Secretly Sporty Transforms Into Secretly Spooky With Horror Industry Icons
For podcast creators looking for fresh seasonal content ideas, Secretly Sporty, the acclaimed show exploring the intersection of fitness and artistic practice, is launching an innovative Halloween takeover this October. Beginning October 5th, the show morphs into Secretly Spooky, featuring an entire month of conversations with prominent horror creatives—from film composers to special effects makeup artists.
The concept is delightfully creative: what if the monsters haunting your favorite horror films actually hit the gym? Host Sebastian Langdell and co-creator Austen Rachlis maintain the show’s core format—intimate conversations about how physical practice fuels creative work—while bringing in guests who work exclusively in the horror genre. Episodes include dedicated spooky theme music, custom episode art, and a lineup of horror-themed lightning round questions.
Star-Studded Guest Lineup
The premiere episode features Holly Amber Church, the “scream queen of scoring,” who earned an Emmy nomination for composing the main title theme to Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities on Netflix. Church discusses her live online HIIT workout routines and her path into film and television composing, while also sharing the creative process behind her indie horror film score for The Other—created using unconventional tools like a dismembered Barbie doll and a bucket of slime.
Another standout episode features makeup artist and specialty costume builder Dan Crawley, known for his work on Marvel films, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Terrifier 3, and Ghostbusters. Crawley shares a compelling personal journey: transforming from an overweight child who despised sports to becoming the owner of a CrossFit gym—a narrative arc that perfectly encapsulates the show’s philosophy about movement and creative resilience.
The series also welcomes Transylvanian writer and editor Alex Woodroe, editor-in-chief of Tenebrous Press (a publisher of “new weird horror”), and indigenous American horror author Erika T. Wurth, who wrote The Haunting of Room 904 and White Horse.
Why Horror and Fitness Go Hand in Hand
Co-creator Austen Rachlis explained the logic behind the special series: “If I’ve learned anything from watching horror movies it’s that fitness and horror go hand in hand; you need to be able to run, climb, and swim if you’re going to escape the monsters. Plus, a good scary movie gets your heart thumping. So asking horror professionals about their exercise routines felt like the perfect way to celebrate Halloween and all of spooky season.”
Each episode explores themes such as how boxing and bouldering boost mental health and how long bike rides can offer transcendence—practical wisdom delivered by creatives who have channeled physical discipline into compelling artistic work. By episode’s end, listeners should feel motivated both to hit the gym and to tackle their own creative projects.
Built on Industry Momentum
Secretly Sporty launched in February 2026 and has already accumulated significant industry recognition. The Austin Chronicle named it “Best Inspo for Tapping Into Your Inner Athlete” in its Best of Austin 2026 issue. The show has been featured by Apple Podcasts and The New York Times, with past guests including Hanif Abdurraqib, Alison Bechdel, Jamelle Bouie, Felicia Day, and others. The show also just earned a Signal Award nomination for best cover art—a testament to its polished production quality.
What Podcasters Can Learn
For podcast producers and editors on the Podwires platform, Secretly Spooky exemplifies several best practices: seasonal content that maintains core show identity, guest curation that tells a cohesive thematic story, and production polish that includes custom music and art. The show’s willingness to temporarily rebrand while preserving its essential format offers a blueprint for limited-run special series that drive listener engagement without alienating existing audiences.
Secretly Spooky premieres October 5th with weekly episodes rolling out across all major podcasting platforms. Listeners can learn more about Secretly Sporty on Instagram.
Source: Podwires Newsletter
