Most Haunted is a British
paranormalParanormal television is a genre of popular reality television programming. Its scope comprises purportedly factual investigations of paranormal phenomena, rather than fictional representations found in such shows as The Ghosts of Motley Hall and Ghostbusters, or cartoon/children's series such as...
documentaryDocumentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
reality televisionReality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
series. The series was first shown on 25 May 2002 and ended on 21 July 2010. It was broadcast on Living and presented by
Yvette FieldingYvette Fielding is a British broadcaster, producer and actress. She is best known for being the presenter of the TV shows Blue Peter, Most Haunted and Ghosthunting With....-Early life and career:...
. The programme was based on investigating purported
paranormalParanormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure...
activity. It is shown on the
satelliteSatellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
and
cableCable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
channels Living, Livingit and Channel One (Formerly
Virgin 1Channel One was a television channel owned and operated by British Sky Broadcasting. The channel was launched on 1 October 2007 at 21:00 on Freeview, Virgin Media and Sky as Virgin1, replacing Ftn...
and
FtnFtn was a television channel from Virgin Media Television transmitting free-to-air on Freeview and Virgin Media, and as a subscription channel on Sky Digital. The channel was broadcast between 18:00 and 06:00 daily...
), primarily for the UK market. It is also shown in the United States on the
Travel ChannelThe Travel Channel is a satellite and cable television channel that is headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, US. It features documentaries and how-to shows related to travel and leisure around the United States and throughout the world. Programming has included shows in African animal safaris,...
, on the W Channel in Australia and Canada,
TV4 PlusSjuan is a sister channel of Swedish TV4, owned by TV4 AB. The main focus of the channel is on entertainment, sports and lifestyle programmes. The channel started as TV4 Plus in 2003 but changed name to Sjuan in September 2011....
in Sweden,
FEMFem is a Norwegian television channel targeting young women...
in Norway, TV ONE and Vibe in New Zealand,
SubSub is a Finnish TV channel owned by Bonnier. The previous owner Alma Media sold Sub and its sister channels to Swedish Bonnier and Proventus in 2005.-Programs and audience:...
in Finland,
Stöð 2Stöð 2 is an Icelandic television channel, owned and operated by 365. Founded in 1986, It was the first privately owned television station in Iceland following the lifting of the state monopoly on television broadcasting...
in Iceland and
Star WorldSTAR World is an Asian English language cable and satellite television network owned by Star TV and Fox International Channels, fully owned subsidiaries of News Corporation. The channel is the successor of STAR Plus, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
in Asia. It is produced by
Antix ProductionsAntix Productions is a television production company founded by Yvette Fielding and Karl Beattie in 2001. The company have produced shows for broadcasters such as Living and ITV in the UK and Travel Channel in the USA...
, led by
Yvette FieldingYvette Fielding is a British broadcaster, producer and actress. She is best known for being the presenter of the TV shows Blue Peter, Most Haunted and Ghosthunting With....-Early life and career:...
and her husband,
Karl BeattieKarl Beattie is an outspoken broadcaster, pundit and the husband of Yvette Fielding, main presenter Living TV's now defunct Most Haunted and Most Haunted Live, programmes which investigated psychic and paranormal phenomena...
.
On 12 August 2011 it was announced that Sky Living had officially axed
Most Haunted and have returned the rights to the show to Yvette Fielding and Karl Beattie. On his
FacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
page Karl Beattie has said that he and Fielding will be approaching other broadcasters with the show in a bid to bring it back.
Production
The
Most Haunted team have travelled not only around the UK, but also Ireland, the Netherlands,
RomaniaRomania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, the United States, and Italy. investigating paranormal activity for 24 hours at a time.
Photography
The photographic style of the series has changed considerably since series 1. In the first series many elaborate shots were set up with an almost "theatrical" style, with illuminated windows and dry ice. Locations were often illuminated outside at night time, with blue and green colours. There was a high emphasis on quality production. From series 1-3 there was extensive use of the
steadicamA Steadicam is a stabilizing mount for a motion picture camera that mechanically isolates it from the operator's movement, allowing a smooth shot even when moving quickly over an uneven surface...
, which provided gliding shots during Yvette's ghostly tales or for general views. In series 8 the team introduced a camera crane or '
jibIn cinematography, a jib is a boom device with a camera on one end, and a counterweight and camera controls on the other. It operates like a see-saw, but with the balance point located close to the counterweight, so that the camera end of the arm can move through an extended arc. A jib permits the...
