Meet the Team
Matt Holmes
Matt co-founded WhatCulture in its earlier form - as film blog ObsessedWithFilm.com - as a direct response to Superman Lives being terrible in 2006. Since then, the Editor-in-chief has overseen major expansions and development, including his brainchild, the WWE section.
Peter Willis
Peter co-founded WhatCulture back in 2006, looking after the murky behind the scenes depths of advertising, hosting and development. If you’ve ever liked a font you’ve seen on the site, he definitely spent three weeks choosing it.
Editorial
Simon Gallagher
Having been with the site since 2008, Simon now works across all our sections as Executive Editor and is WhatCulture's most read writer. He can be found tightly clutching his trophies for User Of Longest Words, Bestest Grammar, and Least Helpful At Writing Bios.
Adam Clery
Adam arrived at WhatCulture with a murky history of publishing magazines, running websites, and lecturing his supposed wisdom to the region's university students. The thinking man's Simon Gallagher.
Scott Tailford
Scott has been WhatCulture's Games Editor since 2014, and in that time he's kindled a few bonfires, been yelled at by his genetically identical twin and thwarted an evil tyrant’s reign with a shovel. It’s been said that no one truly understands the entire Metal Gear Solid universe, but he laughs long and hard into the face of such detractors. Nanomachines, son.
James Hunt
James is an NCTJ-qualified journalist which, though impressive, wilts in comparison to how good his Instagram game is. He has a passion for fantasy dramas, but not in a weird way, and he's the best swearer in the office.
Benjamin Richardson
Benjamin A. Richardson was born in 1987 and is still not dead. Despite styling ostentatious white specs, having a musical taste set firmly in the 1800s, and attempting his own translation of À la recherche du temps perdu, he insists he isn't an 'insufferably pretentious twit'. He is, though. And a flag fan, or 'flan', if you will. Coincidentally, Benjamin lives alone.
Ewan Paterson
WhatCulture's very own Comics Editor. Cats, comic books and spaghetti westerns are my thing. Rants about stuff @EwanRuinsThings
Michael Sidgwick
Former Power Slam Magazine scribe and author of Development Hell: The NXT Story - available NOW on shop.whatculture.com!
Michael Hamflett
Square eyes on a square head, trained almost exclusively to Pro Wrestling, Sunderland AFC & Paul Rudd films. Responsible for 'Shocking Plans You Won't Believe Actually Happened', some of the words in our amazing Wrestling bookazines (both available at shop.whatculture.com), and probably every website list you read that praised Kevin Nash.
Jen Gallie
Jen is WhatCulture's resident expert on both the world of Disney, and the fantastical output of Universal Studios. On a recent visit to Los Angeles, she was forced to break up a bar fight between [name redacted for legal reasons] and [name redacted for legal reasons] from HBO's Game of Thrones.
Andrew Murray
A caffeine-dependent life-form from the frozen wastes of north east Scotland. He once tried to start a revolution but didn't print enough pamphlets, so hardly anyone turned up. Give him a follow @andyhmurray. You'll have a great time. Maybe.
Josh Brown
Writer. Mumbler. Only person on the internet who liked Spider-Man 3. Likes to be called John.
Ashleigh Millman
Horror film junkie, burrito connoisseur, and serial cat stroker. WhatCulture's least favourite ginger. Please stop sending her envelopes of body hair.
Audio / Video
Kris Thompson
Sometime in 2004, Kris decided to edit a video for a laugh. Well, the joke was on him it seems because now he has to come to WhatCulture and do it every single day. All that's really changed in that time is that now he exports to YouTube instead of a VHS. Yes, an actual VHS, that's how long he's been honing his craft.
Jules Gill
Jules joined WhatCulture in 2016 and since then the amount of fires in the office seems to have risen in direct contrast to the number of pets going missing around the Gateshead area. Well versed in editing/presenting/stealing writers content and not giving them due credit, he can be found floating between all of WhatCulture.com's YouTube channels picking fights, usually with his son Ewan chasing in his wake.
Phil Chambers
Once known as Hobo Joe, he died tragically on the wrestling channel but from his ashes rose the bearded phoenix known as Phil Chambers. When he's not editing videos or appearing on the channel, Phil is the Kevin Dunn of Defiant Wrestling, only with less cuts. Follow him! @PhilMyChambers
Adam Wilbourn
Lanky, specky, ginger bloke who loves all things wrestling, football and quiz related. The man who invented the #BloodyGoodQuiz.
Rich Hutson
Born in Theatre, sits at a Computer. After over a decade of tinkering with Video Editing software, Rich gets to spend his precious time editing whatever's thrown at him. Also the go-to for Doctor Who, and could tell you why Sans Serif fonts are better than most. Still occasionally tap dances under the desk.
Adam Nicholas
Video Editor/Presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling. Mellowest of mélomane, partial to film, TV and comics. Would ideally like to grow up to be Donald Glover, but will settle for being his best friend. Find him on Twitter/Instagram: @itsadamnicholas
James Hepple
Born in Sunderland, James learned his craft in Leeds and London, bouncing around the BBC and various Post-Production Houses before returning to the North East to stake his rightful claim as WhatCulture Fifa World Cup Champion. He also edits videos and manages the main WhatCulture YouTube channel.
Ben-Roy Turner
Video Games, Star Wars, James Bond, Fried Chicken & Wrestling are my passions in that order. Now pleasantries are done with - I used to work in Film & TV, but now I Edit, Present, Write etc for this website and its Youtube Channels.
Oasley Beattie
Lover of esports, F1 and Rollercoasters. The undisputed King of Rocket League (in the office).
Rachel Shackleton
Video Editor and recent addition to the madness of the Gaming team, when she's not chatting about games, thinking about games, or playing games, she's streaming them on twitch. Tweet her pictures of dogs @DontRachQuit
Dan Durkin
Editor, lover of superheroes and best Fortnite player in the Whatculture office. If he's not seeing you now, he'll be seeing you later!
Operations
Laura Holmes
In 1972, a crack Executive Assistant was sent to prison by a military court for a crime she didn't commit. She promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Newcastle underground. Today, still wanted by the government, she survives as a soldier of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find her, maybe you can hire... Laura Holmes.
Development
Chris Schofield
WhatCulture's very own Lancashire-born developer! If something is broken on the site, it was probably my fault... sorry! Let me know if you want...