Most Haunted Fake! - Official
October 29th, 2005 11:02 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kalihaMy world is all askew. There was a massive two-page article in yesterday's Mirror about how all of Most Haunted is set up and how 'Parapsychologist' Ciaran O'Keeffe has spent the last eighteen months trying to expose Derek as a fake. Which he has successfully.
Ciaran, you Judas.
From here
SPOOKY TRUTH: TV'S MOST HAUNTED CON EXPOSED TV
By Matt Roper
THE TV show that has spooked millions with its footage of hauntings and poltergeists is today exposed as a fake - by one its own stars.
Resident parapsychologist Dr Ciaran O'Keeffe has sensationally lifted the lid on the ghosthunting series, Most Haunted ... and claims that the public are being deceived by "showmanship and dramatics."
He accuses the show's medium Derek Acorah of hoodwinking viewers by pretending to communicate with spirits and obtaining information about locations prior to filming.
The Mirror has also obtained unedited footage which appears to show presenter Yvette Fielding and her husband faking 'paranormal' occurrences such as ghostly bumps and knocks.
Most Haunted has quickly achieved cult status since it was launched in 2002 and is LivingTV's most successful programme.
Millions of viewers tune in regularly to watch Ex-Blue Peter girl Yvette and her team of ghost hunters spend the night in some of Britain's most haunted locations.
Advertisement
Click to learn more...
It has made Acorah - who claims to be guided by an Ethiopian spirit guide called Sam - into one of the country's best-known psychics.
Tonight the show will start its biggest ever live vigil, a four-night Halloween special from East London following the murderous trail of Jack the Ripper.
Yvette Fielding has said of the show - which is made by her husband Karl Beattie's production company Antix Productions: "There is no acting in this programme, none whatsoever. Everything you see and you hear is real. It's not made up, it's not acted."
But our investigation reveals how the programme uses careful editing to mislead viewers and, on at least one occasion, has even lied about the location of filming.
Ciaran, a lecturer in the paranormal at Liverpool's Hope University, knows speaking out will probably put an end to his media career... but he believes viewers should know the truth.
He says: "I think it's time to open the dialogue about what I've experienced on Most Haunted. There have been many incidents with the medium that have been brushed under the carpet.
"I was put in the show to give a professional slant to it, to give it an element of credibility, but the sceptical argument is just swept away.
"In my opinion, we're not dealing with genuine mediumship."
He says he isn't the only member of the crew who feels viewers are being cheated.
"Other crew members have been irked by Derek and what's going on, because it turns what should be a serious investigation into a laughing matter."
And our exclusive footage shows other members of the team occasionally forget they are on camera.
One of our clips, later edited out, shows Karl push an unwitting sound man in the dark and pretend it was a poltergeist attack.
In the remaining footage he says (after surreptitiously hitting the soundman): "S**t, did you feel that?"
Yvette: Are you all right? What's happened?
Karl: I felt something touch me on my shoulder.
Soundman: I felt something hit me.
And in another edited clip with medium Ian Lawman, Yvette is seen on camera making a deep sigh. In the scene that eventually went to air, Ian (after Yvette sighs) says: "What's that noise?
Yvette: What noise? Like a moan?
Ian: Breathing or something.
Yvette: I heard like an 'arrggh'.
Ciaran, who joined Most Haunted in April 2004 became suspicious of Acorah's antics on a shoot at Castle Leslie, Co Monaghan in Ireland where a 17th Century four-poster bed has been claimed to levitate.
Ciaran recalls: "As we walked into the bedroom, Derek touched the bed and came out with extremely accurate information.
"He insisted he got all the information just from touching the bed. But it was the wrong bed."
Antix Productions claims the mediums have no idea where they will be filming or know any details about the history of the locations.
But Ciaran says: "Derek must have had prior knowledge of the locations."
He devised a plan to see if Derek was deliberately deceiving the public.
