Deborah Hyde

Skeptic and folklorist

Deborah Hyde is an author, presenter and producer. She wants to know why people believe in the supernatural, drawing on psychology, cultural anthropology, history, and folklore to shed light on this intractable strand of human nature.

She has written for periodicals such as The Guardian and the Fortean Times and has contributed material to book anthologies such as Palgrave Macmillan’s Werewolf Legends (ed. Willem de Blecourt). For ten years, Deborah was editor-in-chief of the British magazine The Skeptic and is a fellow of The Committee for Skeptical Inquiry.

She makes frequent TV appearances and is a regular contributor to Strange Evidence and Mysteries at the Museum. She has also presented sceptical insights in some of BBC iPlayer’s most successful podcasts including Uncanny, The Battersea Poltergeist, and Lucy Worsley’s Lady Swindlers.

Deborah’s speaking career has taken her from Las Vegas to New York City, from Wroclaw, Poland to Sofia, Bulgaria. She regularly hosts events for Conway Hall, the world’s oldest surviving freethought organisation, including Fortean London’s special annual events. She has spoken at Humanist UK events and was chair of the London Humanist Group for two years.

In a parallel life, Deborah has provided production management and coordinator services in the film industry for the past 30 years.