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R.I.P. HANI FEARON

Matt Geary
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R.I.P. HANI FEARON

Yesterday, 25/04/2020, Geek Pride lost one of it’s Editors, to Cancer.

Her name was Hani Fearon and she was only 30.

Hani was one of the original group who helped start Geek Pride and despite the tumult inherent in sites like ours, she was always there, always helping, always positive and every time I saw her.. always smiling. In fact, thinking about what I could say about her last night , I closed my eyes and the first image to enter my head was her smile.

It wasn’t toothy and wide, like some, more a warm, gentle, and affirmative one, framed wonderfully by her wide and beautiful bright eyes. Both bathed you in a welcoming warmth that couldn’t help but make you smile in turn when you saw her.

I have a lot of fond memories of Hani; her starting Geek Pride, the life bar tattoo on her wrist, her wonderful cakes and crafts, our first time meeting at Wales Comic Con, our charity events, and her round-ups of the Oscars and E3. But for some reason, and I don’t know why, my favourite one was a time she randomly appeared at Play Expo.

I was running around like a blue arse fly trying to sort things for our booth and was feeling slightly stressed. Hani, I had no idea was going to be there, but suddenly, in my tiz, I got a tap on the shoulder and there she was. Smiling, slightly shy, and waving. We spoke briefly, I gave her a big hug and said it was great to see her. We talked briefly and then she smiled, waved again, and went off to play some games.

It was a brief moment, a brief exchange but it was honestly great seeing her. I was stressed and in that moment her warm smile and shy demeanour made it all go a way and gave me clarity. I remember going back to the booth and telling them “I just saw Hani.” Only to realise that the reason I was off in the first place had been completely forgotten… I don’t even remember what I was stressing about now, just that I saw Hani.

She was a wonderful person and I, and everyone in Geek Pride who had the honour of meeting her, will miss her deeply. We lost one of the good people, too soon, but in our short time as friends, she was able to enrich my life and will have no doubt done the same to countless others of friends and family.

Thank you for everything Hani, thank you for you time, your passion, your reassuring smile. I’m lucky to have called you a friend and I will cherish the memory of you and your smile until my dying day.

Patrick Stewart: 1940 to 2026

Mark Canty
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Patrick Stewart: 1940 to 2026

“Seize the time… Live now. Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again.”

Today, we learnt of the sad passing of Sir Patrick Stewart, at the age of 86.

Known to many as Captain Jean Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise D since 1987 (170 episodes, 4 feature films and, of course, Star Trek: Picard), he was also Professor X (Charles Xavier) to so many of us in the Fox (and later Marvel) movies since the year 2000, with his appearance in Avengers: Doomsday soon to release.

We mustn’t forget his role as Gurney Halleck, the troubadour in David Lynch’s 80s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune (where he was apparently under the impression that Sting was a police officer, being less than familiar with 80s pop), or his role in 1981’s “Excalibur”.

Patrick was a renowned thespian before his time on the Enterprise, a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. For all we had become used to his calm, authoritative ‘English’ accent, he originally hailed from the small town of Mirfield, Yorkshire, in the North of England.

His time on the Enterprise was a far journey from his first ever TV role, as a fireman on Coronation Street in 1967! He made a number of close friendships from his time in theatre, including Sir Ian McKellan and the inimitable Sir Brian Blessed.

Born in 1940, his life spanned a large amount of change, both technological and societal, and he was well known as a patron of the Humanist Society, and a loud voice for change in the matter of domestic violence and veterans’ mental health, following his experiences with his parents in his childhood. He also championed animal welfare, and was known to foster pit bulls (Remembering “Number One” from ST:Picard). Speaking to the Guardian, he said that the stage offered him an “escape”.

He apparently had been suffering from Alzheimer’s, as well as Lewy Body Dementia. When discussing his upcoming role in Doomsday, he said he had no intention of retiring from acting.

“As any actor my age will tell you, there are fewer and fewer available roles as we get older,” he said. “I can’t imagine ever officially ‘retiring.’ I’ll always and forever be an actor.”

Our sympathies and thoughts are with his wife, Sunny, and the rest of his family and friends at this difficult time. He was much loved, and tributes are pouring in from the Royal Shakespeare Company, costars including Wil Wheaton, Hugh Jackman and many others, and the various organisations and causes he championed and supported.

He leaves a large hole in popular culture, as well as the memories and hearts of millions across the world, both in the theatre and popular culture. Truly he was one of the best of us.

Coming in the same week as the passing of Walter Koenig, this has been a tough week for fans of Star Trek. It is a time for quiet reflection, with maybe a hot drink and dare we suggest “Tea, Earl Grey, hot”?