While on a shoot at Bodmin gaol he invented a long-dead South African jailer called Kreed Kafer - an anagram of Derek Faker.
"I wrote the name down and asked another member of the crew to mention it to Derek before filming.
"I honestly didn't think Derek would take the bait. But during the filming he actually got possessed by my fictional character!"
On the next shoot at Prideaux Place, Cornwall, Ciaran made up another fictional character, highwayman Rik Eedles - an anagram of Derek Lies. Sure enough, Derek made contact with the dead outlaw.
Ciaran says: "In my professional opinion we're not dealing with a genuine medium.
"When Derek is possessed he is doing it consciously - all we are seeing is showmanship and dramatics."
Ciaran went a step further at Craigievar Castle, near Aberdeen.
"I made up stories about Richard the Lionheart, a witch, and Richard's apparition appearing to walk through a wardrobe - the lion, the witch and the wardrobe!" True to form, Derek mentioned all Ciaran's stories - even though Richard I reigned 500 years BEFORE Craigievar Castle was built.
The final straw came last month when Most Haunted presented a three-night special from Manchester.
On the second evening, the show claimed to be broadcasting live from the site of Cheadle's Victorian asylum, a place where - according to presenter David Bull - thousands died in torment. In fact they were in the derelict remains of Barnes Convalescence Home - where nobody died in torment.
Ciaran remembers: "Derek was communicating with spirits that sounded as if they'd been in an asylum, but it was never an asylum."
Yesterday the Mirror confronted Derek Acorah with Ciaran's allegations. He told us: "I've worked with Ciaran for many shows and he's got every right to say what he says.
"However, it does shock and surprise me. Not only do I believe that I am a genuine medium - I live my work 24 hours a day. If I thought that I wasn't a true medium, I wouldn't work as one."
A spokesman for LivingTV said: "Ciaran O'Keeffe has worked as the programme's official sceptic for 18 months and during this time has not brought any of his concerns to our attention.
"LivingTV has not seen any of your filmed evidence, but will fully investigate your claims."
My favourite bit of Most Haunted ever (when Derek starts smashing up Bodmin Gaol) all fake. *cries*
Now, don't get me wrong, I've always known that Most Haunted is entertainment (and very entertaining it is) and not serious ghost hunting, and that it's probably all made up, but it's sad to actually see it there in black and white.
LivingTV aren't going to get rid of it though:
From here
TV GHOST 'FAKERS' TO CARRY ON
LIVINGTV bosses have refused to axe its most popular show, Most Haunted, after a Daily Mirror investigation exposed it as a fake.
Not only are they backing the shamed ghost-hunting series, they are going ahead with medium Derek Acorah's new show.
Acorah was accused of faking possessions by the show's own parapsychologist Ciaran O'Keefe.
Yesterday experts and members of the psychic community called for the programme to be taken off the air. And TV regulator Ofcom is looking into 22 complaints.
Clive Lloyd, spokesman for the Spiritualist National Union, said: "For me the programme is sheer showmanship, an act all the way through."
LivingTV said: "We are looking into the Daily Mirror's claims.
Yet.
How am i going to break this to my sister. She's going to be devastated.
Derek using Muse's Sing for Absolution on the trailers for his new show takes on a whole new meaning.
Ciaran, you Judas.
From here
SPOOKY TRUTH: TV'S MOST HAUNTED CON EXPOSED TV
By Matt Roper
THE TV show that has spooked millions with its footage of hauntings and poltergeists is today exposed as a fake - by one its own stars.
Resident parapsychologist Dr Ciaran O'Keeffe has sensationally lifted the lid on the ghosthunting series, Most Haunted ... and claims that the public are being deceived by "showmanship and dramatics."
He accuses the show's medium Derek Acorah of hoodwinking viewers by pretending to communicate with spirits and obtaining information about locations prior to filming.
The Mirror has also obtained unedited footage which appears to show presenter Yvette Fielding and her husband faking 'paranormal' occurrences such as ghostly bumps and knocks.
