YVETTE FIELDING MY VIEW

Most Haunted isn’t faked – and really is frightening to film, says its presenter

This week sees the return of my ghost-hunting show Most Haunted. The show’s team of paranormal investigators and I have built up a loyal TV following over the past 16 years among all those who believe in ghosts, keep an open mind as to their existence – or simply watch because they enjoy being terrified out of their wits.

We’ve heard floors inexplicably creaking, doors mysteriously slamming and sensed all manner of paranormal activity. But a lot of people remain sceptical about ghosts, and I don’t blame them, to be honest – it’s something you’re only likely to believe in if you’ve seen one for yourself. People ask, ‘Where is the evidence?’ and, ‘When are you going to catch a real ghost?’ Well, we did see a mysterious figure in the last series that could well have been a ghost, though such phenomena caught on camera are open to interpretation.

One of the highlights of the new series was visiting the Downton Abbey-like Croxteth

Hall in Liverpool where we used an EVP [electronic voice phenomena] computer programme to capture some really creepy sounds – and then suddenly a pair of scissors came flying through the air. Now that was frightening.

Cynics have accused programmes like ours of ‘faking it’, but I would never want to be involved in a programme guilty of such deceit. Besides, if we did fake it the broadcasting authorities would quickly take us off air. If anyone is expecting us to walk into a spooky old property and find a whitesheeted ghost calling out, ‘Whooa!’ I’m afraid they’ll be disappointed because that’s not what we’re about. First and foremost we’re interested in investigating suspect properties and recording what we find, whether they’re haunted or not.

Over the years I’ve tried to get scientists to witness some of the things we’ve sensed and seen but they don’t want to know because they just don’t take what we do seriously. However, there are some things about the world that can’t be readily explained away – and I would urge viewers to keep an open mind.

After all, everyone once thought the world was flat, and of course everyone now knows it’s round. And the same goes for the spirit world... I think we’re only really beginning to understand it. But as my Blind Date presenter friend Paul O’Grady – a long-time believer in the paranormal – said when I told him how upset I got when the cynics scoffed, ‘Oh, get a grip girl, it’s a ghost show – you’ll always get people disbelieving you!’ And I think he’s right.

Most Haunted returns on Friday, 10pm, Really.