castle’s ancient plumbing playing up. Dawn seemed to take an age to come, and when it did arrive I was grateful. We rose wearily, looked about the room, and began to pack our things. I had survived my night in Britain’s most haunted castle – just.
*Apartments at Chillingham Castle start from £139 for two people for one night
The Spanish town of Terrassa in north-eastern Catalonia has temporarily banned the adoption of black cats from animal shelters to prevent potentially sinister “rituals” during Halloween.
All requests for the fostering or adoption of the felines will be denied from 6 October to 10 November to protect them from being hurt or used as props, said the local animal welfare service.
Deputy Mayor Noel Duque told broadcaster RTVE that adoption requests for black cats usually increase around Halloween.
While black cats are often associated with witchcraft and seen as bad luck in Western culture, many other cultures, including Japan and Egypt, see them as symbols of prosperity and fortune.
Terassa’s city council said there had been no record of cruelty towards black cats in the town, however there have been incidents in other areas and the decision was taken after warnings from animal welfare groups.
“We try to prevent people from adopting because it’s trendy or impulsively. And in cases like these, which we know exist, to prevent any macabre practices,” Duque said.
Terrassa is home to more than 9,800 cats, according to local authorities, and the town’s adoption centre houses around 100 felines, 12 of which are black, the Catalan News Agency reported.
The city council emphasised that the measure is “temporary and exceptional” and represents an extra precaution for animal welfare, but did not rule out repeating the ban in the future.
Exceptions during the ban period will be assessed individually by the adoption centre and normal fostering requests will resume after Halloween.
WHEN it comes to enjoying Halloween, the team at Copenhagen’s Tivoli Gardens don’t cut corners.
Spiders, cobwebs, witches’ hats, scarecrows, hay bales and thousands of pumpkins of all shapes, sizes and colours surrounded the stalls, rides and attractions.
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Halloween is the perfect time to visit Copenhagen’s Tivoli GardensCredit: � 2024 Brightside Pictures, all rights reserved.Beverley Fearis visited the Danish theme park with her husband and teenage son Freddie, aboveCredit: supplied
But I could not help thinking that when it’s all over, someone’s got a mammoth clear-up job.
The Danish capital city’s famous amusement park, which is right in the centre, closes for two weeks while a team of more than 50 gardeners, designers, decorators, stagehands, crane operators, electricians and carpenters transform it into a spooky wonderland.
And as you would expect from the Danes, it’s all done very tastefully — and sustainably.
The 22,000 pumpkins are grown in Denmark, on the island of Samso, where the climate is spot on.
The larger ones are entries for the annual Danish Giant Pumpkin Championship, hosted by the park.
Afterwards, the prize pumpkins are given to Copenhagen Zoo, where apparently the elephants are particularly fond of them.
This year is the 20th anniversary of Tivoli’s Halloween festivities and around half a million people are expected to walk through the gates before the season ends on November 2.
To avoid the queues, I would suggest going earlier in the day to do the most popular rides, but make sure you stay until dusk to get the full effects of the flickering jack-o’-lanterns.
Little ones will love the treasure hunt and pumpkin-carving workshops, while older kids will enjoy being scared — but not too much — in Villa Vendetta, where actors jump out from the shadows.
The Haunted House wasn’t quite frightening enough for my teenage son, but the gravity-defying loops of The Demon rollercoaster took his breath away.
‘Getting cosy’
A day at Tivoli was part of the compromise when we told him he’d be missing the usual trick-or-treating with mates to join his parents on an October city break.
Autumn is the perfect time to visit Copenhagen. It’s when the leaves turn, the nights draw in and the “hygge” levels rise.
If you haven’t heard of hygge (pronounced hoo-ga), it is the Danish concept of “getting cosy” — and we’d come to the capital to get a dose of it.
Flights generally cost less after the summer too, and once you are here, getting around is cheap and easy.
The Metro system only has four lines and there are also hop-on, hop-off buses and water buses (small ferries).
We purchased Copenhagen Cards, which give you free public transport plus entry to 87 attractions.
They even cover the metro or train from the airport, which only takes about 15 minutes to the city centre.
As well as getting free entrance into Tivoli (rides and attractions cost extra) we used our Copenhagen Card to take a sightseeing cruise up the river, past the famous Little Mermaid statue (it really is tiny), the royal palace, funky house boats and more.
