Day one kicked off with pure Brandon Sanderson chaos, and by that I mean standing in line at Dragonsteel Entertainment for over an hour. But honestly, the banter and camaraderie in the queue were spot on. Like a proper bridge crew ready to cross the shattered plains, we persevered together through exhaustion, excitement, and probably early onset dehydration.

After surviving the queue, it was time for the confession booth at Bandai where you can win a free poster.

Then it was time for a quick breakfast, steamed rice and pork, because sometimes a bitch simply requires a good feeding before facing the convention floor.

With breakfast conquered, it was a sprint over to Writers Alley where I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing the wonderful Francesca McMahon. Keep an eye on our YouTube channel because that interview will be going live soon. All I’ll say for now is: imagine Percy Jackson, but queer and deeply Celtic. Honestly, it sounds fantastic.

Next up was card game time with Flesh & Blood a surprisingly fun, and genuinely difficult, game that really tested your mettle. Thankfully, perseverance came with rewards because by the end we were walking away with free samples like victorious little goblins.

Then it was time for the cosplay lip sync battle, which remains one of the most gloriously chaotic and fabulous things at MCM. I will absolutely die on this hill: I love this event. The energy is unmatched.

One of the emotional highlights of the day came during an incredibly powerful and beautiful panel featuring the wonderful Hollie Bennett from Natural Six. Hollie was perfectly congruent and honest about how she feels while filming the show, openly discussing ADHD medication, its side effects, and the reality that sometimes you simply have bad filming sessions.

She talked about how, when creating characters, she wants to play “the badass, not the damsel in distress,” and described Dungeons & Dragons as “therapy for millennials.” The panel explored how roleplay helps people simply be, and how characters can become reflections of ourselves. Hollie spoke beautifully about feeling safer challenging herself creatively and emotionally when surrounded by trusted friends at the table. The importance of the table itself being a safe space came up repeatedly throughout the discussion.

Hollie also discussed naturally taking on a lot of the behind-the-scenes organisational work within the group, work she clearly loves deeply, while admitting that passion and work ethic have sometimes impacted her mental health. In one painfully relatable moment, she joked that she doesn’t know “what’s wrong” with her, but whatever it is gives her an incredible work ethic.

Another touching moment came when Hollie revealed she is dyslexic and how nervous she once felt about writing, yet how creatively nourished she now feels through her work with Natural Six. Sheila G the host, bringing her perspective as a CBT therapist, added a fantastic layer to the discussion around creativity, mental health, and self-discovery.

One of the standout moments of the panel came when Hollie confidently declared that she is “fucking good at” her day job. It genuinely felt empowering to hear somebody openly own their talent and hard work, especially in a generation so often plagued by imposter syndrome.

The panel also became deeply emotional when discussing online criticism and the hurt creatives experience when people tear apart their work online. Hollie spoke honestly about developing the mental fortitude to stand up for herself while acknowledging that those comments can still sting. One quote in particular really stuck with me:

“My time is like a toddler in tiaras — tiny and precious.”

The discussion around taking your time, protecting your energy, and finding the right creative moment collectively as a group was honestly bloody beautiful.
Another fantastic quote from Hollie was:
“There is so much you can do if you let yourself try.”

The mention of “crying in the car on the way home” after roleplay sessions perfectly highlighted how powerful tabletop games can be as tools for emotional processing and reflection. Sheila finished the panel by discussing how games like D&D can help with self-discovery and personal growth.

After all that emotional damage, it was time for a quick snack before heading off to see Paul Schrier and Jason Narvy, yes, Bulk and Skull from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, in conversation. Honestly, it was absolutely hilarious. The two actors still have such natural chemistry together that the whole room was in stitches.

Finally, I wrapped up the day with the Natural Six live show, which felt like the perfect ending to a packed, emotional, nerdy, and genuinely wonderful first day at MCM London.

Natural Six was at its horniest, weirdest, and absolutely funniest. The cast brought pure chaos to MCM and I absolutely adored it.

Nowhere else are you going to hear discussions about “blowing helmets,” watch one man mount another, and hear somebody dramatically talking about “coming to the inner ring,” all while none of it technically meant sex… even though the entire cast laughed like it absolutely did.

It was chaotic, brilliantly improvised, wildly inappropriate in the best possible way, and the audience loved every second of it.

A fantastic start to another MCM London Comic Con.