' system for elaborate aerial shots of both Yvette and the locations. Most of the photography in
Most Haunted focuses on 'general views' also known as 'GV's' of a location and its surroundings. Most Haunted is filmed with both broadcast Sony DSR-570WSP & DSR-PD170P DVCAM cameras and Sony DCR-PC9E miniDV cameras. A Thermal Imaging camera is also used to detect & highlight cold & warm spots. The style of the series changed somewhat after series five, losing its Most Haunted grungy look and it became much more mainstream.
Music
Most Haunteds music was originally composed by Alan ClarkAlan Clark is an English musician who was the first and main keyboardist for the British rock band Dire Straits.- Biography :...
, using loops and samples from the Spectrasonics sample libraries Distorted Reality, Metamorphosis and Biazzare Guitar (particularly in the earlier series). As of series 12, the original music has almost been completely supplanted by stock music which was also used on the now defunctUnexplained Channel
programme, Rest In Peace
.
Most Haunted: The Next Generation
Announced in November 2011, Most Haunted's new series will begin airing in 2012 under a new title.
Most Haunted: Midsummer Murders
Originally intended to be Most Haunted
Series 10, Most Haunted: Midsummer Murders was an eight part series where Most Haunted
investigators attempted to solve murder mysteries in normal English villages. It was hosted by Most Haunted historian
Lesley SmithLesley Smith is a scholar, historian, heritage publicist and actress. She was resident historian on the television show Most Haunted Live! and presenter of Most Haunted: Midsummer Murders...
. The series commenced on a weekly broadcast from 19 June 2007 to 31 July 2007 and the team visited (in order of broadcast)
Stoney MiddletonStoney Middleton is a village in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England. It lies in the White Peak area of the Peak District southeast of Eyam and northwest of Calver, on the A623 road at the foot of the limestone valley of Middleton Dale....
,
NantwichNantwich is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The town gives its name to the parliamentary constituency of Crewe and Nantwich...
, Castleton,
PluckleyPluckley is a village and civil parish in the Ashford District of Kent, United Kingdom. It is located close to the North Downs, and is approximately 5 miles west of Ashford...
,
RuthinRuthin is a community and the county town of Denbighshire in north Wales. Located around a hill in the southern part of the Vale of Clwyd - the older part of the town, the castle and Saint Peter's Square are located on top of the hill, while many newer parts of the town are on the floodplain of...
,
TutburyTutbury is a large village and civil parish of about 3,000 residents in the English county of Staffordshire.It is surrounded by the agricultural countryside of both Staffordshire and Derbyshire. The site has been inhabited for over 3000 years, with Iron Age defensive ditches encircling the main...
,
TarvinTarvin is a village in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It had a population of 2,693 people at the 2001 UK census, and the ward covers about .-Location:...
, and
BakewellBakewell is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England, deriving its name from 'Beadeca's Well'. It is the only town included in the Peak District National Park, and is well known for the local confection Bakewell Pudding...
. An episode, shot in Lymm Village, saw the team investigate a suspect of
Jack the Ripper"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the...
. This episode was not aired on television.
Most Haunted: Recurring Nightmares
In
Most Haunted: Recurring Nightmares, the presenters recall their most frightening visits.
Most Haunted USA
Most Haunted USA was an eight-part mini-series that aired on the American
Travel ChannelThe Travel Channel is a satellite and cable television channel that is headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, US. It features documentaries and how-to shows related to travel and leisure around the United States and throughout the world. Programming has included shows in African animal safaris,...
from 12 December 2008 to 30 January 2009. The series has also aired in the UK and includes the team's investigation at the famous Waverly Hills Sanitorium in
KentuckyThe Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. It aired as part of Series 11 in the UK.
Most Haunted: The Live Series
In January 2010, Most Haunted returned for a spin-off of the live shows. These episodes differed from the previous live shows in that they were more like a series investigation, but broadcast live. The series was broadcast live every Saturday night and ran for 8 weeks, with each episode lasting two hours.
