It's a nod to the 2016 American election

We know that Cult will be set in Michigan. Which, in itself, is not so scary. But throw in the setting of the 2016 American election night, and we’re starting to move towards the edge of our seat. And with the show’s creator, Ryan Murphy, promising it will go down in “a very eerie, macabre way,” it’s time to lock all the doors. As if that wasn’t enough, fans have been teased by disturbing promotional imagery involving swarms of bees. Yikes.

Creepy clowns are in town

If you do suffer from coulrophobia (fear of clowns), we have some bad news. Lots of Cult’s promo has involved some very sinister, nasty clowns. Serial slayer Twisty the Clown, who appeared in fourth season American Horror Story: Freak Show, is also back. Sorry.

It's got a killer cast

Lots of regular members of the American Horror Story troupe are confirmed for Cult. Leading lady Sarah Paulson will play Ally Mayfair-Richards, with Alison Pill (Scott Pilgrim Vs The World) playing her wife. Ally will also be romantically involved with Kai, played by Evan Peters. Oooh, the intrigue!
 

Emma Roberts, who appeared in Scream Queens as well as previous American Horror Story seasons Freak Show and Coven, is back. She’ll be joined by fellow Scream Queens graduate Billie Lourd, who makes her American Horror Story debut playing the grey-haired Winter Anderson, new babysitter to the Mayfair-Richards’ son.
 

Cheyenne Jackson, from previous seasons Hotel and Roanoke, will play Dr Rudy Vincent, while Colton Haynes (Arrow) is Detective Samuels.
 

Lady Gaga won’t appear in this season, but look out for voice-of-a-generation Lena Dunham who guest stars in one episode.
 

The creator knows his stuff

American Horror Story comes from the fevered mind of prolific American showrunner Ryan Murphy. He’s the man who gave us plastic surgery drama Nip/Tuck and also the truly terrifying high school show choir drama Glee. Shudder.

Murphy also has his fingers in some other tasty pies. His anthology show Feud, which launches with an exploration of warring movie divas Joan Crawford and Bette Davis (played by Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon respectively), comes to BBC Two later this year. Tantalisingly, Feud will then move on to Charles and Diana.
 

He’s also behind anthology series American Crime Story. The first season, American Crime Story: The People Vs OJ Simpson, was a big hit over here and won a BAFTA and a couple of Golden Globes (one for our AHS star Sarah Paulson!). Follow-up The Assassination Of Gianni Versace, starring Penelope Cruz and Joy’s Edgar Ramírez, comes to BBC Two in 2018. Set your WishList™ on your TiVo® box now!
 

And it's not over yet...

Since American Horror Story launched in 2011 with Murder House, we’ve had Asylum, Coven, Freak Show, Hotel and Roanoke – and it’s already been renewed for seasons 8 and 9.
 

In 2016, Murphy said that a crossover between season 1’s Murder House and season 3’s Coven is in the works. But where to go beyond that? American Horror Story: Self-Service Checkout? Or American Horror Story: WiFi Unavailable?
 

Watch American Horror Story seasons 1-6 on Netflix