Cardamom buns
Cruises start from Nyhavn, the city’s pretty harbour with brightly-coloured houses, where we warmed up afterwards with a cup of Glogg, a sweet mulled wine.
We took the water bus to Contemporary Copenhagen to enjoy the art installations and we joined the locals cycling around the three city lakes at Soerne.
The park hosts the annual Danish Giant Pumpkin ChampionshipCredit: � 2024 Brightside Pictures, all rights reserved.
The bikes were hired from our hotel, Charlottehaven, which also happens to be a short walk from one of the city’s best bakeries, Juno. The delicious cardamom buns were well worth queuing for.
Eating out in Copenhagen isn’t cheap but there’s a growing number of communal dining venues, a concept known as faellesspisning, which are really good value.
In just a few days we’d packed a lot in and had fallen in love with Copenhagen, a compact and friendly city where everything is within easy access, even a 20-acre theme park
We went to Kanalhuset (the Canal House) in Christianshavn and joined a table full of locals for a simple but very tasty meal for around £16 each.
There’s only one choice each night (you can check what’s on the menu on the website) but they will always do a vegetarian option on request.
Everyone turns up at 6.30pm for drinks in the bar and then joins one of the large tables in the restaurant for dinner at 7pm.
We made friends with a lovely Danish family celebrating their mum’s birthday. Pretty much all the locals here speak excellent English, so it was easy to chat.
In just a few days we’d packed a lot in and had fallen in love with Copenhagen, a compact and friendly city where everything is within easy access, even a 20-acre theme park.
Once the Halloween festivities are over, Tivoli closes again for two weeks so that all the pumpkins can be replaced with fairy lights, an ice-skating rink and hundreds of Christmas trees.
Now we need to go back and experience Christmas hygge-style.
A pair of witches ready for Tivoli magicCredit: � 2024 Brightside Pictures, all rights reserved.
GO: Copenhagen
GETTING THERE: Fly to Copenhagen from Gatwick, Manchester and Bristol with fares from £23.99 one way in December.
Bradford in West Yorkshire is the most haunted place in the UK, according to an analysis of spooky buildings and paranormal sightings by tarot reading platform Tarotoo
Beware a minibreak to Bradford(Image: Getty Images)
Halloween is creeping closer, and there’s definitely something spooky in the air. You may be a firm believer in ghosts, feel like the paranormal follows you, or suspect your own home might be haunted. But do you live in the UK’s most haunted city?
Tarot reading platform Tarotoo has delved into the data, analysing a range of eerie metrics, from the number of cemeteries and graves to reported ghost hotspots, empty properties, and homes over 100 years old.
According to Tarotoo, the spookiest city in the UK is Bradford. The West Yorkshire spot was found to have an alarming 143 cemeteries and 255,699 grave sites. It also had 3,284 empty houses and 66,080 properties over 100 years old. As everyone knows, ghosts love old houses.
The city has a number of reportedly haunted hotspots too, including Paper Hall, which is a Grade II listed building dating back to 1643. One of the most striking reports of paranormal activity to come out of Paper Hall tells of a pair of large staring eyes belonging to a very ghastly face often seen looking out of the windows.
Residents have also reported the sound of someone going up and down the staircase in the dead of night, only for those confronted by the spooking to find no one is there.
Some have argued that the footsteps belong to an old sailor with a peg leg due to the distinct ‘tapping’ pattern of the sound. Rumours have also circulated that an admiral was once killed in the house.
Bradford City Hall, built in 1843, is also said to be a site for paranormal activity. The cellars once served as police cells, and legend has it that a prisoner ghost named Charlie still roams the building. He is said to be stalking the building still, his restless soul continuing to seek his revenge for the ill-treatment at the hands of the police.
Parkside Social Club is another spot that has inspired a number of ghostly reports. In the past, the building has served as an institute and a schoolroom. One of the most common sightings is of a young girl in Victorian-style clothing who enjoys running around in a spooky way.
Bolling Hall is the oldest house in Bradford, according to the Haunted Rooms website. It has clocked up “20 recorded sightings” over the years, including a child’s crib rocking back and forth without being touched, and a lady in white who floats back and forth before disapearing into the fireplace.