The team
Most Haunted featured a main presenter, a historian, a
psychic mediumMediumship is described as a form of communication with spirits. It is a practice in religious beliefs such as Spiritualism, Spiritism, Espiritismo, Candomblé, Voodoo and Umbanda.- Concept :...
and a
parapsychologistThe term parapsychology was coined in or around 1889 by philosopher Max Dessoir, and originates from para meaning "alongside", and psychology. The term was adopted by J.B. Rhine in the 1930s as a replacement for the term psychical research...
. Essentially the latter two are intended to create an even balance between paranormal and scientific explanations for the various phenomena that occur. Any information provided by the medium from claimed interactions with spirits is then analysed by the historian to see if it can be verified. The core investigation team are supported by some of the production crew, who appear in the show and are generally involved with the investigation whilst performing their normal crew role. Most of these on-screen crew members also take part in
séanceA séance is an attempt to communicate with spirits. The word "séance" comes from the French word for "seat," "session" or "sitting," from the Old French "seoir," "to sit." In French, the word's meaning is quite general: one may, for example, speak of "une séance de cinéma"...
s.
| Name |
Role |
Secondary Role |
Joined |
| Yvette Fielding Yvette Fielding is a British broadcaster, producer and actress. She is best known for being the presenter of the TV shows Blue Peter, Most Haunted and Ghosthunting With....-Early life and career:...
|
Presenter/Executive Producer |
Investigator |
Series 1 |
| Dr Ciarán O'Keeffe Dr. Ciarán O'Keeffe is a British parapsychologist. He has held a Research associate position at Université de Toulouse, Le Mirail and also an online tutor position at Derby University. Previously employed at Liverpool Hope University, lecturing in Psychology with a parapsychology component, Dr...
|
Parapsychologist The term parapsychology was coined in or around 1889 by philosopher Max Dessoir, and originates from para meaning "alongside", and psychology. The term was adopted by J.B. Rhine in the 1930s as a replacement for the term psychical research...
|
None |
Series 2 |
| Lesley Smith Lesley Smith is a scholar, historian, heritage publicist and actress. She was resident historian on the television show Most Haunted Live! and presenter of Most Haunted: Midsummer Murders...
|
HistorianA historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
|
Investigator |
2003, 2006–2009, 2010 |
| Karl Beattie Karl Beattie is an outspoken broadcaster, pundit and the husband of Yvette Fielding, main presenter Living TV's now defunct Most Haunted and Most Haunted Live, programmes which investigated psychic and paranormal phenomena...
|
Investigator |
Television producer The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
, DirectorThe primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
|
Series 1 |
| Stuart Torevell Stuart Torevell is a camera operator and rigger working for television production company Antix Productions on shows such as Most Haunted. He is a cousin of Yvette Fielding...
|
Investigator |
Rigger Rigger may refer to:* One who attends to the rigging of a sailing ship* Rigger , those who tend rigging in stage performance * Rigger , specializing in moving large/heavy objects* Parachute rigger...
, Camera operatorA camera operator or cameraman is a professional operator of a film or video camera. In filmmaking, the leading cameraman is usually called a cinematographer, while a cameraman in a video production may be known as a television camera operator, video camera operator, or videographer, depending on...
|
Series 1 |
| Catherine Howe |
Investigator |
Hair and Make-up |
Series 2 |
| Chris Burton |
Cameraman |
Director of Photography A cinematographer is one photographing with a motion picture camera . The title is generally equivalent to director of photography , used to designate a chief over the camera and lighting crews working on a film, responsible for achieving artistic and technical decisions related to the image...
|
Series 11 |
| Matt Chance |
Sound Man |
Researcher |
Series 10 and Oct'09 Live |
| Simon Lucas |
Camera Assistant |
Researcher |
Series 12 |
The show has also featured guest mediums. So far these have been Ian Lawman, Ian Shillito,
Gordon SmithGordon Smith is a psychic medium. As he used to work as a barber, he is often known 'The Psychic Barber'.-Career as a medium:...
,
Uri GellerUri Geller is a self-proclaimed psychic known for his trademark television performances of spoon bending and other supposed psychic effects. Throughout the years, Geller has been accused of using simple conjuring tricks to achieve the effects of psychokinesis and telepathy...
, Kevin Wade, Johnnie Fiori, Brian Shepherd, Billy Roberts and Patrick Matthews. Some episodes have also included at least one celebrity. So far the 'celebrity' episodes have included
Vic ReevesJames Roderick Moir , better known by the stage name Vic Reeves, is an English comedian, best known for his double act with Bob Mortimer . He is known for his surreal and non sequitur sense of humour....