Most Haunted has quickly achieved cult status since it was launched in 2002 and is LivingTV's most successful programme.
Millions of viewers tune in regularly to watch Ex-Blue Peter girl Yvette and her team of ghost hunters spend the night in some of Britain's most haunted locations.
Advertisement
Click to learn more...
It has made Acorah - who claims to be guided by an Ethiopian spirit guide called Sam - into one of the country's best-known psychics.
Tonight the show will start its biggest ever live vigil, a four-night Halloween special from East London following the murderous trail of Jack the Ripper.
Yvette Fielding has said of the show - which is made by her husband Karl Beattie's production company Antix Productions: "There is no acting in this programme, none whatsoever. Everything you see and you hear is real. It's not made up, it's not acted."
But our investigation reveals how the programme uses careful editing to mislead viewers and, on at least one occasion, has even lied about the location of filming.
Ciaran, a lecturer in the paranormal at Liverpool's Hope University, knows speaking out will probably put an end to his media career... but he believes viewers should know the truth.
He says: "I think it's time to open the dialogue about what I've experienced on Most Haunted. There have been many incidents with the medium that have been brushed under the carpet.
"I was put in the show to give a professional slant to it, to give it an element of credibility, but the sceptical argument is just swept away.
"In my opinion, we're not dealing with genuine mediumship."
He says he isn't the only member of the crew who feels viewers are being cheated.
"Other crew members have been irked by Derek and what's going on, because it turns what should be a serious investigation into a laughing matter."
And our exclusive footage shows other members of the team occasionally forget they are on camera.
One of our clips, later edited out, shows Karl push an unwitting sound man in the dark and pretend it was a poltergeist attack.
In the remaining footage he says (after surreptitiously hitting the soundman): "S**t, did you feel that?"
Yvette: Are you all right? What's happened?
Karl: I felt something touch me on my shoulder.
Soundman: I felt something hit me.
And in another edited clip with medium Ian Lawman, Yvette is seen on camera making a deep sigh. In the scene that eventually went to air, Ian (after Yvette sighs) says: "What's that noise?
Yvette: What noise? Like a moan?
Ian: Breathing or something.
Yvette: I heard like an 'arrggh'.
Ciaran, who joined Most Haunted in April 2004 became suspicious of Acorah's antics on a shoot at Castle Leslie, Co Monaghan in Ireland where a 17th Century four-poster bed has been claimed to levitate.
Ciaran recalls: "As we walked into the bedroom, Derek touched the bed and came out with extremely accurate information.
"He insisted he got all the information just from touching the bed. But it was the wrong bed."
Antix Productions claims the mediums have no idea where they will be filming or know any details about the history of the locations.
But Ciaran says: "Derek must have had prior knowledge of the locations."
He devised a plan to see if Derek was deliberately deceiving the public.
While on a shoot at Bodmin gaol he invented a long-dead South African jailer called Kreed Kafer - an anagram of Derek Faker.
"I wrote the name down and asked another member of the crew to mention it to Derek before filming.
"I honestly didn't think Derek would take the bait. But during the filming he actually got possessed by my fictional character!"
On the next shoot at Prideaux Place, Cornwall, Ciaran made up another fictional character, highwayman Rik Eedles - an anagram of Derek Lies. Sure enough, Derek made contact with the dead outlaw.
Ciaran says: "In my professional opinion we're not dealing with a genuine medium.
"When Derek is possessed he is doing it consciously - all we are seeing is showmanship and dramatics."
Ciaran went a step further at Craigievar Castle, near Aberdeen.
"I made up stories about Richard the Lionheart, a witch, and Richard's apparition appearing to walk through a wardrobe - the lion, the witch and the wardrobe!" True to form, Derek mentioned all Ciaran's stories - even though Richard I reigned 500 years BEFORE Craigievar Castle was built.
The final straw came last month when Most Haunted presented a three-night special from Manchester.
