A Hugo Award-winning podcast about science fiction and SF fandom from John Coxon, Alison Scott, and Liz Batty.
Episodes
4 days ago
4 days ago
John is volunteering, Alison is saying “no”, and Liz read her first book!
An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media.
Content warnings this episode: None
- Letters of comment
- Alexandra Lanes (Bluesky)
- Ali Baker Brown (Bluesky)
- Chris Garcia (email)
- Fiona Moore (Facebook)
- Ivan Sinha (Facebook)
- Kin-Ming Looi (Facebook)
- Kev McVeigh (Facebook)
- Paul Weimer (email)
- Roseanna Pendlebury (Bluesky)
- Scott Edelman (Bluesky)
- Tommy Ferguson (Facebook)
- We also heard from Farah Mendlesohn, Fredrik V Coulter and Mike Scott
- SMOFcon 2026: SMOFcon 43 in Lisbon, Portugal
- Worldcon 2028: Bid for Nuremberg, Germany
- Worldcon 2028: Bid for Kigali, Rwanda
- Worldcon 2029: Bid for Dublin, Ireland
- Fan funds
- Picks
- Credits
- Cover art: “Alison the White” by Alison Scott
- Alt text: A picture of Alison with white hair, wearing a white dressing gown, and wielding a staff with a moose head. John and Liz flank her. She says “Behold! I am reborn as Alison the White!” John says “That’s a bit dramatic… it’s only a haircut” and Liz says “Pretty sure that’s a dressing gown… and are you standing on a box?” The words Octothorpe 153 are at the top.
- Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
- Cover art: “Alison the White” by Alison Scott
Thursday Jan 29, 2026
Thursday Jan 29, 2026
John is summarising, Alison is eating, and it’s all Liz.
An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media.
Content warnings this episode:
- Letters of comment
- Ali Baker Brooks (Bluesky)
- Chris Garcia (email)
- Duncan MacGregor (Bluesky, Mastodon)
- Farah Mendlesohn (email, Facebook)
- Jonathan Baddeley (Facebook)
- Henry Balen (email)
- Ivan Sinha (Facebook)
- Kev McVeigh (Facebook)
- Mike Scott (Facebook)
- Raj (Mastodon)
- Ron Payne (Bluesky)
- Scott Edelman (Bluesky)
- Shi Lala (Facebook)
- We also heard from Kin-Ming Looi and Steve Lockley
- Worldcon 2028: Bid for Brisbane
- Eastercon 2025: Reconnect in Belfast
- Greg Ketter of DreamHaven Books in Minneapolis has gone viral
- Picks
- Credits
- Cover art: “Be Prepared” by Alison Scott
- Alt text: John’s head and shoulders appear behind a pinkish desk as if he is the puppeteer of Sooty and Sweep (Americans, ask your British friends). Sooty is pulling on Sweep’s ear. Text at the top reads “Octothorpe 152: John is preparing for the big dust-up”.
- Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
- Cover art: “Be Prepared” by Alison Scott
Thursday Jan 15, 2026
Thursday Jan 15, 2026
John is trying, Alison is watching a video and Liz is humming.
An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media.
Content warnings this episode: Global inequality (letters of comment), harassment (Montreal discussion)
- Letters of comment
- Christopher J Garcia (email)
- Darin Briskman (see below)
- Fredrick V Coulter (Facebook)
- Jake Casella Brookins (Bluesky)
- Jake Casella Brookins (Bluesky) and España Sheriff
- Lilian Edwards (Facebook)
- Meg MacDonald (Facebook)
- Paul Weimer (email)
- Renay (see below)
- Tammy Coxen (Bluesky)
- Tommy Ferguson (emails)
- We also heard from Ali Baker Brooks, Brina Nisbet, Farah Mendlesohn, Ivan Sinha, Kev McVeigh, Mike Scott
- Smofcon 42
- Worldcon 2027: Montréal
- They got a website!
- The organisation chart
- A list of blogs on the René Walling harassment incident
- Genevieve Valentine’s original report
- Worldcon 2026: LAcon V in Los Angeles
- Join by 31 January to nominate in the Hugo Awards
- Hugo Awards
- Picks
- Credits
- Cover art: “Three Lions Relaxing” by Liz Batty
- Alt text: Three lions photographed on a safari in Kenya, with glasses photoshopped onto two of them to make them look very slightly more like John and Alison. The top has words reading “Octothorpe 151” and the bottom has words reading “Definitely not about the cricket”. It is unclear why, because John edited all the cricket out.
- Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
- Cover art: “Three Lions Relaxing” by Liz Batty
Thursday Dec 18, 2025
Thursday Dec 18, 2025
John doesn’t want to pass out, Alison is a wuss, but Liz doesn’t think it’s gratuitous.
An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media.
Content warnings this episode: Gore and vampirism (Liz’s pick)
- Letters of comment
- Chris Barkley got his Hugo Award!
- Smofcon 2025: Smofcon 42 in Stockholm, Sweden
- The Q&A
- Videos of the Q&A on YouTube
- Smofcon 2026: Smofcon 43 in Lisbon, Portugal
- The Worldcons that presented:
- 2026: LAcon V in Los Angeles, USA
- 2027: Montreal, Canada
- 2028:
- Brisbane, Australia
- Nuremberg, Germany
- Kigali, Rwanda
- 2029: Dublin, Ireland
- 2030: Edmonton, Canada
- 2031: Texas, USA
- 2032: Nantes, France
- 2033: No interest
- 2034: Glasgow, Scotland
- 2035: Poland
- Unknown: Czechia
- The Q&A
- Picks
- John: Your Wish is My Command by Deena Mohamed
- Alison: The Lost Nose by John Sladek
- Sort of collected in Maps: The Uncollected John Sladek by John Sladek
- Liz: The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones
- Credits
- Cover art: “Alison is Still Obsessed with Ukuleles” by Alison Scott
- Alt text: A Mahalo Flying V, an Uma Blue Pineapple, and a Brunswick soprano are hanging on a Christmas tree beneath the words “Octothorpe 150”.
- Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
- Cover art: “Alison is Still Obsessed with Ukuleles” by Alison Scott
Thursday Dec 04, 2025
Thursday Dec 04, 2025
John is going to Smofcon, Alison has FOMO, and Liz is a horrible person.
An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media.
Content warnings this episode: None
- Letters of comment
- Andreas Davour (email)
- Chris Garcia (email)
- Ed Morland (BlueSky on 147, 148)
- Emily January (email)
- Karen Schaffer (email)
- Paul Weimer (email)
- We also heard from Alan Fleming, Ali Baker Brooks, Andrew Thompson, Brian Nisbet, Bridget Bradshaw, DC, Duncan MacGregor, Ivan Sinha, Jan Harley, Kev McVeigh, Malcolm Hutchison, Mike Scott, Neil Ottenstein, Shi Lala, and Tommy Ferguson
- Famous Belgians: Simon Stevin
- Smofcon 2025: Smofcon 42 in Stockholm, Sweden
- Novacon 2026: Novacon 55 in Buxton
- Picks
- John: The Truman Show
- Alison: Pluribus
- Liz: The Summer War by Naomi Novik
- Credits
- Cover art: ”Archaeologists“ by Alison Scott
- Alt text: John and Alison, dressed in clothes reminiscent of The Mummy, look down some stairs upon Liz’s tomb, in which her skeleton still holds her Hugo Award, framed by stonework. The words “Octothorpe 149” appear at the top of the image.
- Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
- Cover art: ”Archaeologists“ by Alison Scott
Thursday Nov 20, 2025
Thursday Nov 20, 2025
John, Alison, and stunt Liz Emily Tesh are live from Novacon 54!
An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on X or on Mastodon or on Bluesky) when you post about the show on social media.
Content warnings this episode: It’s a live recording!
- Thanks to Emily Tesh for being our stunt Liz!
- Visit Stow Shirts for all your Octothorpe merchandise needs
- Picks
- Credits
- Cover art: “Live from Novacon” by Steven Cain and Alison Scott
- Alt text: Emily Tesh, John, and Alison stand in front of a suspiciously purple background which may indicate that the real background has been subtracted by nefarious photo editing. The words “Octothorpe 148 Live from Novacon” are overlaid.
- Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
- Cover art: “Live from Novacon” by Steven Cain and Alison Scott
Thursday Nov 06, 2025
Thursday Nov 06, 2025
John is ready, Alison had forgotten, and Liz is surprised.
An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media.
Content warnings this episode: Animal torture (letters of comment)
- Letters of comment
- 2025 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction
- LAcon V opens Hugo Awards Base Contest
- 36th Galaxy Awards
- Tianwen Awards
- BKK Comics Art Festival #4
- Asian Board Games Festival (ABGF)
- Picks
- Star Wars is being properly remastered?