,
Nancy SorrellNancy Sorrell is an English former lap dancer turned model, actress and TV presenter who has been married to Jim Moir since 25 January 2003. She appeared in the 2004 series of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!, and was later joined in the jungle by her husband...
,
Gaby RoslinGaby Roslin is an English television presenter and actress. She rose to fame while co-presenting The Big Breakfast on Channel 4 between 1992 and 1996, and also presented the BBC's Children in Need charity appeal from 1994 to 2004....
,
Scott MillsScott Robert Mills is a British radio DJ, television presenter and occasional actor, best known for presenting The Scott Mills Show on BBC Radio 1...
,
Mark ChapmanAndrew Mark "Chappers" Chapman , also known as Chappers, is the main sports presenter on Radio 5 Live as well as presenting for BBC Sport on television, his mother is Emily Chapman and his father is Peter Chapman.He was the sports newsreader and Mills' sidekick on The Scott Mills Show on BBC Radio...
,
Simon GregsonSimon Gregson is an English actor. He is known for being a cast member of the British soap opera Coronation Street in which he has played Steve McDonald since 1989....
,
Sue CleaverSue Cleaver is an English actress. She is best known for her regular role in Coronation Street.She studied at the Manchester Metropolitan School of Theatre and her first television appearance was a small part in an episode of A Touch of Frost...
,
Carol ThatcherCarol Thatcher is a British journalist, author and media personality. She is the daughter of Margaret Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, a former British Prime Minister, and Sir Denis Thatcher, Bt....
,
Paul O'GradyPaul James Michael O'Grady MBE is an English comedian, television presenter, actor, writer and radio DJ. He is best known for presenting the daytime chat television series, The Paul O'Grady Show and, more recently, Paul O'Grady Live, as well as his drag queen comedic alter ego, Lily Savage, as...
and
Lee RyanLee Ryan is an English singer-songwriter, actor and member of the British boy band Blue.-Early life:...
. For the series 10 episode from Coalhouse Fort the team were joined by Scottish paranormal investigator Ryan O'Neil.
Historian Lesley Smith, who first appeared in the show in 2003 when the team visited her castle, took the role of historian in the show in May 2006. She continued as historian until she quit the show just before the Halloween 2009 show. She made her return on 23 January 2010 on Most Haunted The Live Series.
Time slot
Series 1: Tuesday, 9.00pm - 9.30pm
Series 2 - Series 13: Tuesday, 9.00pm - 10.00pm
Series 14: Wednesday, 10.00pm
Series 1-3
The first series began on 25 May 2002. Each episode had a duration of thirty minutes. However, reruns of these episodes have been re-edited to the full hour and titled Most Haunted Unseen. Added footage in these episodes is shown with a caption in the corner to distinguish it from the original version. The series concluded with an investigation of
Michelham PrioryMichelham Priory is the site of a former Augustine Priory near Upper Dicker, East Sussex, England, United Kingdom. It is owned and administered by the Sussex Archaeological Society.-History:...
on 17 September 2002, which was coincidentally the first episode to be produced. In the eighth series the team revisited this location to mark the 100th episode. During the break in series, the team aired three live investigations, the third of which led into the second series on 8 April 2003. From this point onwards episodes were accompanied by a supplemental Most Haunted Extra
. At this point, Extra was available as a ten-minute feature after the main show, accessible to viewers via the
red buttonRed Button is a button on the remote control for certain digital television set top boxes in the UK, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia and By Directv in the USA. It is for interactive television services such as BBC Red Button and Astro...
. For Series two and three,
Phil WhymanPhil Whyman is a British musician, artist and television star who first came to prominence on LivingTV's cable ghosthunting show Scream Team where he was one of the 'contestants' who travelled throughout the UK investigating strange phenomena while living on an AirStream bus ; the show has been...
joined the show as a paranormal investigator, replacing the original investigator Jason Karl and guest investigators David Scanlan and Vicki Purewal who decided not to continue with the team, who left at the end of the first series. The show remained unchanged at this point until Series 4.