Tarotoo’s spookiest cities
(City, Population, Number of cemeteries, Number of Graves, Number of Ghost hotspots, Number of Empty properties, Houses over 100 years old)
The sale has kicked off featuring Zed’s Gummy Corn sweets for £0.75, described as “sweet, creamy and zesty”.
Other sweets encouraging shoppers to get into the spooky spirit for under £1 include crowd pleasers Haribo Bone Shakers and Sour Skeletons, both priced at £0.99.
Shoppers can also get their hands on a bucket of vanilla flavoured Hallow-scream candy floss for £0.99 in three colours – green, orange and purple.
The last item under £1 is the Pimlico Coffin Sour Gummy sweets at £0.99.
The spooky treat is described as “tangy and chewy” and is sold in a variety of flavours.
The prices range from £0.75 all the way up to £10.89 – with Vidal Monster Jellies at the top end of the Halloween sweets sale.
Bargain hunters can find chocolates, sweets, savoury spooky items and everything in between as Halloween approaches.
The sale is available at all stores across the UK and online.
‘Look at the cute Halloween pumpkins reasonably priced’ says Dunnes Stores fan as spooky must-haves hit shelves from €3
Lidl‘s Christmas-Ready Wooden Toy sale is set to launch with some of the country’s most sought after wooden toys massively discounted.
Kicking off on October 9, Lidl Plus members have a short six-day window to get their hands on early Christmas presents.
The long-awaited sale offers a collection of quality, sustainable toys at unbeatable prices, which kick off at £1.99.
Some showstoppers include the Wooden Play Kitchen (£44.99 with Lidl Plus, £49.99 without) and Bakery & Cafe (£16.19 with Lidl Plus, £17.99 without).
The new range will also come with a huge variety of wallet-friendly stocking fillers, such as the Wooden Food Play Set (from £4.99) and Wooden Railway Set (£6.39 with Lidl Plus, £7.99 without).
Hitting the stores very soon, the wooden toy collection has plenty of options to tackle a day of cheffing or provide hours of indoor fun.
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Pimlico Candy Coffins have hit shelves for under £1Credit: Homebargains
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Shoppers can find everything from chocolate to savoury snacksCredit: Homebargains
To keep kids from climbing up the walls, the sturdy Wooden Balance Board (£23.99 with Lidl Plus, £29.99 without) and Wooden Balance Beam (£17.99 with Lidl Plus, £19.99 without) are the ideal additions to help the little ones reach new heights.
Or for those looking for something more instrumental for their little treble makers, the Hape Baby Musical Instruments come in a groovin’ guitar or a classic keyboard for a price sure to strike a chord at £11.69 with Lidl Plus (12.99 without).
With cooler weather rolling in for the holidays, the Wooden Puzzle (£1.79 with Lidl Plus, £1.99 without) and Wooden Play Set available as a Farmhouse, Fire Station or Stable (£9.59 with Lidl Plus, £11.99 without) are perfect for providing hours of indoor fun for the chips off the old block.
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Zed Candy Double Dares are also part of the Halloween saleCredit: Homebargains
The normally surf-themed bar at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa has transformed into Pete’s Spookeasy for the month of October with Halloween-themed decor, food and drinks. Order mains such as Pasta from the Black Lagoon, with squid ink spaghetti, sautéed shrimp, lobster cream sauce, roasted tomato, asparagus and micro parsley, plus starters including “Bugs” in Stinky Cheese with whipped goat cheese, dates, marzipan “grubs,” figs, hot honey, micro thyme and crackers. Seasonal cocktails include Hex on the Beach, with rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, coconut and nutmeg, and BooBerry Margarita, with tequila, fresh blackberries, lemon and lime juice, agave and a black salt rim.
By day, I immersed myself in the magic of Universal’s parks but by night, I braved the 10 haunted houses at the 34th annual HHN event now that spooky season is well and truly underway
Kelly Williams Assistant News Editor (Live)
02:18, 28 Sep 2025
Art the Clown’s Terrifier house contains 35 bodies and six gallons of blood(Image: Universal)
Summer heat clung to the air but inside my hotel at Universal Orlando theme park, shivers were running down my spine. It was late August at the Sapphire Falls Resort, but the vibe was pure Gothic terror.
