Walking dead raid as zombies invade resort

Scenes in St John's Square, Blackpool, for a Channel 4 online short about Jason Redshaw's hobby of role playing as a zombie.

The dramatic scenes in and around St John’s Square will form part of a short documentary for Channel 4 online, showcasing film extra and shop owner Jason Redshaw’s zombie obsession.

Jason will star in the five-minute piece, produced by Popkorn TV, when it appears as one of a series with the working title of My Weird Hobby on the channel’s Shorts website.

Jason, who owns Cabaret fancy dress shop near Gynn Square and Pride Colours in Cocker Street, has followed zombie culture since the 80s, but really took on his hobby of attending and organising events after appearing as an extra in the film Zombie Apocalypse.

Jason Redshaw features in Channel 4 online short about his hobby of role playing as a zombie. Jason in character at St John's Square in Blackpool

“There were a few of us from Blackpool in that film, and after it finished we wanted to keep the hoard together, and we’ve had TV attention since,” he said.

“Back in the 80s people wouldn’t go around dressed up like a zombie, but now everywhere you go there are things like zombie walks and scare parks.

“It’s got huge, so people now wouldn’t give you a second look, they might look on in horror but they’re not bothered about it - especially somewhere like Blackpool.”

Colin Moxon is directing the shorts for Popkorn TV and said: “We were looking for people who were into zombies, either playing them or preparing for if they should attact, and Jason and his friends fitted the bill perfectly.”

The team filmed interviews with Jason and his zombie hoard, as well as following them during every day tasks such as going shopping and to the pub, before setting up the ‘attack’ in St John’s Square.

Zombies loomed large, lurching after a mum and her baby eventually closing in a turning her into one of them in the centre of the square.

“Filming in Blackpool was really good,” Colin said. “People were taking pictures and wanting their pictures taken with the zombies.

“Initially they were surprised seeing zombies lurking through the square but after the act they were really intrigued.”

The film on Jason and his hoard is one of six being produced by Popkorn for Channel 4 and they are due to go line online in mid-February.

“There are 11million subscribers to the Shorts site,” Colin added. “The shorts have 500,000 to one million views, so they’re a really popular format.”