Welcome
I am a folklore researcher, author and broadcaster. I began my career as a journalist at the Sheffield Star and spent four years working as a Press Officer. But my passion was always for folklore and in 1999 I completed a PhD in Folklore at the National Centre for English Cultural Tradition, University of Sheffield. I moved to Sheffield Hallam University in 2005 where for two decades I taught journalism and media law before I was promoted to Associate Professor. Working with colleagues who shared my interest in folklore, I co-founded the Centre for Contemporary Legend research group at SHU in 2018. I was Project Lead the AHRC-funded National Folklore Survey for England until I left the university in 2026 to return to full-time writing and broadcasting. My books include The Angel of Mons, How UFOs Conquered the World and Space Age Folklore that will be published by Reaktion in 2027. Contact me by email at furnival.news at googlemail.com
Tag Archives: Silly Season
25 years ago: Alien film a FAKE says movie wizard
25 years ago crowds gathered to see the world premiere of the ‘alien autopsy‘ film at an international UFO congress held at Sheffield Hallam University. At the time I was journalist at the Sheffield Star and according to expert Philip … Continue reading
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Tagged alien autopsy film, Ant & Dec, Britain's Got Talent, British UFO Research Association, BUFORA, Channel 4 Secret History, Cliff Wallace, Cottingley fairies, Cottingley fairy photographs, Creature Effects, David Clarke, Fortean Times, hoaxes, Oxford English Dictionary, Philip Mantle, Pinewood Studios, Ray Santilli, Reg Presley, Roswell incident, Sean Connery, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield Star, Silly Season, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The X-Files, Whites News Agency
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