I was here to mark the opening of Halloween Horror Nights 2025, and though it was not yet autumn, the screams, monsters, and blood-soaked houses made it clear, spooky season had well and truly begun.
By day, I immersed myself in Universal’s parks: Epic Universe, Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios and even a lazy escape to Volcano Bay. But by night, I braved the 10 haunted houses at the 34th annual HHN event, including the blood-drenched Terrifier, the slasher playground of Jason Universe, and the theatrical nightmares of WWE’s Wyatt Sicks.
The trip started at Epic Universe where stepping through its portals felt like stepping on to a movie set. The Dark Universe oozed Halloween energy – haunting villages, shadowy figures, and the looming presence of some of the world’s scariest characters.
Monsters Unchained: The Frankenstein Experiment saw me flung around on a robotic arm as I came face to face with Dracula, Frankenstein and the Mummy.
I was whipped into a frenzy on the Curse of the Werewolf roller coaster and watched in awe as The Burning Blade Tavern erupted into flames.
Then I travelled through a Metro- Floo corridor to Harry Potter’s Battle at the Ministry ride, chasing down Dolores Umbridge as she tries to escape her trial. Afterwards came the vibrant chaos of Super Nintendo World, alive with colour, sound, and nostalgia. I couldn’t stop smiling as I raced friends on Mario Kart and leaped over the broken rails of Donkey Kong’s Mine-Cart Madness.
How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk was another highlight, with Viking ships bobbing in the fiery harbour and even a chance to meet Toothless.
Over at Islands of Adventure, I white-knuckled my way through the VelociCoaster and then soared on Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure, winding through the Forbidden Forest.
Riding the Hogwarts Express between parks gave me chills, especially stepping off at Diagon Alley in Universal Studios, where the cobblestones felt alive with magic.
Midway through the trip, I took a break from screams and thrills with a day at Volcano Bay. From a relaxing cabana, I enjoyed cocktails and a quiet escape between plunging down water slides and floating along the lazy river.
For a few hours, I wasn’t thinking about monsters or roller coasters, just the sun, the welcoming water and the looming Krakatau volcano in the distance.
And then came the night I’ll never forget – Halloween Horror Nights – 10 haunted houses, each more intense than the last and not for the faint-hearted (or under-13s).
Jason Universe merging all the Friday the 13th films was my favourite, despite being scared witless down a never-ending corridor of jump-scare hell (I said witless).
Terrifier was unforgettable in the worst (best) way as grotesque Art the Clown dismembered his victims before inviting guests to take the “dry path” or the “bloodbath” out.
It’s Universal’s first “unrated” house, with 35 bodies, six gallons of blood, and the foulest smells I’ve ever experienced – and I live on a farm.
I nearly lost the contents of my stomach in the bathroom scene where guts spilled from sinks and corpses floated in bathtubs, all while Art danced along to the menacing jingle of the Clown Cafe.
The WWE Wyatt Sicks house combined theatrical storytelling with scenes that left me clinging on to my squealing friends.
Galkn: Monsters of the North and Dolls: Let’s Play Dead were also disturbing in different ways, and the animatronics at Five Nights at Freddy’s, created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, are not to be missed.
But the horrors weren’t the only indulgence. The twisted show, Nightmare Fuel: Circus of Decay was a haunting spectacle filled with pyrotechnics, aerialists, and illusions.
The lagoon also burst into life with fountains, light projections and eerie music. And of course, HHN’s themed snacks also added a darkly delicious layer to the night.
I couldn’t resist grabbing myself a giant FNAF’s Mr Cupcake and sinking my teeth into his head.
Between houses, the scare zones bled into the boardwalk, where zombies and gargoyles lurked. By the time I stumbled back towards the hotel, I felt drained, shaking, and absolutely alive.
That’s the beauty of Universal if you go in October – by day, it’s soaring coasters, magical lands, and colourful adventures. By night, monsters and sweat-inducing nightmares.
Universal has always been a place of extremes, but this year, with Epic Universe opening its gates, and Halloween Horror Nights at its ultimate blood-soaked best, I felt like I experienced every side of the park’s soul.