- Credits
- Cover art: “Nepal Spotter’s Guide” by Paul Weimer (text by Alison Scott)
- Alt text: A photograph of the mountains of Nepal with text overlaid, reading “Octothorpe 147 Official Octothorpe Nepal Identification Guide* (*apparently never gets old)** (** Liz might like to go to a comics con there)”.
- Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
- Cover art: “Nepal Spotter’s Guide” by Paul Weimer (text by Alison Scott)
Thursday Oct 23, 2025
Thursday Oct 23, 2025
John is on holiday, Alison said she’d have T-shirts ready, and Liz is back!
An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media.
Content warnings this episode: None
- Letters of comment
- Eastercon 2026: Iridescence in Birmingham
- Hotels are open: Check your emails for the link
- Merch should be available by the time you read this
- Bursaries are open for applications, deadline of 31 October
- The volunteer form is open
- Haruhicon 2026: Birmingham
- Carrots, vitamin A, radar, and British propaganda
- BristolCon 2025
- World Fantasy Con 2025: Brighton
- Armadacon 2025: Plymouth
- Novacon 2025: Novacon 54 in Buxton
- Pictcon 2025: Pictcon1 in Perth
- Satellite 2026: Satellite 9 in Glasgow
- Worldcon finances
- Picks
- Credits
- Cover art: “Treasures of the V&A Storehouse” by Alison Scott
- Alt text: The Torrijos Ceiling at the Victoria & Albert East Storehouse. An elaborate, gilded and octagonal ceiling. Why yes, Alison has a new phone, how could you tell?
- Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
- Cover art: “Treasures of the V&A Storehouse” by Alison Scott
Thursday Oct 09, 2025
Thursday Oct 09, 2025
John might, Alison won’t, and Tommy would (in a heartbeat).
An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media.
Content warnings this episode: Animal torture (aftershow)
- Letters of comment
- Octocon 2025 in Dublin
- Tommy’s fanzines:
- Prolapse’s issue for Irish Fandom Day
- James Bacon’s article on the fan history starts on page 5!
- Corflu 2023 in Belfast: Corflu Craic
- Corflu Craic’s programme book
- Including the con report of the Leeds Corflu that Tommy mentions
- Marcin Kłak’s con report
- Corflu Craic’s programme book
- Eastercon 2025 in Belfast: Reconnect
- Eastercon 1986 in Glasgow: Albacon III
- Previous Belfast conventions:
- Replay is not quiiiiite ready yet, sorry listeners, it’ll be there soon!
- Pictcon 1 in Perth (8 November 2025)
- Novacon 54 in Buxton (7–9 November 2025)
- Norncon 2026 in Belfast (8–9 May)
- GoHs: Anna Smith Spark and Adrian Tchaikovsky
- The Norn Scene from Wagner’s Götterdämmerung
- Eastercon 2027 in Glasgow: Unconfined
- Tommy is working on Communications
- Worldcon bid for 2029 in Dublin
- Picks
- John: Spirit Island
- Alison: Strong Message Here
- Tommy: Sleeper Beach by Nick Harkaway
- The sequel to Titanium Noir
- Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford
- Credits
- Cover art: “Norns Weaving the Rope of Fate” by Alison Scott
- Alt text: John, Alison and Tommy are weaving ropes of fate as norns. The ropes lead to little spools, above their heads, reminiscent of a sculpture called Umbilical by Conrad Shawcross which Alison will explain in more detail in Octothorpe 146. The words “Octothorpe 145” appear at the top, and “Looking forward to Norncon” at the bottom.
- Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
- Cover art: “Norns Weaving the Rope of Fate” by Alison Scott
Thursday Sep 25, 2025
Thursday Sep 25, 2025
John, Alison and Liz watch Dredd (2012).
An uncorrected transcript of this episode is available here. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk, join our Facebook group, and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Bluesky or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media.
Content warnings this episode: Justice.
- Things that happened since we recorded:
- Credits
- Cover art: “Judge Coxon Pain Scale” by Alison Scott
- Alt text: Six cartoons of John as a Judge from MegaCity One with the Clarke Award logo on his helmet, all of which are identical. Beneath them follows text. 0: NO HURT. 1: HURTS A LITTLE. 2: JUST A FLESH WOUND. 3: MINOR GUNSHOT. 4: BULLET THROUGH GUT. 5: FALL OFF SKYSCRAPER. The JUDGE COXON Pain Scale™. The words “Octothorpe 144” appear at the top of the cover.
- Theme music: “Fanfare for Space” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
- Cover art: “Judge Coxon Pain Scale” by Alison Scott