I’ll finish with a quote stolen from his (Much recommended) memoir:

“Like me, Jean-Luc has lived an unusual life that has taken him far beyond the bounds of normal human experience. But he is also someone who has remained true to his earthbound roots, for they are what gave him his identity. In the end, he feels the call of home, as do I.”

TR30: Celebrating thirty years of Lara Croft

Peter Ray Allison
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TR30: Celebrating thirty years of Lara Croft

“The most famous female British character after Peppa Pig”
(Alix Wilton Regan, voice actress for Lara Croft in Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis)

On 24th October 1996, Core Design launched Tomb Raider for the PlayStation 1 and PC, creating one of the most recognisable icons in gaming history. More importantly, the combination of, at the time, cutting-edge graphics, immersive music and cinematic gameplay redefined what was possible in video games.

Although the developers Core Design are no longer with us (they became part of Eidos Interactive in 1996, before being acquired by Rebellion Developments a decade later, until the studio was closed in 2010), the legacy of Tomb Raider remains. There have since been over twenty Tomb Raider games released, as well as three films, countless books and comics, a television series and another series currently in development.

Derby, the birth place of Lara Croft, formally recognised the importance of Tomb Raider when part of the city’s inner ring-road was named Lara Croft Way in 2010. More recently, a statue of Lara Croft has been installed in the Museum of Making.

Celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of Tomb Raider, Luke Earle organised TR30, a gathering of fans from around the world at the Derby Quad, which had sold out months in advance of the day itself. Attendees had travelled from as far as Brazil for a day of talks and presentations by the people behind the game.  Many of the fans braved the stormy weather to dress as Lara Croft, as well as Winston and other characters from the games, in order to celebrate the occasion.

There were discussions on level design in Tomb Raider and how the games have evolved over time to meet the changing attitudes of the public, whilst at the same time retaining Lara Croft’s quintessential qualities of being charismatic, confident, fierce and witty.

Although the times have changed since the game was first released, Lara Croft has remained a distinctly British character. A voice-over artist noted that Lara speaks with a very specific cadence and vocabulary, such as “bollocks”, which is very different to video game characters developed by other studios.

There were also many of the official Lara Croft models to meet fans and discuss their times as Lara Croft, as well as a sneak peak at the trailer for Legacy of Atlantis before its official debut.

Thirty years since its initial release, Tomb Raider has proven its longevity by consistently delivery cinematic spectacles, but with a believable and relatable character in Lara Croft. Furthermore, the character has become someone we can all respect and look up to.

Although video games are now made around the world, TR30 reminded us that the UK has a booming video game industry all of its own, and that Tomb Raider is a recognition of that success.

Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying

Peter Ray Allison
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Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying

Invincible is the superhero comic series by Robert Kirkman (of The Walking Dead fame), which has been recently adapted in the critically acclaimed animated series. Invincible subverts traditional superhero narratives by making death permanent and combining realistic emotional stakes with graphic violence.

Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying takes the world of Invincible, which is a lot like ours (but with superheroes and the consequences of their presence), and allows players to take on the role of heroes. Players choose existing characters within the Invincible universe or create new characters within the setting.

Mechanically, the superheroes in Invincible are similar to those of the wider superhero genre, it is just the execution that is different. There are also four different levels of play, from the street level Teen Upstart to the world protecting Cosmic Champion. The power scale of the players will determine the threats they face.

The key element in any superhero roleplaying game is the mechanics underpinning the powers of the characters, and Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying is no different. The powers on offer are fairly comprehensive, from the stereotypical energy-beams of Blast to the more exotic Transformation ability. Some, but not all, of the powers can be improved, by making their results more powerful or providing additional effects.

However, the key challenge in any roleplaying is making the powers balanced without overly complicating the system (such as the balanced but complex superhero roleplaying game Blood of Heroes). Unfortunately, this is where Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying fails.

Every power in Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying costs exactly the same, regardless of how versatile or effective they are. For example, the aforementioned Blast costs exactly the same as the power Sorcery, which allows the character to use any power in the game (albeit at the basic level). Storytellers may therefore wish to restrict certain powers, due to how powerful they could be, or raise the cost of using them.

The system underpinning Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying is the Year Zero engine (it is by Free League after all), and it scales remarkably well. The key element in any game involving the Free League is to roll as little as possible. With a success only occurring when a 6 on a D6, players are encouraged to work together in order to ensure success.

Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying offers a lot of background on the setting, including most of the major factions in the first few graphic novels. As such, players who are still intending to read the graphic novels or watching the animated series, may wish to wait before reading this roleplaying game.

The core rulebook and an excellent starter set will soon be released, along with a GM screen and an indispensable deck of Power Cards (perfect for players to keep track of their character’s powers)/

Despite concerns about power balance within the game, Invincible – Superhero Roleplaying is a fun system for roleplaying superheroes in a (relatively) realistic modern-day setting. Each of the powers are functionally useful (some more than others), the Year Zero Engine works well with the different power levels that it can be played at.

UK Games Expo 2026

Peter Ray Allison
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UK Games Expo 2026

In last year’s review of the UK Games Expo, we posed the question of whether this world-renowned tabletop gaming event was becoming too big. This year’s UK Games Expo was even bigger, with over 50,000 people attending (ranking alongside GenCon in America). This is great for people who like plenty of choice in what to look at, but could be overwhelming for others.

The UK Games Expo has now become so big that it is impossible to see all the exhibitors in a single day, at least not without sprinting and not stopping to look anything. There is now so much going on over the three days that something is always happening and it is impossible to attend every talk, demonstration and performance. It has therefore become essential to plan the visit in advance.

The organisers of UK Games Expo were cognisant of the growing scale of their event. The event dominates the Birmingham NEC, taking over Halls 1 – 5. There are also various events in the neighbouring Hilton Hotel and the re-enactment camp outside.

To say the UK Games Expo was busy is an understatement. One hall was given over to tickets and bring & buy, and another was for tournament play. Meanwhile, three halls had been set aside just for exhibitors. And yet, despite the scale and numbers, even at its height (Saturday afternoon) it never felt overwhelming, there were quiet spots outside and the air conditioning kept the temperature manageable.

Alongside the games, there were panels by designers and developers about creating tabletop games, as well as discussions on accessibility in games. Sir Ian Livingstone, co-founder of Games Workshop and co-creator of Fighting Fantasy, was there, as well as John Robertson with The Dark Room.

The organisers had also invited special guests of interest to the gaming community, such as the actor Chris Barrie (most famous for player Rimmer in Red Dwarf), along with Jason Salkey and Lyndon Davies (Rifleman Harris and Rifleman Perkins in Sharpe’s Rifles.)

There were so many exhibitors that it was challenging for them to stand out. Chaosium, Free League and Cubicle 7 were all there, but it was the smaller game companies that were where the unbridled innovation could be found. There were some incredible gaming accessories from Goth Wood and Roll Gothica, as well as fantastic gaming tables (perfect for those needing a new dining table – although my wife disagrees).

It was great to see that the UK Games Expo had been compartmentalised, with tournament gaming in one hall, plus the Hilton for participation games. However, it would have been great if this had extended to the exhibitor halls as well, with sections set aside for wargame creators, roleplay developers, artists, etc.

More than anything else, the UK Games Expo was a celebration of the gaming community. This was exemplified when wandering around the halls and bumping into a friend from the previous UK Games Expo, and continuing the conversation as if a year had not passed.

The organisers should be commended for the work they have done in cultivating the UK Games Expo community, as the event has set the bar to which all other gaming events should aspire.

Check out our live podcast and Matt’s walk around the event:

Tales of the Old West

Peter Ray Allison
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Tales of the Old West

There have been a variety of roleplaying games set during the frontier expansionist era of 18th century America, but the majority have firmly been in the ‘weird west’ genre, often incorporating fantasy or steampunk elements. As such, it is a refreshing to find Tales of the Old West, a roleplaying game that respectfully sets the scene for a historical dramatisation of that time.

In Tales of the Old West, players take on the roles of ranchers, lawmen, settlers or even outlaws, as they try to survive in the frontier. Of course, the burgeoning civil war complicates matters, as do native American tribes, rival colonies and the environment itself.

The Old West uses the Year Zero Engine by Free League Publishing. The mechanics are a light-weight system that focus on roleplaying and immersion, rather than lots of dice rolling. As dice rolls can be challenging (a 6 on a six-sided dice is required in order to succeed), overly rolling dice can lead to failures. The low chance of success (1:6) means that players need to collaborate in order to succeed, thereby encouraging interaction.

The system is simple to learn and a joy to run. The rules are sufficiently light-weight that they never overshadow the narrative, yet has enough flexibility that players never feel constrained in their actions. The four core attributes of a character are flavourful, with Grit (strength), Quick (dexterity), Cunning (instincts) and Docity (intellect). Alongside these are a variety of skills, ranging from animal handling and shootin’ to makin’ and doctorin’ (sic).