And honestly? I’d do it all again in a heartbeat, though maybe next time I’ll keep a stronger stomach for Art the Clown.
It is arguably the most festive time of year in Los Angeles: Halloween season.
Whether you lean spooky or playful, the days and weeks leading up to Oct. 31 are littered with events, often with no costume necessary. Consider October an excuse to throw a massive, fall-related bash.
There are staples that aim to terrify, such as Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights or Thousand Oaks’ popular haunted house Reign of Terror, which telegraphs its mission in its title. But there are also happenings that look to charm, such as the illuminated fantasylands of “Carved” at Descanso Gardens or the silliness that is the Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch.
Our goal here is to match you with a Halloween event (or several) happening over the next month. There are film screenings, nights at art institutions, walk-throughs of botanical gardens and more than a few interactive theatrical events. But be warned: Some of the latter are intimate affairs, and may sell out.
So go forth and peruse, but choose wisely. You’re being watched (not really).
SHOPPERS are going wild after spotting a Primark outfit being crowned as the ‘easiest’ Halloween costume yet.
The outfit has been hailed “perfect” for fans of a hit TV show.
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Shoppers have spotted the easiest halloween outfit in PrimarkCredit: Tiktok/@malikiss1
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The outfit has been dubbed a “perfect costume” for Sue Sylvester, from Glee
The budget retailer has been praised for stocking a bright red tracksuit that fans say is a dead ringer for Sue Sylvester, the fierce cheerleading coach from Glee.
TikToker @Malikiss1 filmed the outfit in-store and captioned it: “Run to Primark for the easiest Sue Sylvester Halloween costume.”
The clip quickly racked up comments, with shoppers writing: “I love this,” “I need this,” and “Omg they have them in the kids section too so can match with the kiddos.”
Another added: “I bought it just for this!”, proving the tracksuit is already flying off shelves as a fancy dress hack.
Halloween deals
And with Halloween only a month away, bargain hunters are also snapping up spooky deals from other high street favourites.
Among the stand-out items is a £4.99 pumpkin disco dome and a £1.79 cowboy ghost ornament called Gloria.
Pink mason jars and mugs are also on sale, alongside matching disco tea towels and table runners to complete the look.
With Primark’s tracksuit hack, Poundland’s clearance bargains and Home Bargains’ disco-inspired range, shoppers are spoiled for choice when it comes to cheap and cheerful Halloween prep this year.
Halloween is the perfect opportunity to get dressed up, take on a different persona and have fun with your look.
These days, celebrities provide the perfect inspiration for costumes, however, they also have a team of stylists, makeup artists and endless bounds of cash at their disposal.
So how do you make an outfit like theirs work for you?
A lot of stars make their outfits look sexy and your lingerie drawer is the perfect starting point.
You can use anything from a bra, fishnet tights, stockings and suspenders to add to your look, then depending on the look you’re going for add makeup according.
I.e wearing a black bodice and tights, add some red lipstick and dark eyes for a vampy look.
The rest of your wardrobe can be more inspiring than you think too – for example a plain black can be a perfect base for your costume.
If you are however happy to spend a bit of money on your Halloween costume but are running out of time then Amazon is your go too, there are so many costumes to choose from with many sitting under its Prime next day delivery option.
Or if you’re wanting to see what the in store shops have to offer, look to the supermarkets and budget stores such as B&M, Poundland and Primark which are still full of accessories and clothing to fulfil your Halloween wishes.
Finally, last year, a Halloween-daft mum left people stumped after creating incredible optical illusion costumes for her son – with people asking “what one is the kid?”.
Leila Dean, from Manchester, urged people to visit the small village after saying it was one of the best places she ever visited. The traveller posted her advice in a TikTok video
The village has been described to be the perfect place for a getaway (stock image)(Image: Thomas Faull via Getty Images)
For several people, the arrival of September equals the beginning of autumn, meaning sunny ice cream treats could give way to cosy cups of tea beside crackling fires while listening to rainfall pattering against windows. The autumn season also presents an excellent chance to discover various British towns and villages, as shifting weather conditions can make them feel even more enchanting – sometimes in quite literal ways.
Manchester local Leila Dean turned to social media to chronicle her visit to Burley, a charming village nestled in Hampshire’s New Forest. Through her video, she documented highlights from her trip, describing it as the ‘perfect’ English village.
