Most Haunted
| Most Haunted | |
|---|---|
| Created by | Yvette Fielding,Karl Beattie |
| Starring | Yvette Fielding David Wells Ciarán O'Keeffe Karl Beattie Paul Ross |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No.of episodes | 129[1](list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Yvette Fielding |
| Running time | Series 1 = 30 mins Series 2+ = 60 mins |
| Original release | |
| Network | Living |
| Release | 25 May 2002– present |
Most Hauntedis aBritishparanormal televisionprogram based on investigating possibleparanormalactivity. It is shown on thesatelliteandcablechannelsLiving,Living2andVirgin 1(FormerlyFtn), mainly for the UK market. It is also shown in theUnited Stateson theTravel Channeland on the W Channel inAustralia.It is made byAntix Productions,and is led byYvette Fieldingand her husbandKarl Beattie.
The show started their 10th series on February 19, 2008.[2]
Production
[change|change source]The team travel around theUK,and alsoIreland,the Netherlandsand theUnited States,investigating possible paranormal 'hotspots' for 24 hours.
Sister shows
[change|change source]- Most Haunted Extra:runs directly after premiere episodes, documenting behind-the-scenes antics of the cast and crew on that night's location.
- Most Haunted Unseen:re-release of complete series one but with added footage bringing the duration of the programme from half an hour to an hour.
- Most Haunted Live!
- Most Haunted Live: Access All Areas:similar to Most Haunted Extra. Features behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the team.
- Most Haunted Midsummer Murders:Seven part series where Most Haunted investigators try to solvemurder mysteriesin normal English villages. Hosted by Most Haunted Live historian Lesley Smith. The series started on a weeklybroadcastfrom2007-06-19to2007-07-31and the team visited (in order of broadcast)Stoney Middleton,Nantwich,Castleton,Pluckley,Ruthin,TutburyandTarvin.
- Most Haunted: Recurring Nightmares:Series in which the presenters tell and recall their most feared visits.
TheMost Hauntedteam
[change|change source]Most Haunted has a mainpresenter,apsychic mediumand aparapsychologist.The parapsychologist's role is to be theskeptic,and to give possiblescientificsuggestions for the paranormal activity that happens during the night. These are supported by some of theproduction crew,who appear in the show and generally have some involvement with many parts of the investigation as they are performing their normal crew role. Most of these on-screen crew members also take part inséances.
| Name | Show role | Crew role | Started |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yvette Fielding | Presenter/ Investigator | Executive producer | Series 1 |
| David Wells | Medium | Spiritual Advisor | Series 4 |
| Dr Ciarán O'Keeffe | Parapsychologist | None | Series 2 |
| Karl Beattie | Investigator | Producer,Director | Series 1 |
| Stuart Torevell | Investigator | Rigger,Camera operator | Series 1 |
| Catherine Howe | Investigator | Hair and Make-up | Series 2 |
| Iain Cash | Investigator | Camera Operator | Series 6 |
| Geoff Adams | None | Director of Photography | Series 9 |
The show has also featured guestmediums.So far these have been Ian Lawman, Ian Shillito, Gordon Smith,Uri Gellerand Kevin Wade. Some episodes have also included at least one celebrity. So farcelebritieshave includedVic Reeves,Nancy Sorrell,Gaby Roslin,Scott Mills,Mark Chapman,Simon Gregson,Sue Cleaver,Carol Thatcher,Paul O'GradyandLee Ryan.
Former team members
[change|change source]The following is a list of former team and crew members who have given a lot of their time to the show.
| Name | Role | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Derek Acorah | Spiritualist Medium | Series 1-6 |
| Phil Whyman | Paranormal Investigator | Series 2-4 |
| Jason Karl | Paranormal Investigator | Series 1 |
| Steve Parsons | Paranormal Investigator | Series 8 |
| Matthew Smith | Parapsychologist | Series 2-8 |
| Louie Savva | Parapsychologist | Series 7 |
| Richard Felix | Historian | Series 2-8 |
| Rick Fielding | Cameraman | Series 1-4 |
| Craig Harman | Steadicam Operator | Series 1-3 |
| John Dibley | Director of photography, Camera Operator | Series 2-8 |
| Neil Haggerty | Editor | Series 1-4 |
| Warren Baxter | Editor | Series 5 |
| Stefan Petecki | Editor | Series 5-7 |
| Paul Harrison | Post-production Sound | Series 1-4 |
| Martin Huntley | Location Sound | Series 1 |
| Tom O'Carrol | Location Sound | Series 3-5 |
| John Baldwin | Online Editor | Series 1-4 |
| Rachel Phillips | Script Writer | Series 5-6 |
| Jon Gilbert | Sound | Series 6-8 (Some of Series 9) |
Controversy
[change|change source]Many times, former "psychic medium"Derek Acorahwas possessed by a spirit, sometimes evil or sometimes "lost and confused". One such case that exposed Acorah was atBodmin Gaol,Cornwall.Before the filming, Acorah had been fedmisinformationabout a non-existent ghost of Kreed Kafer by the show parapsychologist Dr. Ciaran O' Keeffe. During the investigation, which was later broadcast, he presented the information as fact and even behaved as though he waspossessedby the fictional ghost. O'Keeffe later revealed Kreed Kafer is an anagram of 'Derek Faker'[3]in theDailyMirror.O' Keeffe exposed Acorah. The paper also claimed that O' Keeffe had exposed the rest of theMost Hauntedteam. O'Keeffe later reported that he had been grosslymisquotedand 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 NOTMost Haunted.The show's presenter and executive producer,Yvette Fieldingsaid in an interview that she believes it was a fake possession.[4]
Although not mentioned by O'Keeffe, theMirrorarticle also brought into questionunedited footagewhich appeared to show Fielding andKarl Beattiefaking 'paranormal' occurrences such as ghostly bumps and knocks. Fielding denied the claims.[3]Thus far none of this footage has come to light, leading to the belief that theMirror's claims were false. Videos purporting to show the team faking paranormal activity have often popped up on the web but show no proof.
Further controversy centred on Derek Acorah inDevon.On the first night filming "Terror in Torbay", Acorah mentioned a womanincarceratedby 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 ofBerry Pomeroy Castlewhich 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.
Related pages
[change|change source]References and notes
[change|change source]- ↑Episode count does not includeMost Haunted Live!orMost Haunted Extraepisodes.
- ↑"Antix Productions - Welcome".Antix Productions.Archived fromthe originalon 2007-12-26.Retrieved2008-01-23.
- ↑3.03.1Matt Roper (2005-10-28)."SPOOKY TRUTH: TV'S MOST HAUNTED CON EXPOSED TV".The Mirror.Retrieved2007-05-07.
- ↑Metro UK, "60 SECONDS: Yvette Fielding"by James Ellis,The UK Metro,October 30, 2006, retrieved November 2, 2006.
Other websites
[change|change source]- The Official Most Haunted Homepage
- Antix ProductionsArchived2007-06-09 at theWayback Machine- Production company forMost Haunted
- The Official Site and Forum for Karl BeattieArchived2006-10-24 at theWayback Machine
- The Official Fansite and Forum for David WellsArchived2008-02-05 at theWayback Machine
- Most Haunted blogArchived2008-01-01 at theWayback MachineOffers an alternative view on Most Haunted