On the second evening, the show claimed to be broadcasting live from the site of Cheadle's Victorian asylum, a place where - according to presenter David Bull - thousands died in torment. In fact they were in the derelict remains of Barnes Convalescence Home - where nobody died in torment.
Ciaran remembers: "Derek was communicating with spirits that sounded as if they'd been in an asylum, but it was never an asylum."
Yesterday the Mirror confronted Derek Acorah with Ciaran's allegations. He told us: "I've worked with Ciaran for many shows and he's got every right to say what he says.
"However, it does shock and surprise me. Not only do I believe that I am a genuine medium - I live my work 24 hours a day. If I thought that I wasn't a true medium, I wouldn't work as one."
A spokesman for LivingTV said: "Ciaran O'Keeffe has worked as the programme's official sceptic for 18 months and during this time has not brought any of his concerns to our attention.
"LivingTV has not seen any of your filmed evidence, but will fully investigate your claims."
My favourite bit of Most Haunted ever (when Derek starts smashing up Bodmin Gaol) all fake. *cries*
Now, don't get me wrong, I've always known that Most Haunted is entertainment (and very entertaining it is) and not serious ghost hunting, and that it's probably all made up, but it's sad to actually see it there in black and white.
LivingTV aren't going to get rid of it though:
From here
TV GHOST 'FAKERS' TO CARRY ON
LIVINGTV bosses have refused to axe its most popular show, Most Haunted, after a Daily Mirror investigation exposed it as a fake.
Not only are they backing the shamed ghost-hunting series, they are going ahead with medium Derek Acorah's new show.
Acorah was accused of faking possessions by the show's own parapsychologist Ciaran O'Keefe.
Yesterday experts and members of the psychic community called for the programme to be taken off the air. And TV regulator Ofcom is looking into 22 complaints.
Clive Lloyd, spokesman for the Spiritualist National Union, said: "For me the programme is sheer showmanship, an act all the way through."
LivingTV said: "We are looking into the Daily Mirror's claims.
Yet.
How am i going to break this to my sister. She's going to be devastated.
Derek using Muse's Sing for Absolution on the trailers for his new show takes on a whole new meaning.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: Saturday, October 29th, 2005 10:14 am (UTC)Shall we go Ciaran hunting? I never liked him...it was that gap in the teeth I think. Phil never should've left ;-;.
(no subject)
Date: Saturday, October 29th, 2005 10:23 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Saturday, October 29th, 2005 10:43 am (UTC)And Dear "experts and members of the psychic community": STFU. Love me xxx.
It's got me wondering if Dead Famous is all a con as well.
(no subject)
Date: Saturday, October 29th, 2005 11:21 am (UTC)I have sometimes been suspicious of some things, but i think some things have been unexplainable. Its more the possessions and things i've never been so sure of.
Last night when derek said he felt like he walked through a energy field but then later heard about drowning he then changed it to an energy field and something about water. Hmm.
I think they need more cameras on the lives also because theres so many people there the camera cant locate them all..
(no subject)
Date: Saturday, October 29th, 2005 02:50 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Saturday, October 29th, 2005 04:06 pm (UTC)I have an open mind, but with a scientific edge to it. Though some scientists are so blind, all they care about is maintain their postion in scientific circles. Though i've never liked that Derek bloke, he looks like a dodgy wheeler dealer.
(no subject)
Date: Sunday, October 30th, 2005 03:39 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Monday, November 7th, 2005 10:52 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: Friday, December 2nd, 2005 08:10 pm (UTC)And to think he was right~! *O*;; No~!! That's just not something he should be right about. ;_;
It makes you wonder if much of it is real, or if generally it's just Derek being funky? But that thing about Karl is really worrisome too. As for the "Augh" sigh-thing, I remember seeing that and being like, "... But wasn't that Yvette? Eh?" X_x; Augh. World = shattered. Next they'll be telling me for sure that unicorns don't exist and give me proof. T_T Sob.