Series 4-6
The fourth series commenced on 23 March 2004 with an investigation of
Owlpen ManorOwlpen Manor is a Tudor Grade I listed manor house of the Mander family, situated in the village of Owlpen in the Stroud district in Gloucestershire, England. There is an associated estate set in a picturesque valley within the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
. Most Haunted Extra became a thirty-minute programme, broadcast for half an hour after the main show on LivingTV. This series was the first series in which guest mediums joined the team during the investigations. This took some of the pressure off
Derek AcorahDerek Acorah is a British medium. He is best known for his work on Most Haunted, broadcast on Living, between 2002 and 2005. He recently presented the series Derek Acorah on Sky Real Lives...
who had been the only medium in the first three series. The main guest mediums involved during this series were Brian Shepherd,
David WellsDavid Wells is a Scottish medium and astrologer. Born in the community of Kelloholm in Scotland, Wells states that he discovered his abilities after suffering from pneumonia, learning astrology and studying the Qabalah to "ground" his abilities...
and Ian Lawman.
Series five commenced on 14 September 2004. It was preceded by a 3 night Most Haunted Live! investigation advertised as a countdown to the series. Phil Whyman was replaced with (although he recently returned on the Live shows as a studio expert), then semi-regular,
Ciarán O'KeeffeDr. Ciarán O'Keeffe is a British parapsychologist. He has held a Research associate position at Université de Toulouse, Le Mirail and also an online tutor position at Derby University. Previously employed at Liverpool Hope University, lecturing in Psychology with a parapsychology component, Dr...
. Originally O'Keeffe viewed the footage recorded during the investigations and analysed it, putting forward his own views and opinions, which usually included suggestions as to other possible causes for the phenomena encountered. He shared this role with colleague
Matthew SmithMatthew Smith, Ph.D., was an Associate Professor in Psychology at Liverpool Hope University where he led the . He has recently conducted research on replication issues in parapsychology and psychological variables associated with paranormal belief....
who frequently attended the early Most Haunted Live events. Following the departure of Phil Whyman after Series 4, O'Keeffe began to join the team on location. Yvette's brother Rick Fielding also left the show at the end of Series 4.
For series six, beginning on 22 March 2005 with an investigation of Bodmin Gaol, David Wells became a main medium alongside Derek Acorah appearing in every episode. The programme featuring
Arreton ManorArreton Manor is a manor house in Arreton, Isle of Wight, England. Its history is traced to 872 AD to the time of King Alfred the Great and his parents. Once owned by William the Conqueror, as mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086, in the 12th century it became part of Quarr Abbey and was used by...
included what was said to be the ghost of an 8-year old girl named Annabelle Leigh who, in 1560, witnessed her oldest brother smothering their dying father Barnaby so he would quickly inherit the property. The brother, after killing the father, was reputed to have strangled his sister and thrown her out of the window. Many sightings of a face at the window have been reported from the grounds when nobody was known to have been in that room. The Most Haunted team apparently came into contact with the girl who could be heard knocking in reply to their questions surrounding her death and whose presence could be felt.
Medium
Derek AcorahDerek Acorah is a British medium. He is best known for his work on Most Haunted, broadcast on Living, between 2002 and 2005. He recently presented the series Derek Acorah on Sky Real Lives...
claims to have picked up on the ghost of a tall, robust woman named Ami Tetchnut who had links with
The HagueThe Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
and that of a very tall, gaunt man named Edward Bryan or Bryant who was knocked unconscious in the entranceway and taken away. Medium
David WellsDavid Wells is a Scottish medium and astrologer. Born in the community of Kelloholm in Scotland, Wells states that he discovered his abilities after suffering from pneumonia, learning astrology and studying the Qabalah to "ground" his abilities...
also claims to have detected the presence of a pompous man named Henry and hard knocking on the front door from people who wanted him out; this heavy knocking has been reported by many others. While investigating the hallway, the Most Haunted team apparently witnessed the throwing of a book ironically about the ghosts of the Isle of Wight which Wells claims to have been thrown by Henry who had laughed at them. Historian
Richard FelixRichard Felix is a paranormal investigator and historian from Derby. He is most noted for his appearances on Living TV's Most Haunted series.-Briography:...
claims to have looked at the book earlier and it had been one of three on the mantlepiece but has no explanation of how it was thrown. Acorah claims that one of the rooms was used as a courtroom which had a poor sense of true justice and often innocent captives would be sent to the cellar from the courtroom, which was used as a brutal torture chamber.
