Ghostwatch: Behind the Curtains

At long last, here's the short Ghostwatch segment from the BBC opinions show, Points of View , originally broadcast, 4/11/92, and presented by Anne Robinson . Just in case you weren't already aware, it's worth mentioning that also available to view elsewhere on Youtube is the edition of Biteback where producers, Ruth Baumgarten and Richard Broke discuss the show at length with an audience of eager 'fans'... Merry Xmas 2009, Ghostwatchers, and once again, thank-you for the support!

Nice to hear Mark Kermode's quick mention of Ghostwatch at the end of his latest ' Road Movies ' video blog... Kind-of. ...Surely, this is what he meant to say. ;) Merry Xmas, Ghostwatchers, and a happy new year!

Greetings, Ghostwatchers! Coming soon from writer/actor/magician (and not to mention, huge Ghostwatch fan), Andy Nyman , and precisely one fourth of The League of Gentlemen , Jeremy Dyson, is their new play, Ghost Stories . Written and directed by both Andy and Jeremy for the Lyric Hammersmith, Ghost Stories will run from 24th Feb – 3rd April 2010, and promises to " shake you up like no piece of theatre ever has before ". More info can be found by clicking here ... if you dare. Many thanks to Behind the Curtains supporter, Lisa for sending us the link!

Greetings, Ghostwatchers! Anyone familiar with the show's Wikipedia page will surely be aware of this quote: "... Sarah Greene had advertised the programme on her Saturday morning children's show Going Live . This had included a 'visit' to the location of the 'haunting' and gave the impression that she was taking part in a 'reality show' and not a drama." Recently, we were lucky enough to check out three full editions of Going Live! to verify this longstanding claim - dated, 24.10.92 (the week before transmission), 31.10.92 (the day the show went out) and 7.11.92 (the week after), but alas, no mention of Ghostwatch could be found. Unless anyone has any additional episodes of Going Live! available for viewing (if so, by all means, drop us a line), it appears as though yet another Ghostwatch -inspired urban myth has once again, potentially bit the dust (just wait 'til you hear what we've discovered about Blair Witch ...). Ev...

NOW CLOSED. Thanks to everyone who took part! Greetings Ghostwatchers! To say thanks for all your continued support, we're offering you the chance to feature in the upcoming retrospective documentary, Ghostwatch: Behind the Curtains ! If you have access to a camera/webcam, we'd like you to record your very own Ghostwatch Story to be featured in the completed doc! Entries should be under three minutes long, and as high quality as you can manage. Don't forget to send us your name/email address with each submission. The best way to submit your entry is to add it as a 'Video Response' to our most recent BtC trailer on Youtube. Feel free to talk about your personal experiences with the show - did you see it on the night of transmission, or perhaps later, on DVD? Whatever your thoughts, let us know! Also, if you'd like to feature in a 'Special Thanks To' section during the doc's end credits, all you have to do is email us your full n...

If Arfon Jones' wonderful ' Ghostwatching ' piece, from just a few days ago wasn't enough, now here's ' Pipes Is Coming For You... ' by artist, Kieran Madden . Great to see so much creativity stemming from Ghostwatch recently. Keep it up, Ghostwatchers!   ...And try not to have sleepless nights.

During the first part of Reece Shearsmith's Haunted House for BBC Radio 4, Ghostwatch was given a much-appreciated mention by the esteemed panel (made up of Reece , Mark Gatiss , Vic Reeves and Yvette Fielding ). As the programme is only currently available for a limited period on the BBC iPlayer, here is a transcript: REECE: A famous bard once wrote, "there are more things in Heaven and Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy". Maybe the BBC had this is mind when they, in 1992, presented, Ghostwatch - a wonderful, postmodern ghost story which has come to be known as a kind of hoax akin to Orson Welles' famous, War of the Worlds broadcast in 1938. It was a wonderfully produced documentary with all the trappings and the tropes of a live broadcast. Ghostwatch used a familiar cast of television presenters and it begins like this knockabout television investigation into the most haunted house in Britain, however before long, things start to go a bit wrong.  ...

