A fear of clowns is called coulrophobia, and it’s no joke. For one of my clients, just seeing a clown in a cartoon gave her a “tight chest/sweaty hands” feeling. Even being in showbusiness doesn’t guarantee a person will be immune. Simon Cowell’s distress whenever clown-themed acts appear on America’s Got Talent has been apparent for many seasons of the show, and this year a sinister clown threesome called the phobias had quite the impact: “I hate clowns so much, but that was brilliant,” he grimaced.
Clowns seem to be everywhere
America’s Got Talent isn’t the only place we’ll come across creepy clown content. TikTok users will be aware of a surge in viral jump scares to prank videos featuring clowns (which get millions of views) and Hollywood has also been doing its bit to feed an already growing cultural discomfort around clowns.
Stephen King’s Pennywise returned in the It remakes and terrified a whole new generation. The Joker franchise showed us a darker, chaotic version of the clown figure. And the Terrifier series took it even further, with scenes so graphic some cinemas reportedly had sick bags on hand.
The Guardian recently reported that 97 clown-themed horror films were produced in the 2010s. And in 2025 alone, we’ve seen or are about to see films like Clown in a Cornfield, Vampire Clown, and The Forest Clown either released or in production. Hollywood has clearly recognised that clowns still provoke a visceral reaction.
So yes, the fear is real. But here’s the important part: it doesn’t have to make sense for it to matter.
A YouGov poll found nearly 1 in 5 young adults in the UK have some fear of clowns. Another global study of 1,000 adults found over half felt uneasy around them. Around 5% reported an extreme fear.
What I always say is this: fear doesn’t follow logic. It follows experience and emotional imprinting.
Why do clowns freak us out?
Clowns wear makeup that hides their facial expressions. Their movements are exaggerated and unpredictable. Their emotions can flip in a second. That makes it difficult for our brains to know what’s coming next.
And that uncertainty makes the nervous system nervous.
Psychologists talk about the “uncanny valley” – where something looks almost human but not quite. It creates discomfort. And for some people, especially if they’ve had a scary experience in the past or seen one too many horror films, it becomes hardwired as a threat.
What can you do about it?
In my clinic, I deal with a wide range of unusual phobias. I’ve helped people who were afraid of clowns; but also the likes of bananas, cotton wool, ketchup, balloons, and velvet.
When someone has a fear that seems “silly” to others, they often carry extra shame. They think they’re the only one. They worry they’ll be judged. But these fears are far more common than most people think.
In my book Face Your Fears, I outline a process called the Integrated Change System: a seven-step approach I use with clients to overcome phobias (of all types). Here’s a brief overview of how it works:
- Recognise: The first step is identifying exactly what you’re afraid of. Using clowns as an example, what is it about them specifically? The makeup, the unpredictability, the laugh?
- Relax: You can’t think clearly when you’re in panic. Techniques like deep breathing or grounding help calm the body so change is possible.
- Reward: Every fear is trying to do something useful, like protect you or give you control. We figure out what your mind is trying to achieve and find better strategies.
- Recipe: Fear follows a pattern. There’s a sequence of thoughts, images, and feelings that run like a program. Once we map that out, we can begin to change it.
- Release: This is where we let go of the emotional charge using techniques like visualisation or memory rewiring.
- Recondition: Here we create a new emotional response, often using an anchor or a calming trigger that can be recalled in real situations.
- Realise: We rehearse a future where you feel calm and confident. You train your brain to expect success, not fear.
If you’re afraid of clowns or anything else that feels a bit “weird” you’re not broken. You’re not alone. And you’re not stuck. Seek help and put that fear behind you – it will open up your life to experiences you may have avoided in the past and will help you enjoy life without worrying about what you may stumble across.
Christopher Paul Jones, a leading Harley Street phobia expert and author, developed The Integrated Change System to rapidly cure fears, anxiety, and phobias.