Kate Egan

Kate Egan is an Assistant Professor at Northumbria University’s Design Arts and Creative Industries, specializing in horror film studies, audience reception, and media censorship. Prior to joining Northumbria in 2020, she held roles as a Lecturer and Senior Lecturer in Film Studies at Aberystwyth University. Her research focuses on horror cinema, cultural memory, and historical cinemagoing practices. Egan has authored and co-edited multiple books, including Trash or Treasure? Censorship and the Changing Meanings of the Video Nasties and Cultographies: The Evil Dead, and co-leads the AHRC-funded Youth and Horror Research Network. She has supervised 12 PhD students and serves as an external examiner for the BA Film Studies program at the University of the West of England.

Education:

• PhD in Film and Television Studies (University of Nottingham, 2005)
• MA in Film Studies (University of Nottingham, 1999)
• BA (Hons) in Film and Television Studies (University of Reading, 1997)
• PGCTHE in Teacher Training (University of Wales, 2011)

Research interests span horror film acting, audience memories, and the intersection of comedy and censorship. Her recent work includes projects on Ghostwatch and 21st-century horror fan cultures. Egan has contributed to BBC documentaries and radio programs, discussing horror cinema and media regulation.

Grants and Collaborations:

• Co-Investigator, AHRC Youth and Horror Research Network
• Co-editor of the Hidden Horror Histories book series (LUP)

Media Engagement: Featured in BBC Radio (Three/Four/Wales/Scotland), ABC News Australia, and documentaries like Video Nasties: Draconian Days (2014) and Damaged (2023).