“I ended up in a village called Burley and it has to be one of the best places I’ve ever visited in the UK,” she declared at the beginning of her footage.
“It’s situated in the New Forest, and it’s known to have horses everywhere,” she explained while showing horses roaming freely through the streets.
She continued by revealing glimpses of her selected lodgings, having chosen to reserve a room at a local manor house surrounded by expansive natural grounds for exploration.
“And in the town, it is full of horses, lovely people, and witchcraft,” she revealed.
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During the 1950s, a Scottish woman called Sybil Leek made Burley her new home. She quickly earned the title ‘the witch of Burley’ after declaring herself as a white witch. Following the decriminalisation of witchcraft in 1951, she rose to become Britain’s most famous witch.
She established her own mystical shop in the village, named A Coven of Witches, which continues trading today and stocks witchcraft-related merchandise.
Though Sybil eventually relocated to America due to not wanting to be the centre of attention anymore, Burley has preserved its witchcraft connections, with shops and attractions celebrating this eccentric past and attracting visitors fascinated by its supernatural legacy, according to the New Forest’s website. Surely it sounds like the ideal destination for a Halloween getaway?
Leila was subsequently spotted stroking a horse, explaining all the horses were gentle as they simply wandered around the village, searching for the finest grass for their next meal.
She continued by describing the activities she’d enjoyed, which included browsing the local shops, including the renowned fudge shop, before hiring bicycles to discover the surrounding countryside.
“And honestly, it was such a wholesome day,” she remarked.
She added in the video’s caption: “Burley you have my heart. The best place for couples, besties or children! Bike rides, horse rides and so much more.”
Leila then posted a second clip documenting their adventure from day two in the village, which featured a stroll alongside a herd of alpacas, followed by a visit to a farm where visitors can harvest their own flowers and berries.
“I literally cannot recommend this place enough,” she said at the end of the video.
Las Vegas — I turn a bend and see a figure in a cornfield. The gray sky is foreboding, a storm clearly on the horizon. When I take a step forward, I’m hit with a gust of wind and fog. Suddenly, it’s no longer a silhouette in the haze but a scarecrow, shrouded in hay, lurching toward me.
Only I am not on a Midwestern farm, and there is no threat of severe weather. I‘m in a warehouse in Las Vegas, walking through a maze called “Scarecrow: The Reaping.” I jump back and fixate my phone’s camera on the creature, but that only encourages them to step closer. I‘m hurried out of the farmland and into a hall, where giant stalks now obscure my path.
(Michael Kirschbaum / For The Times)
(Michael Kirschbaum / For The Times)
(Michael Kirschbaum / For The Times)
Welcome to Universal Horror Unleashed, which aims to deliver year-round horrors and further expand theme park-like experiences beyond their hubs of Southern California and Central Florida. Horror Unleashed, opening Aug. 14, is an outgrowth of Universal’s popular fall event, Halloween Horror Nights, which has been running yearly at the company’s Los Angeles park since 2006 and even longer at its larger Florida counterpart.
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Like Halloween Horror Nights, there are maze-like haunted houses — four of them here themed to various properties such as “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “The Exorcist.” Their more permanent status allows for a greater production factor — think disappearing walls and more elaborate show scenes — and they are surrounded by brooding bars, a pop-up rock-inspired dance show and a host of original walk-around characters. “Hey, sugar,” said a young woman as I near the warehouse’s main bar, a wraparound establishment themed to a large boiler. The actor’s face was scarred with blood, hinting at a backstory I didn’t have time — or perhaps the inclination — to explore.
Horror Unleashed is opening just on the cusp of when theme parks and immersive-focused live experiences are entering one of the busiest times of the year: Halloween. The holiday, of course, essentially starts earlier each year. This year’s Halloween Horror Nights begins Sept. 4, while Halloween season at the Disneyland Resort launches Aug. 22. Horror shows and films are now successful year-round, with the likes of “Sinners” and “The Last of Us” enrapturing audiences long before Oct. 31. Culture has now fully embraced the darker side of fairy tales.
A scene from the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” maze at Universal Horror Unleashed in Las Vegas.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre at the Universal Horror Unleashed.
A gruesome moment during the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” maze at Universal Horror Unleashed.