Some other paranormal activities reported and examined relate to "a girl with fair hair calling for her mother, a lady in a purple dress, a lady in a red dress with puffy sleeves, apparitions of a black dog; monks in the dining room, in the old monks quarters kneeling and praying, and in the gardens; and a lady in a white dress gliding across the four-poster bedroom before disappearing out of the window." Cupboard doors opening on their own, doors being bolted and orderly stacking of the towels on the floors have been reported.
This was Derek Acorah's last Most Haunted series owing to controversy he was involved in during its production which cast a doubt on his ability to perform his role. As such he did not appear in the final episode at Sinai House. The number of episodes for Series 6 was originally intended to be eighteen, with the last eleven being part of Series 7. Due to Acorah's departure the series was extended. This was the first series in which the team conducted 24 hour investigations over in the USA. Derek didn't return for the shows finale at Sinai House, when David wells was the main medium. Series 6 also marked a change in the production of Most Haunted. Editing and post production moved from 422 Manchester to Antix own production facilities. This resulted in the loss of the original editor of the series, as well as a large number of film effects which were used, changing the visual style of the show considerably.
Series 7-9
The seventh series began on 1 November 2005 yet only ran for six weeks, shortened from an intended nine. Two of the final three episodes (at
Bamburgh CastleBamburgh Castle is an imposing castle located on the coast at Bamburgh in Northumberland, England. It is a Grade I listed building.-History:...
and
Chambercombe ManorChambercombe Manor is a Norman manor house located near Ilfracombe, Devon, which dates back to the 11th century and was recorded in the Domesday Book...
) were broadcast at the end of Series 8 and the last, at
Spitbank FortSpitbank Fort or Spitsand Fort or Spit Sand Fort or simply Spit Fort is a sea fort built as a result of the 1859 Royal Commission. The fort is located in the Solent, near Portsmouth, England....
, was broadcast as special on
Boxing DayBoxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
2006.
Parapsychologist Louie Savva a regular on the
Most Haunted Live!Most Haunted Live was a spin-off of the paranormal reality television series Most Haunted and was also produced by Antix Productions. The show consists of paranormal investigations broadcast live over a period of one or more nights, usually with interactive sections that involve the...
events joined the team for a few of the investigations in this series covering shows which O'Keeffe was unable to take part in.
Series eight began on 27 June 2006 with the 100th investigation and a revisit to Michelham Priory. It marked the last appearance of
Richard FelixRichard Felix is a paranormal investigator and historian from Derby. He is most noted for his appearances on Living TV's Most Haunted series.-Briography:...
as resident historian. He was not replaced until the tenth series. This series featured guest mediums
Gordon SmithGordon Smith is a psychic medium. As he used to work as a barber, he is often known 'The Psychic Barber'.-Career as a medium:...
, Ian Lawman, Ian Shillito and Kevin Wade.
An investigation of
South StackSouth Stack is an island situated just off Holy Island on the North West coast of Anglesey. It is famous as the location of one of Wales' most spectacular lighthouses.-South Stack Lighthouse:...
LighthouseA lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
began the ninth series on 2 January 2007. Four episodes into the series, new episodes became known as New Most Haunted
in television listings and on-screen. This is the last series of Most Haunted
where Most Haunted Extra
accompanied each episode. After the first few episodes, Extra
was moved to Living2. Most Haunted Extra
last appeared accompanying Most Haunted: Midsummer Murders
. This was the last series to feature David Wells as a regular medium on the show.
Series 10
The tenth series of Most Haunted began on 19 February 2008 and came to a close at the end of April.
This series featured three psychic mediums: Johnnie Fiori, Barrie John and Brian Shepherd.
Lesley SmithLesley Smith is a scholar, historian, heritage publicist and actress. She was resident historian on the television show Most Haunted Live! and presenter of Most Haunted: Midsummer Murders...
replaced Richard Felix as resident historian on the recorded shows and travelled with the team to each location. The team were also joined by Scottish paranormal investigator Ryan O'Neill, a guest on episodes 1&2 of series 10 at
Coalhouse FortCoalhouse Fort is a large casemated fort in East Tilbury, near the modern town of Tilbury, in Thurrock, Essex, downstream from Tilbury Fort. It contains a museum of memorabilia from World War I and II.-History of the fort:...
