Most Haunted

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Image:Most h logo.jpg

Most Haunted is a program based on investigating purported paranormal activity that is shown on the satellite and cable channels LIVINGtv, LIVINGtv2 and ftn, primarily for the UK market. It is also currently being shown on the Travel Channel in the United States, and the W Network in Canada, as well as on the W Network in Australia. It is produced and presented by Antix Productions, which consists of Yvette Fielding and her husband Karl Beattie. It is an example of the genre of Paranormal Television.

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Cast

The presenter of Most Haunted is Yvette Fielding, well known for her work on Blue Peter and City Hospital. Perhaps the shows most famous member is the clairvoyant, clairaudient and clairsensient Derek Acorah, who worked on the show from series 1-6 and has now left to make his own show also on LIVINGtv. Gordon Smith has now taken on his role from series 7. Also included is historian Richard Felix, Astrologer David Wells (who poses as a medium), Parapsychologist Dr Ciarán O' Keeffe and the whole film crew, who work as a team to catch evidence of the paranormal on film.

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Production

The team travel around the country to try to capture evidence that ghosts do exist on film. The show is produced by Antix Productions, which was set up with the prime purpose of producing the show. A pilot episode was filmed in 2001 and after over 6 months of trying to sell the programme, an offer was received from LIVINGtv. The first series is considered by some to be a landmark in 'paranormal television' due to its popularity. This first season comprised of 16 half-hour episodes. Series 2 built on its predecessor’s success and from then on ratings for the show have, for the main part, steadily increased.

Antix Productions are based in Manchester and at present Most Haunted is their only commission.

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Locations

A full list on locations can be found at Living TV's Website.

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The Most Haunted crew includes:

  • Yvette Fielding - Presenter and Executive Producer
  • David Wells - Sensitive
  • Karl Beattie - Producer
  • Ian Lawman, Psychic
  • Ciarán O' Keeffe - Parapsychologist
  • Richard Felix - Historian
  • Stuart Torvell - Rigger
  • Catherine Howe - Make-up artist and Hair
  • Jon Dibley - Cameraman
  • Andy MacDonald - Director of photography
  • Suzanne Vinton - Script Supervison
  • Matthew Smith - Parapsychologist (Most Haunted Live)
  • Richard Jones - Historian (Most Haunted Live)
  • Victoria Lysaght - Production Manager
  • Alex Lysaght - Production Manager
  • Louie Savva - Parapsychologist
  • Julian Clegg - Most Haunted Live Interactive Host
  • Iain Cash - Cameraman
  • Alan Clark - Music Composer
  • Matt Bower - Editor
  • Jamie Darling - Most Haunted Live Presenter MHL 18 - present
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Previous members of cast and crew

  • Gordon Smith - Spiritualist Medium Series 7
  • Derek Acorah - Spiritualist Medium Series 1-6
  • Jason Karl, Paranormal Investigator (Series 1)
  • Phil Whyman, Paranormal Investigator (Series 2-4)
  • Dave Scanlan, Paranormal Investigator, Most Haunted Live 1
  • Rick Fielding, Cameraman
  • CJ Romer, Researcher, appears as 'expert' on Most Haunted Live 4
  • Brian Shephard, Psychic Artist Series 5
  • Marion Goodfellow, Psychic Artist Series 5
  • Will Hanrahan, Producer for Hanrahan Media in early Most Haunted Lives.
  • Craig Harman, Cameraman
  • Jane Millichip, Executive Producer for LivingTV, Most Haunted Live 1-6, series 1-5
  • Neil Haggerty, Original (some say the best) editor series 1-4
  • Paul Harrison, Dubbing Mixer series 1-4
  • David Bull - Most Haunted Live Presenter MHL 1-17
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Most Haunted Live

The Most Haunted Live shows are broadcast from a large, supposedly haunted location, with cameras following the team as they investigate. Thew shows make use of an audience and feature psychic experiments, psychic art and remote psychometry. "The Hub", as its known, is the centre of communications, where the audience and main studio is set up. The live presenter, Jamie Darling, works from here, as does the interactive team and their leader, Julian Clegg. The hub is also the location of the gallery and production offices.

The first episode of Most Haunted Live was broadcast on October 31, 2002 from Dudley Castle and was produced jointly by Antix and Hanrahan Media. The next 7 live events were produced by Hanrahan; However, the eighth was produced by Antix, as Hanrahan had changed large amounts of the format, replacing the original Most Haunted music cues with their own versions and changing the styles of cameras and editing, making them inconsistent with the Most Haunted episodes. Antix's first solo production of Most Haunted Live was a grand affair with a large set, the original Most Haunted music and all the crew involved (Hanrahan only involved Yvette, Derek and Phil from the episode team).

Currently Most Haunted Live is broadcast every 8 weeks, with the next show scheduled for May 2006. It is rumoured that Antix have lined up a replacement for the show on an arguably grander scale.

Most Haunted Live locations:

  • MHL1 Dudley Castle
  • MHL2 Dover Castle
  • MHL3 Midland Grand Hotel
  • MHL4 Woodchester Mansion
  • MHL5 Beaulieu Abbey
  • MHL6 Dick Turpin Special, from London to York
  • MHL7 William Shakespeare Special, Stratford-Upon-Avon
  • MHL8 Matthew Hopkins Special, Suffolk
  • MHL9 Derby
  • MHL10 Maes Artro
  • MHL11 Pendle Hill
  • MHL12 Blackpool
  • MHL13 Terror at Torbay
  • MHL14 Elstree Studios, London
  • MHL15 Wakefield
  • MHL16 Manchester
  • MHL17 London
  • MHL18 Merseyside
  • MHL19 Portsmouth
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Overview

On several occasions the former "psychic medium" Derek Acorah was purportedly possessed by an entity, sometimes evil or sometimes "lost and confused." Whether this was in fact a real paranormal event or acting on Derek's part, the audience is left to decide for themselves. Other people might say the possession-of-the-day (week, for the television one-off version) makes the show more interesting.

This show is a topic of great debate in Britain, with two websites dedicated to debunking it, and an enthusiastic fan community on the 'Most Haunted Forum' at LIVINGtv's website. It is regarded as cult television in the UK.

In December 2005, Ofcom concluded an investigation into the show following complaints that it was blurring the line between investigation and entertainment. They came to the conclusion that Most Haunted is not a serious investigation into the paranormal and should be treated as nothing more than entertainment. They noted that the presence of a studio audience, theme music and the dramatic behaviour of the presenters and crew suggested this. However, they did not find that the programme had broken their code of conduct.

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External links

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