Most Haunted is a British paranormal reality television series.
Most Haunted was first shown on Living TV between 2002 and 2010. However, it has since been revived on Really and online, via an official mobile app and YouTube Channel. Presented by Yvette Fielding, the programme investigates purported paranormal activity in a range of locations, mainly within the United Kingdom. The series was produced by Antix Productions.
After four years off-air, Fielding and Karl Beattie, the producer of the programme, confirmed that, following a successful online episode, Most Haunted would be returning to screens in August 2014, aired by Really.
In July 2019, Beattie announced that Really would no longer be making new episodes of Most Haunted. However, repeats of previous series on Really will continue to air occasionally on the channel. Most Haunted new episodes, live events, and new extra content, including outtakes and behind the scenes material, will continue to be produced, and these will now air on the official Most Haunted YouTube channel to an international audience. A new channel is being sought by Antix Productions to air the new series. However, until this channel is found, all new material from Most Haunted will now be available on its YouTube channel.
Over 300 episodes of the programme have been broadcast to date.
Cancellation and revival On 12 August 2011 it was announced that Sky Living had officially axed Most Haunted and had returned the rights to the show to Yvette Fielding and Karl Beattie.
In 2012, it was revealed that Antix Productions partnered with Lionsgate to redevelop Most Haunted.
In July 2013, Karl Beattie began scouting new locations for a new series of Most Haunted.
In April 2014, Yvette Fielding confirmed in an interview with Channel 4's Sunday Brunch that Most Haunted would be returning to television in late 2014; this was later confirmed on 4 June 2014. It was later confirmed that Really would be the new home of Most Haunted.
Really ended its partnership with Most Haunted in the summer of 2019, with the new owners of Really, Discovery, Inc. deciding to concentrate on importing American paranormal programming rather than the British-based Most Haunted.
Most Haunted moved its new content onto its new YouTube channel, which aired new Most Haunted material, shorter Most Haunted episodes, weekly live streams with Karl, Yvette, and Mary Beattie, and also live events at Halloween and other times. Contrary to opening captions on broadcast versions of the programme, current episodes now display opening wording stressing the Most Haunted team stand by the findings of their investigations (as YouTube have no rules or regulations on the legitimacy of paranormal content on the platform, unlike OFCOM).
Production The Most Haunted team has travelled not only in the United Kingdom but also Ireland, the Netherlands, Romania, the United States, Italy, and the Czech Republic, 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 in an almost "theatrical" style, with illuminated windows and dry ice. Locations were often illuminated outside at night with blue and green lights. There was a high emphasis on quality production. 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 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 was filmed with both broadcast Sony DSR-570WSP & DSR-PD170P DVCAM cameras and Sony DCR-PC9E miniDV cameras. A thermal imaging camera was also used to detect and highlight cold and warm spots. The style of the series changed somewhat after series five, losing its Most Haunted grungy look as it became more mainstream.
Music Most Haunted'''s music was originally composed for the picture by Alan Clark, using his own original sounds and samples and including some from the Spectrasonics sample libraries: Distorted Reality, Metamorphosis, and Biazzare Guitar. As of series 12, Clark's music has been supplemented with additional stock music, which was also used on the now defunct Unexplained Channel programme, Rest in Peace. Living TV also released a CD featuring Clark's music remixed and original material written and produced by composer and producer Steve Deakin-Davies (The Official Most Haunted Soundtrack Vol 1: The Ambition Company/Solo MH104)
On-screen team
Between series 1 and series 15, Most Haunted featured a main presenter, a historian, a psychic medium, and a parapsychologist.
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 analyzed 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 séances.
From series 16, Antix Productions decided to remove psychic mediums from the format of the show.