Underpinning the system are the concepts of Faith and Trouble. Faith represents a character’s personal philosophy about trusting in something that is bigger themselves. This could be religious faith, such as the Christian faith of preachers, or the support of a community, which a settler would need. To balance faith, there is also Trouble, which represents the hardships of frontier life.

Tales from the Old West has a modular approach to its rule system. The conflict resolution mechanics remain the same throughout, but different aspects can be incorporated to provided added depth for specific moments, like gambling or quick draws.

Alongside the rules is a sample adventure and campaign setting (New Mexico), as well as a guide for storytellers to create their own. The creators have managed to balance a rich story for kickstarting new players, whilst providing sufficient flexibility in how it could be adapted.

The flexibility of the system means that it is possible for experienced storytellers to incorporate light-weight ‘weird west’ elements into their games. It would be fairly easy to run a supernatural mystery, in the style of Outer Range, using Tales from the Old West.

18th century America is a rich setting for storytelling (civil wars and exploration), but also one that can be challenging to handle respectfully due to the clash between native Americans and colonists. It is commendable that the creators have therefore highlighted the challenges of the setting and endeavoured to portray a historically accurate version of 18th century America, rather than what is typically presented in cinema or videogames.

Despite potentially challenging themes of 18th century America, Tales of the Old West is an incredible game for running rich roleplaying games in a setting that that is both dramatically different and yet instantly recognisable.

How S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is helping public safety

Peter Ray Allison
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How S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is helping public safety

In Ukraine, nearly a quarter of the country is potentially dangerous due to landmines, making it one of the most mined countries in the world. The most demographic most vulnerable to this danger is teenage boys, who spend more time outdoors.

In order to raise awareness of mine safety, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES) worked in partnership with Rockets Growth R&D and GSC Game World to create S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: The Hidden Threat.

Instead of presenting a traditional public service announcement, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: The Hidden Threat is styled like a PDA message in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. universe, where attentiveness and caution determine survival. This approach allows teenagers to absorb safety rules without moralising, fear-based messaging or official rhetoric.

Skif, the main character of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 became the project’s safety ambassador, voiced by actor Dima Havrylov. The character lives in the Exclusion Zone – an area that was temporarily occupied and heavily mined, making it relatable. The creative team reconstructed the story inside the game, so the message is naturally embedded: mine danger is everywhere, and the Chornobyl area itself was evacuated for a reason.

To learn more about the project, Geek Pride spoke to Taras Mokhonko, strategy lead at Rockets Growth R&D.

At what point did you choose to use video games as a medium for this public safety campaign?

The idea emerged organically when two realities overlapped: the rising popularity of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 and ongoing incidents involving teenagers injured by explosive remnants of war.

We realised that traditional safety messages were not cutting through, especially for teenagers. The atmosphere of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, where attentiveness determines whether you lose a virtual life, [is close to] the reality for Ukrainians, where inattentiveness can mean losing a real one.

That was the moment when a simple phrase was said, which became the starting point: “Skif would say this better than any of us.”

This became the turning point, shifting from explaining safety rules about reality to embedding them inside a familiar gaming world.

Did you ever consider using conventional media for the campaign?

We did consider conventional media – and, in fact, it had already been heavily used in the first years of the full-scale war. The communication around mine safety was very intense across TV, outdoor, radio and other channels. But over time, those formats started to lose effectiveness, especially with younger audiences. Teenagers, in particular, had learned to tune them out – they simply stopped noticing them.

That’s why we chose a non-standard route. Instead of trying to compete for attention in oversaturated spaces, we decided to meet the audience in environments where they are still genuinely engaged.

In addition to the core video, we developed a series of audio safety messages to extend the campaign’s reach. Importantly, these were not traditional radio placements. We did not run a paid radio campaign – although the project was organically mentioned in a broadcast, which we consider earned media rather than planned distribution.

We created two distinct audio spots, each tailored to a specific audience and context. One was designed for a mainstream audience and distributed through the in-store audio network of the Avrora retail chain – a highly accessible, everyday environment with consistent foot traffic. The second was aimed at teenagers and young people, and placed on YouTube Music, where it could naturally integrate into their listening habits.

The concept behind both was the same: to function as interruptive media within familiar audio environments. During music playback, the main character of the game, Skif, suddenly addresses the listener directly – breaking the fourth wall and delivering mine safety guidance in a voice that feels recognisable and relevant.

This approach allowed us to avoid the fatigue associated with traditional formats and instead reintroduce the message in a way that felt unexpected, contextual and much harder to ignore.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is developed in Ukraine, but why did you choose that particular game?

