Monday, October 22, 2007

Is there anybody there?


The sun was low, the house was dark, the atmosphere was perfect - We watched Ghostwatch yesterday afternoon.

For those who may not know what this is, it was a spoof phone-in and outside broadcast show in search of a poltergeist who was alleged to have been plaguing a house in north west London. It was first shown in 1992 on BBC1 on Hallowe'en, and involved a studio-bound Michael Parkinson, along with an expert Dr Lin Pascoe, watching live pictures from the house where Sarah Greene was hunting ghosts. Also in the studio was Sarah's husband Mike Smith manning the phones - 'waiting for your calls and ghostly experiences', while Craig Charles was outside the house in Northolt and not really serving any purpose at all other than to be annoying.

As the show went on, the ghostly experiences increased, and the mystery of the poltergeist was solved. Then things got really bad as the expert realised they'd created a mass seance, and it ended with the studio in meltdown and Sarah Greene being pulled into a cupboard by the ghost.

I remember when this went out on Hallowe'en, and for a while thinking it was real. However, the acting was so wooden (except from Parky, who was actually quite good), that it all became clear quite quickly. Some people however, thought it really was happening, and there was a bit of a hoo-ha about it.

I have to say though, watching it now, it was actually quite well-done and quite creepy. Afterwards I felt a bit edgy going upstairs. It's no secret that we've had a couple of mediums round to our house, who both saw the same things, and we've been told we've got a few ghosts and we've had some strange goings on. But nothing that makes you want to move out. It's all very friendly.

But I'm glad Mrs F-C was there. I can't watch this type of thing on my own anymore.

For years I rubbished Ghostwatch, but now I think it's a classic.

11 comments:

Clair said...

Just shows, TV companies lying to the public is nothing new!

Red Squirrel said...

Whatever happened to Sarah Greene? Did she ever come back after the helicopter crash? Or is she just living off Smithy's Carphone Warehouse millions? I know you know...

Mondo said...

Did you see the C4 thing on the Enfield Poltergeist earlier this year - Terrifying

http://www.zurichmansion.org/
ghosts/poltergeist.htm

And this is highly recommend reading

Will Storr Vs. the Supernatural: One Man's Search for the Truth About Ghosts

Very Louis Theroux, Jon Ronson and one of the best books I've read all year

Jon Peake said...

I think she's still around Squirrel, doing the odd thing. Not sure about him though.

Thanks for the recommendations, PM, though I've got enough going on in my own home. We could rival Enfield sometimes.

Kolley Kibber said...

Do tell (even if it means repeating stuff!!

Or maybe not. I'll only read it, and then find I'm too scared to go upstairs on my own.

Jon Peake said...

Find Spirit and Destiny magazine from July 06 and it's in there.

So, stuff moved around, chairs out then in, electricity problems, voices, laughter, footsteps, table mats in a perfect circle, things going missing then appearing right before your very eyes, that sort of thing.

Four permanant ghosts too.

Funnily enough it's not scary anywhere but at the very top of the stairs, the bit where I always run into the bedroom.

Bright Ambassador said...

That Enfield 'poltergeist' was 'recorded' shouting "Shut that fucking door!", which made me think it was the ghost of a very angry Larry Grayson.

Paul said...

I remember Ghostwatch very well. I also have the DVD :-)

I also recall that, despite running trailers of the show the day before transmission, that included footage of the "live" event, there were indeed people who thought it was real.

In fact, the hoo-ha (if I recall correctly, 50 calls of complaint and a couple of "outraged" papers taking a stand against the wicked BBC) caused the Beeb to issue an apology and promise never to show it again. Which, I believe, they never have...

Stephen Volk, the write, went on to create Afterlife (with Lesley Sharp).

Of course, with Most Haunted on its 750th season you do wonder what the fuss was all about...

I really liked it though :-)

Paul said...

In fact, have a look at this...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghostwatch

office pest said...

Most interesting post. Just wondered how your cat takes to these supernatural goings on?

On another tack entirely, I bought some Jameson's Ruffles the other day. As I'm sure you remember, like pink coconut ice/Bounty insides with chocolate round them. Not bad at all.

office pest said...
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