Horror Favourites – Terry Bird

Veteran actor and producer Terry Bird has had a long and varied career across film, TV, and theatre, with credits spanning from In Fabric and Iron Ivan to Jeepers Creepers: Reborn and Call the Midwife. But now he takes on his grisliest role yet: the iconic barber with a vendetta in Sweeney Todd: Slice & Dice, arriving on Blu-ray, DVD and digital from 2 June 2025.

Set in the slums of Victorian London, Slice & Dice offers a savage new spin on the legendary tale, with themes that feel disturbingly modern — corruption, exploitation, and the hunger for justice — all wrapped in blood-soaked melodrama. Bird not only plays the lead but also produced the film under his New Town Films banner, with the production dedicated to his late friend, actor Darren Kent (Game of Thrones), whose spirit, he says, inspired the entire project.

As the release date looms, Terry reflects on the horror films that shaped his love of the genre – the ones that chilled him to the core, and whose influence still echoes in his own work today. Read on below:

The Omen Trilogy (1976–1981)

“For me one of the horrors that had the greatest impact on me is The Omen Trilogy. The score still haunts me, so powerful and the fact that the main protagonist, Damien,  is an innocent child who in the early films doesn’t what to accept the fact that he is special or indeed the Antichrist. I remember thinking this story of the Antichrist coming to Earth could happen, if it hasn’t already?”

Poltergeist (1982)

“Great film, great characters. I think that’s what has always interested me, even as a child, I need to be able to relate to the characters and story in some way. Poltergeist is a prime example: a normal family living in an ordinary house, Mum, Dad brother and sister….like me. Like Carry Anne, I remember as a child watching TV until late in the evening and seeing a holding card or static signal when the broadcast finished (showing my age now…ha ha) and The Priest character “Kane”!, the song he sang… man that still freaks me out…. I think you would have to go a long way to find a more terrifying horror character.”

Sweeney Todd: Slice & Dice is written and directed by Steven M. Smith (The Ghosts of Borley Rectory) and co-stars Alexander Simkin (Gladiator II) and Steven Brandon (My Feral Heart). Set against the backdrop of 1846 London, it’s a tale of blood, betrayal and brutal retribution, one that Bird hopes will not only entertain, but also shine a light on modern injustices lurking in plain sight.

So, if you’re ready for some righteous rage and crimson revenge, clear your calendar. Sweeney Todd: Slice & Dice hits screens from 2 June, available on both DVD and digital.

Sweeney Todd: Slice & Dice trailer