Name Role Duration Yvette Fielding Presenter 2002–2011, 2013– Karl Beattie Producer, Director & Cameraman 2002–2011, 2013– Stuart Torevell Rigger, Director of Photography & Cameraman 2002–2011, 2013– Fred Batt Demonologist & Historian 2010–2011, 2013– Gregg Smith Cameraman 2015– Glen Hunt Sceptic 2015– Darren Hutchinson Soundman 2014–Mary Beattie Yvette and Karl's daughter. Paranormal Investigator 2018–
Some episodes have also included at least one celebrity. So far, the celebrity guests have included Vic Reeves, Nancy Sorrell, Gaby Roslin, Scott Mills, Mark Chapman, Simon Gregson, Sue Cleaver, Carol Thatcher, Paul O'Grady, and Lee Ryan. For the series 10 episode from Coalhouse Fort, the team were joined by Scottish paranormal investigator Ryan O'Neill, and series 15 saw Bullet for My Valentine join the team on an investigation.
Former mediums Between series 1 and series 14, a medium accompanied the team on their investigations. The mediums were as follows: Derek Acorah (Series 1–6: 2001–2005) David Wells (Series 4–8 & 9: 2004–2007) Gordon Smith (Series 7, 8: 2005–2006) Brian Shepherd (Series 4, 5: Series 10–13: 2008) Chris Conway (Series 14, 15: 2009) The show has also featured guest mediums. So far, these have been Ian Lawman, Ian Shillito, Uri Geller, Rochford's clairvoyant Kevin Wade, American-born Johnnie Fiori, Barrie John, Liverpool native Billy Roberts, and American-born Patrick Mathews.
It was decided for series 15 onwards that psychic mediums would not be used in the format.
Former team members
Name Role Years Jason Karl Parapsychologist 2002 Catherine Howe Hair & Make-Up Artist 2003–2011 Phil Whyman Paranormal Investigator 2002–2004, 2009–2010 Richard Felix Historian 2003–2006 Ciarán O'Keeffe Parapsychologist 2004–2010 Matthew Smith Parapsychologist 2002–2005 Steven Parsons Paranormal Investigator 2006–2007 Chris Burton Director of Photography & Cameraman 2007–2011, 2013–2014 Lesley Smith Historian 2006–2009 Melanie Crump Hair & Make-Up Artist 2013–2014 John Callow Historian & Sceptic 2009 & 2014 Leah Walton Hair & Make-Up Artist 2015 Eamonn Vann-Harris Electronic Researcher 2015–2017
Series For main article on individual episodes, see: List of Most Haunted episodesThis section outlines changes across the 23 series of Most Haunted, with detailed look at major changes through the programme's original run (series 1–14), broadcast on Living and a brief series overviews and filming location lists of the revival series (15–23), broadcast on Really.
Time slot
Series 1: Tuesdays at 8:30pm on Living Series 2–13 Tuesdays at 9:00pm on Living Series 14: Wednesdays at 10.00pm on Living Series 16–17: Thursdays at 10:00pm on Really Series 18: Sundays at 10:00pm on Really Series 19: Thursdays at 10:00pm on Really Series 20–22: Fridays at 10:00pm on Really Series 23: Daily at 10:00pm on Really Series 24: Fridays at 9:00pm on Really
Series 1–3 (2002–2003) Known as Most Haunted with Yvette Fielding and Derek Acorah (This title was used until series 6)
The first series began on 25 May 2002. Each episode had a duration of 30 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 Priory 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 button. For Series two and three, Phil Whyman joined the show as a paranormal investigator, replacing the original investigator Jason Karl, as well as guest investigators David Scanlan and Vicki Purewal, who left at the end of the first series. The show remained unchanged at this point until Series 4.
Series 4–6 (Derek Acorah departure and revamp) The fourth series commenced on 23 March 2004 with an investigation of Owlpen Manor. Most Haunted Extra became a 30-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 Acorah who had been the only medium in the first three series. The main guest mediums involved during this series were Salisbury native Brian Shepherd, David Wells and Scunthorpe's 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'Keeffe. 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 his colleague Matthew Smith 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.
At the end of Series 5, Antix Productions began editing the series in-house at their own production offices. Prior to this, post-production had been completed at 422 Manchester. As a result, the series lost its original editor who had worked on Most Haunted since the first episode and all of the vintage film composite effects which resulted in a considerable change to the editing style and look of the programme.
For series six, beginning on 22 March 2005 with an investigation of Bodmin Gaol, David Wells became one of the main mediums alongside Derek Acorah appearing in every episode.