The idea actually came at a very specific moment – when S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 was about to be released. The game had a massive marketing push behind it, and the hype around the launch was huge. Naturally, a lot of attention – especially from younger audiences — was already focused there.

We saw an opportunity to use that momentum. If people were already emotionally and visually engaged with the game, why not meet them exactly in that space and redirect part of that attention to something that matters?

The hypothesis was straightforward: if official videos fail to capture teenagers’ attention, maybe they would stop for something that looks and sounds like their favourite game.

The idea was developed in the format of a PDA – the in-game interface through which players receive messages, warnings and quests. The mission logic remained purely S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2-like, without moralising: If you see something suspicious – don’t approach it, don’t touch it, go back the way you came, and call 101.

At the same time, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has a very distinct atmosphere and a strong fan culture, where excessive “officialdom” simply doesn’t work. Make it too entertaining – and it feels frivolous. Make it too official – and the audience rejects it. Everything depended on how precisely we could balance form, tone and message:
Form: an actual in-game format – a PDA message that truly exists in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. universe. No invented mechanics.
Tone: no lectures, no preaching. Short, calm, and direct, exactly how advice sounds in the Zone.
Message: clear, without irony or fear-mongering. A rule that works both in the game and in real life.

Importantly, the topic itself resonated with the game’s world and philosophy — the idea of navigating danger, staying alert, and surviving in unpredictable environments is already deeply embedded in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. That’s why the collaboration felt natural rather than forced.

As a result, the video felt “native” to everyone involved. Fans didn’t feel the game was being exploited. Teenagers didn’t feel they were being lectured. And the SES gained a way to talk about a serious issue in a language people actually understand.

GSC Game World are the developers, but how involved were they in creating the campaign?

GSC Game World were deeply involved – in fact, their contribution went far beyond what is usually expected in this kind of collaboration.

They essentially took the lead on the entire production process. The team selected the in-game locations, prepared the screencast, handled the editing, and brought in a voice actor to record and produce the final audio. Their understanding of the game’s world and tone was crucial in making the content feel authentic rather than adapted.

At the same time, our role was to coordinate the process end-to-end and ensure alignment at every stage. We worked closely with both GSC Game World and SES to make sure that every detail met the safety requirements, stayed true to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. universe, and remained consistent with the core idea of the campaign.

There were moments when different sides would naturally lean more toward their own perspective – either more “game-like” or more “official” – so part of our job was to keep that balance in check. In a way, it was a very collaborative process, with everyone genuinely invested and eager to contribute their vision.

That level of involvement is exactly what made the final result feel so native and cohesive.

Were there any challenges in using a video game to spread public safety awareness?

Yes – the main challenge was balancing credibility and authenticity. On one hand, this is life-and-death communication coming from a government institution. On the other, it had to feel native to a gaming community that quickly rejects anything overly “official” or artificial. Getting that balance right was critical.

Another layer of complexity was on the institutional side. Convincing the State Emergency Service to step into a gaming environment wasn’t easy – their communications are traditionally very conservative, especially when it comes to sensitive, high-stakes topics. It required a lot of trust-building and the ability to clearly articulate why this approach could actually save lives, not undermine the message.

In the end, we found the right language and took a bold stance – because reaching children in a format they genuinely engage with was worth pushing those boundaries.

How close to your original idea did the campaign turn out?

The core idea remained almost unchanged – delivering safety rules through an in-game PDA message.

However, a significant part of the process involved refining tone, format and execution to ensure it felt authentic to both the gaming world and real-life communication standards.

What was the response to the campaign?

The response exceeded expectations, especially in terms of organic engagement. The campaign generated over 900 mentions and more than 5.4 million impressions organically, with strong engagement across gaming communities, social media and even national radio.

Most importantly, around 60% of the audience were teenagers – the hardest group to reach. A key signal of success was that teenagers themselves started sharing the video and asking for a continuation.

Do you think you will use videogames again for future campaigns?

Yes, this campaign demonstrated that video games can be an effective communication channel when used thoughtfully. Still, when an audience actively asks for the next episode of a safety video, it is no longer just a campaign, it is a signal that the message has done something important.

Which means it is worth continuing.

Taras Mokhonko, thank you very much. #SlavaUkraine

Night City 2045

Peter Ray Allison
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Night City 2045

The original Night City Sourcebook for the Cyberpunk 2020 roleplaying game was critically acclaimed. Released in 1991, Night City set the standard for what was possible with a setting sourcebook, by presenting a detailed overview and background to Night City, the default location for Cyberpunk.

