Most Haunted

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Most Haunted

Official Most Haunted logo
Genre Reality
Running time Series 1 = 30 mins
Series 2+ = 60 mins
Executive producer(s) Yvette Fielding
Starring Yvette Fielding
David Wells
Ciarán O'Keeffe
Karl Beattie
Country of origin UK
Original channel LivingTV
Original run 25 May 2002–present
No. of episodes 114
Official website
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

Most Haunted is a British television programme 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, on the W Network in Canada, on TV3 in Ireland, 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.


Contents

[edit] Production

The team travel around the UK investigating alleged paranormal 'hotspots'. In reality filming takes up to four days.

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 illuminted outside at night time, with blue and green colours. From series 1 - 3 there was extensive use of the steadicam, which provided gliding shots during Yvette's ghostly tales or for general views. In series 8 the team introduced a camera crane or 'Jib' system for elaborate arial shots of both Yvette and the locations. Most of the photography in Most Haunted focuses on 'general views' of a location and its surroundings. Most Haunted is filmed with both broadcast and miniDV cameras with night vision facility.
Editing
The original editor, Neil Haggerty, is said by many fans [citation needed] to be responsible for the creation of the original 'Most Haunted' look. Neil created intricate edits, using a wide range of visual effects such as dust and scratchings and lumnescent transitions. He also used many other devices such as slow or speeded images from the steadicam to create gliding shots, imposing and superimposing and many other effects resulting in the show looking sophisitcated edit wise. Neil left after series 4 and was replaced by an 'edit team'. This resulted in a different editor for almost every episode. Due to this Most Haunted lost its intricity edit wise, with only one rather fake looking dust effect in use and varying styles to the editing with each episode. This trend continued until series 8, with most of the episodes edited by Ollie Hulbert becoming close to Haggerty's original style.
Music
The music used on Most Haunted was originally composed by Alan Clark. Although on the show it sounds like an ambient score, it is actually many tracks mixed together during editing. The tracks are all taken from Spectrasonics sample libraries and were composed into groups by Clark. There are over 100 music cues which are all mixed together in various fashions.


[edit] Sister shows

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: (see below).

[edit] Cast and crew

Most Haunted features a main presenter, a spiritualist medium and a parapsychologist. Essentially the latter two create an even balance between paranormal and scientific explanations for the various phenomena that occur.

The rest of the cast is made up from some of the crew who, once they've performed their true crew role, participate in vigils along with the presenter and other cast, essentially becoming presenters themselves.

[edit] Current cast and crew

The presenter of Most Haunted is Yvette Fielding, well known for her work on Blue Peter and City Hospital. The spiritualist medium is David Wells, and the parapsychologist is Dr Ciarán O'Keeffe.

Many crew members have departed and removed, including Richard Felix who has been recently removed by Antix as resident historian and replaced by Leslie Smith. [citation needed]

Crew members include.

  • Karl Beattie - Producer, Camera operator
  • Jon Gilbert - Sound
  • Stuart Torvell - Rigger
  • Catherine Howe - Make-up artist and Hair
  • Iain Cash - Camera Operator
  • Julian Clegg - Most Haunted Live Access All Areas and Interactive Host
  • Paul Ross - Presenter (Most Haunted Live 19 - present)
  • Steve Parsons - Paranormal Investigator (Most Haunted Live 19 - Present)

The show has also featured guest mediums. So far these have been Ian Lawman, Ian Shillito, Gordon Smith, Uri Gellar and Kevin Wade.

[edit] Former cast and crew

  • Derek Acorah - Spiritualist Medium (Series 1-6)
  • Jason Karl - Paranormal Investigator (Series 1)
  • Phil Whyman - Paranormal Investigator (Series 2-4)
  • Matthew Smith - Parapsychologist (Most Haunted Live)
  • Dave Scanlan - Paranormal Investigator (Most Haunted Live 1)
  • Rick Fielding - Cameraman
  • Brian Shephard - Psychic Artist (Series 5)
  • Marion Goodfellow - Psychic Artist (Series 5)
  • Will Hanrahan - Producer for Hanrahan Media (Most Haunted Live)
  • Craig Harman - Cameraman
  • John Dibley - Director of photography
  • Jane Millichip - Executive Producer for LivingTV (Most Haunted Live 1-6 and series 1-5)
  • Neil Haggerty - Editor (Series 1-4)
  • Paul Harrison - Dubbing Mixer (Series 1-4)
  • Dr David Bull - Most Haunted Live Presenter (Most Haunted Live 1-17)
  • Jamie Darling - Presenter (Most Haunted Live 18)
  • Louie Savva - Parapsychologist
  • Richard Felix - Historian
  • Rachel Phillips - Script Writer