“You can make every month horrific,” says Nate Stevenson, Horror Unleashed’s show director.
That’s been a goal of David Markland, co-founder of Long Beach’s Halloween-focused convention Midsummer Scream, which this year is set for the weekend of Aug. 15. When Midsummer Scream began in 2016, it attracted about 8,000 people, says Markland, but today commands audiences of around 50,000. “Rapidly, over the past 10 or 15 years, Halloween has become a year-round fascination for people,” Markland says. “Halloween is a culture now. Halloween is a lifestyle. It’s a part of people’s lives that they celebrate year-round.”
There will be challenges, a difficult tourism market among them, as visits to Las Vegas were down 11.3% in June 2025 versus a year earlier, according to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. And then there’s the question of whether audiences are ready for year-round haunts that extend beyond the fall Halloween season to winter, spring and summer. I entered Horror Unleashed for a media preview on an early August night when it was 105 degrees in the Las Vegas heat. It’s also been tried before, albeit on a smaller scale. Las Vegas was once home to Eli Roth’s Goretorium, a year-round haunted house that leaned on torture-horror and shuttered after about a year in 2013.
But Universal creatives are undaunted.
Frankenstein’s monster comes alive during a Universal monsters maze at Universal Horror Unleashed.
More than a decade, of course, has passed, and Horror Unleashed is more diverse in its horror offerings. A maze themed to Universal’s classic creatures winds through a castle and catacombs with vintage-style horrors and a mid-show scene in which Frankenstein’s monster comes alive. Original tale “Scarecrow: The Reaping,” which began at Universal Studios Florida, mixes in jump scares with more natural-seeming frights, such as the aforementioned simulated dust bowl.
TJ Mannarino, vice president of entertainment, art and design at Universal Orlando, points to cultural happenings outside of the theme parks in broadening the terror scene — the success of shows such as “The Walking Dead” and “American Horror Story,” which found audiences outside of the Halloween season, as well as “Stranger Things,” which he says opened up horror to a younger crowd. Theme parks are simply reflecting our modern culture, which is craving darker fantasies. Universal, for instance, recently opened an entire theme park land focused on its classic monsters at its new Epic Universe in Florida, and even Disney is getting in on the action, as a villains-focused land is in the works for Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.
An anxiety-ridden actor in “The Exorcist: Believer” maze at Universal Horror Unleashed.
“We think our audience really wants this,” says Mannarino, noting theme park attendance surveys were prodding the company to give horror a permanent home. And at Universal’s Orlando park, Halloween Horror Nights starts earlier, beginning in late August.
“Just a couple years ago, we started in August, and we were selling out August dates,” Stevenson says. “On a micro level, we’re seeing that, boy, it doesn’t matter if you extend past the season or extend out before the season — people are coming. People want it.”
The central bar, themed to a boiler room, at Universal Horror Unleashed.
Universal is betting on it, as the company has already announced that a second Horror Unleashed venue will be heading to Chicago in 2027. Smaller, more regional theme park-like experiences are once again something of a trend, as Netflix has immersive venues planned for the Dallas and Philadelphia regions, and Universal is also bringing a kid-focused park to Frisco, Texas.
There are antecedents for what Universal is attempting. Disney, for instance, tried an indoor interactive theme park with DisneyQuest, for which a Chicago location was short-lived and a Florida outpost closed in 2017. Star Trek: The Experience, a mix of theme park-like simulations and interactive theater, operated for about a decade in Las Vegas before it shuttered in 2008.
“I know there’s horror fans and Halloween fans who are always looking for something to do,” Markland says. “What [Universal is] doing is very ambitious and big, and so I’m nervous along with them. We’ll see how it goes. I’m sure people will go as soon as it opens and through the Halloween season, but after that, I don’t know. … They’ve definitely invested in Halloween and horror fans. They’re all-in.”
Horror, says author Lisa Morton — who has written multiple books on the Oct. 31 holiday, including “Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween” — is thriving in part because today it is taken more seriously by cultural critics. The genre also has metaphorical qualities — the struggle, for instance, that is life, art and creativity in “Sinners” or the underlying themes of PTSD that permeated the latest season of “The Last of Us.” That makes it especially appealing, she says, for today’s stressful times.