. In the Coalhous Fort episodes of the show, an American psychic joined the team and claimed to have encountered the spirits of a bespectacled old man and his "gawky" son in the museum of the fort, who had been responsible for compiling the collection. The team allegedly picked up the voice and moaning from the old man later in the night. The psychic also claimed that there were spirits of animals in the fort, perhaps from horses who had been involved in its construction and claimed to have encountered the spirit of a pilot named Jeff and other air force men around the fort who had been there during World War I. She also claimed that in one area of the fort she picked up macabre images of debauchery and sodomy where sexual favours were performed in return for food and money, also from World War I. The team also apparently picked up countless examples of poltergeist activity in the fort with the unexplained throwing of stones, knocking and the occasional moaning, responses from taunts by the team for the ghosts to make their presence known.
Series 11, 12 (USA) & 13
When series 11 was aired, Living merged Season 12 to series 11 to make it a longer season. Series 13 was aired, and featured 10 episodes including Speke Hall.
Series 14
Series 14 started in late May 2010, with an investigation into Berkeley Castle starting on 12 May 2010 and continue to show every Wednesday on Living at 22:00 BST. The series ended on Wednesday 21 July 2010.
Series 14 was the last series of Most Haunted to air.
2011 Special
A new episode of Most Haunted will be released on DVD on 12 December 2011. It is unknown where the episode has been filmed from.
Lost episodes
During Most Haunteds run, there have been a few episodes which have been broadcast out of order than they have filmed and a few series which were changed to accompany the run on Living.
Series 6 ran for 29 episodes but was originally intended to run for 18 episodes. The original series 7 was intended to be a 17 episode series but due to Derek Acorah's departure, series 6 was extended with the first 11 episodes of series 7 added on. The last 6 episodes of series 7 were filmed without Acorah and with Gordon Smith.
Original Series 7 Episode List
- Bolling Hall
- Elvaston Castle
- Smithills Hall
- Peterborough Museum
- Tissington Hall
- Hellens Manor
- Tretower Castle
- Sinai House
- Lower Southwood Cottages
- Castle Keep
- Woodchester Mansion
- Coronation Street
- The Old Church House
- Mains Hall
- American Legion
- Leonis Adobe House
- Wilmington Drum Barracks
After the first 11 episodes of the original series 7 were added to series 6, series 7 became a 6 episode series.
During the Most Haunted spin off series Midsummer Murders, the team filmed a 9 part series. However only 8 were ever aired. The 9th episode, filmed in Lymm Village and featuring a Jack the Ripper suspect, was never aired.
Series 10 was due to be a 20 part UK series but was made an 11 episode series after LIVING shelved the remaining 9 episodes for series 11, which was made up of the filmed UK episodes.
Missing 10th series
Production of series 10 and 11 happened back to back, with the team visiting 45 locations to be split over the 2 series series. However, after filming 24 episodes with David Wells who then decided to quit, Antix Productions decided to cut out these episodes, film the remaining 20 episodes and split them over the series.
The 24 missing episodes still exist and are due for a DVD release in 2011 (www.antixproductions.com). The locations include RAF Coleby Grange, Buchanan Castle, Duxford Imperial War Museum, Lanwith Old Hall and Lindisdarne Castle. Return visits are conducted in Stockport Workhouse, Woodchester Mansion and The Clock House.
Main mediums
For the most of the show a medium accompanied the team on their investigations. The mediums are as follows:
- Derek Acorah (Series 1 - Series 6: 2002-2005)
- David Wells (Series 4 - Series 9 & Midsummer Murders: 2004-2007)
- Gordon Smith (Series 7 - Series 8: 2005-2006)
- Brian Shepherd (Series 10 - Series 12: 2008-2009)
- Chris Conway (Series 13 - Series 14 & Live Series: 2009-2010)
Controversy
On several occasions the former Spiritualist medium
Derek AcorahDerek Acorah is a British medium. He is best known for his work on Most Haunted, broadcast on Living, between 2002 and 2005. He recently presented the series Derek Acorah on Sky Real Lives...
was supposedly possessed by an entity, sometimes evil or sometimes "lost and confused". Two such cases exposed Acorah. Before the filming, Acorah had been fed misinformation twice about the non-existent ghosts of Kreed Kafer and Rik Eedles by the show parapsychologist Dr. Ciaran O' Keeffe. During the investigations, later broadcast, he presented the information as fact and even behaved as though being possessed by the fictional ghosts. O'Keeffe later revealed in the
Daily Mirror that Kreed Kafer and Rik Eedles were anagrams of 'Derek Faker' and 'Derek Lies'. Even though O' Keeffe exposed Acorah, the paper also claimed that O'Keeffe had exposed the rest of the
Most Haunted team. O'Keeffe later reported that he had been grossly misquoted and misrepresented in the article, and produced a response outlining his version of the show based on his observations and findings, saying he had exposed Derek Acorah and not the entirety of Most Haunted. The show's presenter and executive producer,
Yvette FieldingYvette Fielding is a British broadcaster, producer and actress. She is best known for being the presenter of the TV shows Blue Peter, Most Haunted and Ghosthunting With....-Early life and career:...
said in an interview that she believes it was a fake possession.