[edit] Episodes and locations

[edit] Series 1 (2002)

# Airdate Location
1 25 May Athelhampton Hall Dorset, England England
2 4 June Chillingham Castle Northumberland, England England
3 11 June Avebury Stones and The Red Lion Wiltshire, England England
4 18 June Theatre Royal, Drury Lane London, England England
5 25 June Leap Castle County Offaly, Ireland Republic of Ireland
6 2 July The Ostrich Inn Colnbrook, Berkshire, England England
7 9 July Souter Lighthouse Marsden, Tyne and Wear, England England
8 16 July Charnock Hall Sheffield, England England
9 23 July Culzean Castle Ayrshire, Scotland Scotland
10 30 July The Mermaid Inn East Sussex, England England
11 6 August Blackpool Pleasure Beach Blackpool, Lancashire, England England
12 13 August Treasure Holt Essex, England England
13 20 August Levens Hall Cumbria, England England
14 27 August Derby Gaol Derby, England England
15 3 September Aldwych Underground Station London, England England
16 10 September Charleville Forest Castle County Offaly, Ireland Republic of Ireland
17 17 September Michelham Priory East Sussex England England

Note: The original broadcast duration for these episodes was thirty minutes each, however some have been extended to the full hour and titled 'Most Haunted Unseen'. Footage added is shown with a caption in the corner to distinguish it from the orginal version.

[edit] Series 2 (2003)

# Airdate Location
18 8 April Brannigans Nightclub Manchester , England England
19 15 April Tutbury Castle Staffordshire, England England
20 22 April The Station Hotel Dudley, West Midlands, England England
21 29 April The Skirrid Inn Powys, Wales Wales
22 6 May House of Detention London, England England
23 13 May Lafferty's, Bell Inn and The Heritage Centre Derby, England England
24 20 May Llancaiach Fawr Manor Caerphilly, Glamorgan, Wales Wales
25 27 May Pengersick Castle Cornwall, England England
26 3 June The Clock House Surrey, England England
27 10 June Caesar's Nightclub London, England England

Note: Broadcast running time extended to an hour for this and all following series to date.

[edit] Celebrity Most Haunted (2003)

# Airdate Location Celebrities
28 23 August Belgrave Hall Leicester, England England Vic Reeves, Nancy Sorrell

[edit] Series 3 (2003)

# Airdate Location
29 7 October RAF East Kirkby Lincolnshire, England England
30 14 October Moresby Hall Whitehaven, Cumbria, England England
31 21 October Edinburgh Vaults Edinburgh, Scotland Scotland
32 28 October Leith Hall Aberdeenshire, Scotland Scotland
33 4 November Aberglasney House Carmarthenshire, Wales Wales
34 11 November Tamworth Castle Staffordshire, England England
35 18 November Fitz Manor Shropshire, England England
36 25 November Schooner Hotel Alnmouth, Northumberland, England England
37 2 December Muckleburgh Collection Norfolk, England England
38 9 December Galleries of Justice Nottingham, England England

[edit] Series 4

running time 60 min

[edit] Series 5

running time 60 min

[edit] Series 6

NOTE: Derek Acorah's Final Series running time 60 min

[edit] Series 7

running time 60min

[edit] Series 8

NOTE: Richard Felix's last series. [citation needed] running time 60 min

[edit] Series 9

Beginnning January 2, 2007.[1]

Episode 1 *South Stack Lighthouse, Anglesey, North Wales

RUMOURED LOCATIONS:

Note: out of UK Locations will be visited

[edit] Most Haunted Live

The Most Haunted Live shows are broadcast from a large, reportedly haunted location, with cameras following the team as they investigate. The 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, Paul Ross, 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, the current medium and Phil from the episode team).

Paul O'Grady was on one live show after presenter Yvette Fielding was a guest on his show and invited him to come along.

Most Haunted Live locations:

# Location Area Airdate Theme
1 Dudley Castle Dudley, West Midlands 31 October 2002 Hallowe'en
2 Dover Castle Dover, Kent 22 December 2002 Christmas
3 Midland Grand Hotel London 1 April 2003 April Fool's Day
4 Woodchester Mansion Woodchester, Gloucestershire 21 June 2003 Summer Solstice
5 Beaulieu Abbey Hampshire 31 October 2003 Hallowe'en
6 Hampstead Heath, Spaniards Inn. Epping Forest. Knavesmire from London to York 29 December 2003 to 31 December 2003 Dick Turpin
7 Avon Riverbank, Falstaff Experience Museum, New Place. Hall’s Croft, Clopton Well Stratford-Upon-Avon 28 February 2004 & 29 February 2004 William Shakespeare
8 Graveyard of St. Nicholas Church, Crossroads. Seafield Bay, The White Hart, Manningtree Green. Mistley Towers, The Thorn Hotel, Mistley Pond and Hopping Bridge, Church Ruins. Canewdon & Manningtree & Mistley, Essex 9 April 2004 to 11 April 2004 Matthew Hopkins (The Witchfinder General)
9 House of John Flamsteed, The Silk Mill, The Old Dophin Inn. McClusky's Nightclub, Derby Gaol, The Friary. Elvaston Castle Derby 19 June 2004 to 21 June 2004 Summer Solstice
10 Maes Artro Snowdonia 10 September 2004 to 12 September 2004 Series 5 Countdown
11 Pendle Hill Lancashire 30 October 2004 to 1 November 2004 Hallowe'en
12 Blackpool Pleasure Beach, The Tower, Winter Gardens Theatre Blackpool, Lancashire 12 December 2004 to 14 December 2004 Christmas
13 Lupton House. The Globe Hotel, Brixham Heritage Museum, The Smugglers' Haunt. Berry Pomeroy Castle. Brixham, Torbay, Devon 12 March 2005 to 14 March 2005 Terror at Torbay
14 Elstree Studios Hertfordshire 6 May 2005 to 8 May 2005
15 Rutland Mill Complex, Wakefield Theatre Royal & Opera House, Caphouse Colliery Wakefield, West Yorkshire 19 June 2005 to 21 June 2005 Summer Solstice
16 Staircase Hall, Stockport. "A Mental Asylum" (actually Barnes Convalescent Hospital). Brannigans Night Club Greater Manchester 2 September 2005 to 4 September 2005
17 Tower Bridge, Commercial Tavern, Clink Prison Museum, Blind Beggar Pub London 28 October 2005 to 31 October 2005 Jack The Ripper/Hallowe'en
18 Bluecoat Chambers, Royal Court Theatre, Wirral Museum Merseyside 9 December 2005 to 11 December 2005
19 Wymering Manor, Southsea Castle, Royal Marines Museum Portsmouth, Hampshire 5 May 2006 to 7 May 2006
20 Parc Howard Museum, Llanelly House, Kidwelly Castle Llanelli, Carmarthenshire 24 June 2006 to 26 June 2006 Summer Solstice (100th episode)
21 Blair Street Vaults, Niddry Street Vaults, Mary King's Close Edinburgh 29 October 2006 to 31 October 2006 Hallowe'en

[edit] Controversy

On several occasions the former "psychic medium" Derek Acorah was purportedly possessed by an entity, sometimes evil or sometimes "lost and confused." One such case which helped expose Derek was the Kreed Kafer Possession. This was where Derek was seemingly possessed by a spirit whose name happened to be an anagram of Derek Faker.

The show's presenter and executive producer, Yvette Fielding said in an interview that she believes it was a fake possession[2]. However it is unlikely that it will ever be known whether this was in fact a real paranormal event. Another possible theory is that Derek only thinks he is getting possessed, when in all actuality he's imagining things. Other people might say the possession-of-the-day (week, for the television one-off version) made the shows more interesting. In the same interview, Yvette Fielding said that following the fake possession Derek had to leave the show, since it was contrary to everything that was shown in the programmes being real. However, an analysis of the interview by the Bad Psychics founder refutes many of Fielding's claims.

[edit] Criticism

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

On the night of Halloween 2005, the crew of Most Haunted visited the disused Barnes Hospital in Manchester. Yvette Fielding claimed the hospital was an insane asylum and Derek Acorah was "possessed" by an insane patient, despite Barnes Hospital originally being a convalescence hospital[1]. Urban explorers from the website Nyctophobia visited the hospital in November to setup a Most Haunted spoof, Most Unhaunted, mocking the inaccuracies of the live show such as the reporting of the "terrible smell" in the mortuary by Yvette Fielding despite there being no such smell.

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.

Several videos have appeared on the internet which to critics, reinforce the fact that the show is set up and involves no paranormal activity. In one, a viewer with a satellite feed recorded the actors and crew joking around and laughing at the story Derek Acorah has just told. Another shows the program's presenter, Yvette, supposedly moving a glass. The glass is expected to be moved by the spirit, but some charge that Yvette who is wearing slippery gloves, instead thrusts her hand forward. In another video, a cameraman catches a glimpse of Yvette in a mirror, making a ghastly noise, then asking if anyone else heard it; blaming it on spirits.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Living Tv. Retrieved November 27, 2006.
  2. ^ Metro UK, "60 SECONDS: Yvette Fielding" by James Ellis, The UK Metro, October 30, 2006, retrieved November 2, 2006.

[edit] External Links

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