“I suspect that’s part of the reason horror is booming right now,” Morton says. “Everything from climate change, that we seem to have no voice in, and our politics, that don’t seem to represent us. Many of us are filled with anxiety about the future. I think horror is the perfect genre to talk about that. When you add a layer of a metaphor to it, it becomes much easier to digest.”
(Michael Kirschbaum / For The Times)
(Michael Kirschbaum / For The Times)
(Michael Kirschbaum / For The Times)
To step into Horror Unleashed is to walk into a demented wonderland, a place that turns standard theme park warmth and joy upside down. Don’t expect fairy tale-like happy endings. The space’s centerpiece performance is twisted, a story centering on Jack the Clown and his female sidekick Chance, who have kidnapped two poor Las Vegas street performers and are forcing them to execute their acts to perfection to avoid murder. The deeper one analyzes it, the more sinister its class dynamics feel, even if it’s an excuse to showcase, say, street dancing and hula hoop acrobatics.
A circus show at Universal Horror Unleashed features various Las Vegas performers.
The space has an underlying narrative. Broadly speaking, the warehouse is said to have been a storage place for Universal Studios’ early monster-focused horror films. That allows it to be littered with props, such as the throne-like chair near its entrance, and for nooks and crannies such as a “film vault” to be renamed a “kill vault.” Somehow — horror loves a good mystery — the space has come alive, and don’t be surprised to be greeted by a vampire or a costumed swampland figure that may or may not be related to the Creature from the Black Lagoon.
The goal, says Universal creatives, is to give Horror Unleashed a bit of an immersive theater feel, something that can’t really be done among the chaotic scare zones and fast-moving mazes of a Halloween Horror Nights event. But here, guests can linger with the actors and probe them to try to uncover the storyline that imbues the venue. One-to-one actor interaction has long been a goal of those in the theme park space but often a tough formula to crack, in part because cast members are costly and in part because of the difficulty to scale such experiences for thousands.
“As we’ve evolved this style of experience, we have given more and more control of the show to the actors,” says Mannarino on what separates Horror Unleashed from Halloween Horror Nights. “It’s less programmed. It’s less technology. I’ve had conversations with tech magazines, and they’ll ask me what is the most critical piece, and I’ll say it’s the actors. … The lifeblood of our all stories — we can build all of this, but it doesn’t go without the actors.
“It’s what really drives this whole animal,” he adds.
A dark moment in “The Exorcist: Believer” maze at Universal Horror Unleashed.
It extends a bit to the mazes as well. Audiences should expect to spend about five to seven minutes in each of the four walk-through attractions, but unlike a Halloween Horror Nights event, where guests are rushed from room to room without stopping, in Las Vegas there will be one dedicated show scene per maze. Here, groups will be held to watch a mini-performance. In the “Exorcist” maze, for instance, that means witnessing a full exorcism, complete with special effects that will have walls give way to demonic specters. In the ‘70s-themed “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” haunt, look out for a bloody scene designed to drench guests.
Universal Horror Unleashed
The mazes are intended to be semi-permanent. Stevenson says there’s no immediate plans to swap them out in the near future but hints that Horror Unleashed will be an evolving venue and, if all goes according to plan, will look a bit different in a few years. Thus, he says the key differentiator between Horror Unleashed and Halloween Horror Nights is not necessarily the tech used in the mazes, but the extended time they can devote to unwrapping a story.
“When Universal builds a haunted house, the level of story that starts that out is enormous,” Stevenson says. “There’s so much story. All of our partners need that because they base every little nuanced thing off of that story. Unfortunately, we don’t always have the chance to tell that story, and all our fans tell us they want to know more story.”
A sampling of food and drinks at Universal Horror Unleashed, including a bread dish with bourbon-laced cheese.
Tacos and a chainsaw-themed flatbread at Universal Horror Unleashed.
Story percolates throughout the venue. Flatbreads, for instance, are shaped like chainsaw blades. Desserts come on plates that are mini-shovels. Salad dressing is delivered in syringes. In the past, says Mannarino, no one wanted their food to be played with. ‘“Don’t do horrible things to my food!’” he says in mock exaggeration. “But now, people really love that.”
Little, it seems, is obscene, when every day can be Halloween.