Needless to say, Night City 2045, the revamped and updated city sourcebook for Cyberpunk RED, has a lot to live up to.

The first thing you notice with Night City 2045 is that it is similarly huge, coming in at over 300 pages, which is typically the size of a roleplaying game, rather than just a sourcebook. There is a lot of content here, and it has not been padded out with too many images – in fact, it could be argued, there may be too few.

Night City 2045 opens up with a history and overview of the city. Exhaustive may be an overused term, but the writers of Night City 2045 have included details about the city’s politics, public transport infrastructure, telecommunications and sewerage systems.

Readers are then presented with the core content; backgrounds on each of the regions of Night City (The Island, NorCal, SoCal, Mainland and Outskirts, as well as the Playland amusement park), which are in turn subdivided into a series of unique districts.

Each district is introduced by a different character who provides insight into the area and its background. They also introduce the city manager, who runs that particular district. An image, presented as a photograph, offers a glimpse of what life is like in the district. Each district closes with a variety of distinct non-player characters (NPC) sheets for typical inhabitants of the area.

The overall feel of Night City in 2045 is quite different to how was it originally portrayed. Instead of the decaying metropolis, we are now presented with an anarchic city rebuilding itself after a cataclysmic event – the fourth corporate war. This creates a very different feel, but also presents a series of new opportunities for roleplay that players and referees can explore in their game.

Although each block in every district is not defined, Night City 2045 is still incredibly detailed. Of course, that is no bad thing – it is generally better to have too much rather than too little information, but it can sometimes be overwhelming.

Although the Cyberpunk roleplaying game has a lightweight metaplot, the Night City 2045 sourcebook makes a point of referencing events that take place in other Cyberpunk RED sourcebooks, such as Danger Gal Dossier and Tales of the RED: Hope Reborn.

Although intended as a sourcebook for Cyberpunk RED, the material here would be useful as a city setting for any roleplaying game set in a similarly dystopian near-future. It would also be of interest to fans of the Cyberpunk 2077 video game, as the Night City presented here acts as prelude to what is to come.

Overall, Night City 2045 is an excellent expansion for Cyberpunk RED and will be essential for anyone wanting to run a game set in Night City.

A conversation with Diane Youdale

Peter Ray Allison
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A conversation with Diane Youdale

People of a certain generation will know Diane Youdale, but under a different name. Every Saturday evening in the 1990s, families across the UK would sit down together to watch Gladiators, a high-octane gameshow that pitted contestants against the show’s powerful gladiators.

One of the best-known gladiators was the raven-haired Jet.  Whilst gladiators like Wolf and Saracen focused on strength and power, Jet was far more athletic; balancing speed and agility with strength and endurance, able to do backflips with ease. This made her an intimidating opponent, who could quickly cross the arena and tackle the contestants.

Diane was born in the north east, a place known more for its industrial heritage than television, so we started the conversation about her inspirations and how a 16-year-old girl from Billingham became the face of Gladiators.

I remember careers advice in the north east typically being ‘Have you considered working for ICI?’  There was never any discussion about national television. So, what was the inspiration for the young Diane?

I was a gymnast from the age of seven.  My dad would take me, from getting in from school, to South Tyneside Temple Park, where we had a centre of excellence built for gymnasts who were training. I was in the GB Squad as well, so I was training at a high level.

I wasn’t just going to gymnastics once a week at the Billingham Forum, which is where I started. A coach, Derek Lesbie, said to my dad ‘Your daughter really has quite a big ability, and she needs higher level coaching, and probably to come more than just once a week, because she could do really, really well.’

From the age of nine, I was commuting up to Whitburn and then to South Tyneside for training down at the other centres of excellence with the GB Squad every weekend. Then, at fourteen, I broke my left ankle quite badly.

I couldn’t keep still though, because I played the flute and the violin. I love music, and when I hear music, it’s like a synaesthesia. I see movement and can see dances. I’d fallen in love with the choreographer Christopher Bruce, who worked for ballet company Rambert at the time. There was a beautiful piece called Ghost Dancers and I just fell in love with this wonderful thing called contemporary dance. It is based on movement qualities from Martha Graham, but she modified dance movement to be very athletic and functional, but still poetic and beautiful.

I auditioned, at the age of 16, to train at the London Contemporary Dance school. So, I got on my little Blue Rapid bus down to down to Victoria, then got myself across to Euston with my suitcase to start training as a dancer. I never came back.

What was that like for the young Diane travelling hundreds of miles to London?