Although not mentioned by O'Keeffe, the
Mirror article also brought into question unedited footage which appeared to show Fielding and
Karl BeattieKarl Beattie is an outspoken broadcaster, pundit and the husband of Yvette Fielding, main presenter Living TV's now defunct Most Haunted and Most Haunted Live, programmes which investigated psychic and paranormal phenomena...
faking 'paranormal' occurrences such as ghostly bumps and knocks. Fielding denied the claims.
Further controversy centred on Derek Acorah again in the
West CountryThe West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
, this time in
DevonDevon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
. On the first night filming "Terror in Torbay", Acorah mentioned a woman incarcerated by her jealous sister in the cellar of Lupton House, even coming up with the names Margaret and Eleanor. In this case, the facts were right, but the location was wrong. This is the well-known legend of
Berry Pomeroy CastleBerry Pomeroy Castle, a Tudor mansion within the walls of an earlier castle, is near the village of Berry Pomeroy, in South Devon, England. It was built in the late 15th century by the Pomeroy family which had held the land since the 11th century. By 1547 the family was in financial difficulties...
which was to be the last night's location. On the final night, at Berry Pomeroy, Fielding reminded Acorah that he had mentioned the incarcerated sister two nights prior. Acorah glossed over his mistake and changed the subject.
There have been many viewer complaints about the show to the Television Regulator in the UK,
OfcomOfcom is the government-approved regulatory authority for the broadcasting and telecommunications industries in the United Kingdom. Ofcom was initially established by the Office of Communications Act 2002. It received its full authority from the Communications Act 2003...
. Ofcom described the show as one "where techniques are used which mean the audience is not necessarily in full possession of the facts". Ofcom ruled that this was not fraud because
Most Haunted is an entertainment show, not a legitimate investigation into the paranormal, and should not be taken seriously.
The Future of Most Haunted
On 25 June 2010, Yvette Fielding announced via the
Antix ProductionsAntix Productions is a television production company founded by Yvette Fielding and Karl Beattie in 2001. The company have produced shows for broadcasters such as Living and ITV in the UK and Travel Channel in the USA...
website that she is to step down as presenter of the show.
After Yvette's announcement, Living's channel controller Claudia Rosencrantz has said "Most Haunted has given us three incredible years with these live strips. This year it sort of felt it had reached the end of its reign - not that we won't revisit it."
On 10 September 2010, Living announced a new show that is to replace
Most Haunted called
Paranormal Investigation: Live. This announcement brings to a close the series of
Most Haunted on Living.
On 12 August 2011, Karl Beattie announced via his Facebook profile;
'Hi Guys Just wanted to give you the official news. SkyLiving has decided not to re-commission MH which is sad news, however, we have been given our rights back, so we can go to other broadcasters with it. I think that a new home and better investigation techniques will move MH into the next phase making it bigger and better than ever. We are very excited about MH's future, so onwards and upwards my paranormal friends. xx'
On 27 October 2011, Karl Beattie announced via his Facebook profile;
Unfortunately we didn't have enough time to get a programme sorted for halloween, getting all the rights back took much longer than first thought. But we are back now, next year we will be looking to go bigger and better than ever before and we will take halloween back. We are about to sign a very exciting deal with a very large company to take Most Haunted to the next level. So watch this space. And thanks for all of your support and undying loyalty, which in this industry is a very rare thing indeed, thank you all it means so much.
External links
- Official Most Haunted website
- Unofficial website by the Travel Channel
The Travel Channel is a satellite and cable television channel that is headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, US. It features documentaries and how-to shows related to travel and leisure around the United States and throughout the world. Programming has included shows in African animal safaris,...
(USA)
- Antix Productions (production company for Most Haunted)