Do you know what? I’ve had friends of mine, who’ve got kids who are teenagers and older, and they say, “I’d never have let them go to London at sixteen”, but I was sixteen, going on sixty. I have a very old head, even as a youngster.

I was focused and in love with what I did. I’d been working with the lovely Trisha Ward and local youth theatre. I was in the National Youth Theatre because Trisha Ward’s work got taken on by the National Youth Theatre. We were down at the Shaw theatre in 1986. I’d got my place and mandatory grant – in the days when you got bleeding grants, weren’t we lucky? – and lived there for about four years as a student in London. It could have been Birmingham, it could have been Manchester, but it didn’t matter. I was loving what I did.

My family had always seen that I was focused and not just ambitious, but that I had the talent to withhold the ambition. There’s a disparity sometimes where some people can be ambitious, but do they have the skill set? With things like dance back then, you just didn’t have to be a really good clay for someone else’s choreography. You had to be a pioneer.

I already knew that I didn’t want to be a performer! I don’t know how I ended up as a Gladiator and being famous. I’d gone to London to train in dance and to be a choreographer, a person who sits off stage. I’m a creative person, not necessarily the front person. It wasn’t part of my plan.

And yet, you have a presence as Jet. How did Jet and Gladiators come about?

A picture of me was spotted in a magazine by the gorgeous Andy Norgate. Now, Andy is a big name in Gladiators; he’s the backbone of Gladiators, because he’s one of the few people who are involved with the new BBC Gladiators.

Andy knows how every bit of kit, every event, the logistics and rules for the show. He knows everything about what it takes to functionally bring a show like Gladiators alive. I leapt for joy when I went over to Glasgow at the end of last year to watch our new gladiators do their live events. Andy just stood there backstage, nodding, and I jumped for joy.

I got in one day from teaching. I’d just moved out of London and bought my first home, as prior to Gladiators, I’d done a bit of TV and film, which had afforded me some nice lump sums of money to put a deposit down and get my own home, which was wonderful.

This message said “Hi, it’s Andrew Norgate from LWT. We’ve seen a picture of you and we’d like to see you at Woolwich barracks for a try-out for this new show called Gladiators.” I’d seen the American show and that was amazing.

I didn’t think it was to be a gladiator, but a contender. It was another job. I was going to read throughs and castings for all sorts of things at the time, so I went for it. We did gym tests and assault courses. I was probably the fastest, because I was always quick, because I pulled my fitness up from gymnastics and dance.

Then, I got a phone call again from Andy saying, “We’d like you to be part of the show, and we’d like you to be a gladiator and we’re going to call you Jet!”

I’m not a body builder. Even our new guys look far more gladiatorial than I ever did, or could, They wanted women in this show to be more fitness athletes, rather than big body builder types, because we need them to get through the arena easily. Bodybuilders back then weren’t training for functional fitness, they were training muscle groups to look great in the mirror with low body fat. That’s what bodybuilding was about then, but it’s changed now.

I had no idea what it entailed, and I certainly didn’t sign up for the fact that it would become so popular. It has been by fluke, and would I do it again? Probably not. Fame becomes a double-edged sword.

I don’t mind teaching and being in front of a group of people, because my knowledge and my skill sets are quite high. I love teaching, and I love getting results, and I love seeing people have pleasure on their health and wellness journeys, and that’s where I’m really set. It’s also why I’m a counsellor and therapist. I love watching people go from a dark place to a shinier place and have a better life because of it.

I wanted to do my Master’s Degree and PhD on the external gloss of fame and how we are authentic inside. It’s still a piece I want to do, when I can get the time. That’s going to be my published piece of work. I’ve done my research. The thing is, when you get that amount of light, you’ll get people crawling around in the darkness who just want to pull you down.

I now just use social media to look at what my mates are doing. Unless it’s part of a contract, and usually to do with Gladiators, I don’t do anything, because I just don’t believe that interface of connectivity with people is real.

It’s almost like show business; projecting an image of yourself.

People project onto you a part of themselves. It’s a bit narcissistic. It’s about not seeing me for who I am. I’m feeling projected upon, because that’s part of them making up something about me, because they don’t know the whole of me.

When we can authentically pull up alongside someone and be alongside them, not possess them and control them and try and shape them and steer them this way and push them that way, is where really beautiful relationships can sit. Too few people don’t own their own shit.

Social media incentivises us to promote engaging content, when realistically there is all this stuff going on the background.

The stuff I’ve done wrong. I completely hold my hands up about. Unfortunately, sometimes the other side of the equation doesn’t. If you can hold yourself responsible, then you know that it’s good. It doesn’t mean that I’m impervious to life and I’m perfect in any way, because I’m far from that. I’m completely open on stuff that I’ve done wrong or that I’ve learned from.

Bullies and abusive people are out there and you learn in time to be better off on your own, which is in my case, I have learned and done that by choice.

Find a job you love and you never work a day in your life.

My father said something like that when I was little.  Do what you enjoy, and it is easier said than done. If you genuinely love something, invest in it, and do it in the best version of yourself. It’s not impossible, just be good at what you do.

There is no point talking the talk and looking good, you’ve got to do the groundwork and research, get the knowledge. If that means years of study and getting the qualifications you absolutely must. But that investment in getting good, particularly in psychotherapy, is what you have to do.

I was going to do journalism, because I was asked to present during the Gladiator fame. I knew quite a few journalistic friends who had got into their roles because they were really good at talking and listening. I’ve always been interested in mental health and realised that journalism and psychotherapy are the same thing, just one’s very public and one is incredibly private. I chose the latter because I am interested in how the mind works as well and the history of what we know about contemporary mental health.

You went from training your body, and now you are about training the mind. The mind and the body are inherently linked.

That’s right, the body was trained more because I love music. I have synaesthesia when I hear music. I often can see choreography in my head of how people would move to it. I’m sure other choreographers and dancers out there do this similar thing, but I like to create. I’m still making up routines for my colleagues and myself from material that I keep fresh. It’s my favourite thing.

I’m writing a few courses at the moment because I can see where a lot of very good instructors could be even better if their knowledge level and delivery was that little bit more on point.

Looking back over your career, what would you do differently?

Not be so naive and trusting. I’ve been way too naive and way too trusting people. People assume because I’m a psychotherapist that I can figure people out, and I can now a little more because I’m more guarded. But people have wanted stuff from me, which is more about them. They’ve wanted stuff for themselves to be not with good intent, and I’ve never rocked that way.

It’s taken me 56 years to work out that. Unfortunately, some people are from a very different seed and because they know a famous person, they want to tear them apart to make them look good in front of their friends.

Diane Youdale; thank you very much.

Geek Pride would like to thank new online bingo brand Zingo Bingo for arranging the interview.

The Geek Pride Games Day 2 This March!

Matt Geary
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The Geek Pride Games Day 2 This March!

Well the last one went so well, we have been asked back to do another at Club 200 in Manchester on the 14/03/2026!

As before, the event starts at 12, goes on to 6, is family-friendly and, most importantly, is FREE! Come down with your own table top / board games, play some of our games with our hosts or just kick back and enjoy some console, retro or VR gaming. There is also Darts and Table football (Pool and snooker available for club 200 members) as well as food (menu here) ice cream and, for the adults, a fully stocked bar.

Club 200 is a brand new venue directly across the road from the Apollo in Manchester and is only about 15-minute walk from Piccadilly train station, or a 4 minute bus ride using the 201, 202, 203, 205 and the 192 bus. There is also some parking in the area, should you be driving. https://maps.app.goo.gl/VadmeKrkf3i8tPFj8

1st Floor, 3-9 Hyde Road
Ardwick
Manchester
M12 6BQ
Tel: +44 7900 499940

We will have volunteers on the day demoing games and available to help you play some of the library of games we will have with us and depending on demand, some space for you to just come down with your own games and play away.

On top of this we will have some consoles with us, a Metaquest 3 and some retro gaming.

So if you and your family have nothing better to do, fancy an afternoon of gaming / fun then please do join us and keep an eye on our social for updates!

Also, if you fancy volunteering to help us out run some games then please get in touch via [email protected]

Thanks a lot and hopefully we will see some of you there!

The Geek Pride Cast in top 30 Geek Podcasts in the UK

Matt Geary
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The Geek Pride Cast in top 30 Geek Podcasts in the UK

Well, well… Million Podcasts reached out and informed us that we were in the top 30 Geek Podcasts in the UK…and we aren’t right at the bottom either! Hitting in at a respectable 11th.

https://www.millionpodcasts.com/geek-podcasts-uk/

We’ve been doing The Geek Pride Cast, in one guise or another, for over 10 years now and it’s good to get some recognition!

Haven’t listened? By the gods you should. We have some amazing guests ranging from authors, to scientists and from musicians to game designers. A plethora of Nerdy talent, ready for you to listen to on any good podcasting site / app or, if you are reading this on our website, then just check out the sidebar for the most recent episodes!

The Geek Pride Cast is also live-streamed on Facebook, Twitch and YouTube every other Monday night at 9pm (GMT)

Thanks Million Podcasts, we really appreciate the ranking!

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