After the recent explosion, popularity-wise, of the 'Reality Horror' sub-genre, the film series that helped bridge the gap between Hollywood and Indie film is now rumoured to finally become a trilogy . Co-creators of The Blair Witch Project , Dan Myrick and Ed Sanchez , are reportedly said to be closer than ever before to pitching their concept for Blair Witch III to Lionsgate , the studio who now own the movie rights. Intriguingly, the proposed third film in the series (at one point, set to be a ' The Village '-type endeavour, charting the rise and fall of Elly Kedward/The Blair Witch), may now be returning to its dark roots - acting as a straight sequel to the original, and bypassing the events of the critically-mauled second film, Book of Shadows altogether. Despite having met a grizzly end, presumably at the hands of the Witch herself, this could mean original stars, Heather Donahue , Joshua Leonard , and Michael Williams could also be returning, albeit in s...

Many thanks to Ghostwatch fan and Behind the Curtains supporter, Arfon Jones , for sending us this truly haunting piece of artwork depicting two of the main stars from the original film - Sir Michael Parkinson & Mr. Pipes. Any more Ghostwatch -themed artwork out there? If so, we'd love to see it! And don't forget... Tonight, BBC Four, 9.00pm.

On Tuesday night, the BBC is set to broadcast a one-off special entitled, Ghosts in the Machine just in time for Hallowe'en. You might have noticed in the upcoming TV listings that part of this spooky retrospective documentary (sound familiar?) will feature a short segment on Ghostwatch . A good sign for fans, surely. Especially when you consider Auntie's (until recently, it seems) long-assumed, steadfast reluctance to revisit the "legendary Hallowe'en Hoax", since it was first broadcast, now almost two decades ago. Who knows where this unexpected, new-found interest might lead? The first-ever repeat screening of the film, late one evening, perhaps? Or even the fabled 2-Disc Special 'BtC' Edition DVD arriving sometime in the not-too-distant future? ...We can only dream. In the meantime, as a special treat for the film's upcoming 17th birthday, here's a sneak peek at an early DVD menu design (as it happens, a Chapter Select screen). Any re...

GHOSTWATCH: Whatever Possessed Parkinson? " Ghostwatch was a dramatised investigation of "the most haunted house in Britain". The unremarkable three-bedroomed terrace house "in Foxhill Drive. Northolt, Middlesex" was home to divorcee Pam Early and her two daughters. They had been tormented for several years by voices, loud thumps in the walls and pipes, objects moving inexplicably around the house." ...Begins a five-page article written by Bob Rickard for Fortean Times magazine , published in 1993. The article simultaneously serves as a review, critique and dissection of the film and the unprecedented impact it had on viewers post-broadcast. It also features opinions from Stephen Volk, and others who contributed to the production, and even some comparisons (plot-wise) with the much-documented, true-life Enfield Potlergeist case . The article concludes with various paranormal experts being asked to voice their own opinions of the film - such as, ...

Hmm... This might be one to look out for. Recently on YouTube, I stumbled across the trailer for a new film entitled, Paranormal Activity , and I have to say, it looks pretty impressive. Taking place in a seemingly ordinary house, the reality-style cut is suitably eerie - even chilling at times, as unrelenting ghostly goings-on persistently threaten to end a good night's sleep for a frightened young couple in their haunted bedroom. Some fans online have even started to draw parallels with Ghostwatch, The Blair Witch Project and The Last Broadcast to name but a few. If you're feeling brave, be sure to check out the two currently available trailers below...

Greetings, Ghostwatchers! Click on the banner above to check out writer, Stephen Volk's brand new website over @ www.stephenvolk.net where you can find all kinds of info, links and clippings concerning Steve's past and future work.

In October 1992, shortly before its first and only UK television broadcast, the Radio Times ran a cover story on Ghostwatch . Curiously, rather than focus on the programme (perhaps by way of interviews with the cast/crew as one might expect with a cover story), the article, written by Sue Arnold, is more of a general overview of Hallowe'en itself, including some personal takes on witchcraft. Yet, an entire page alone is devoted to the iconic 'Bohemian Rhapsody' floating heads publicity still (a rare, alternate version of which can be seen below). Here is an excerpt: "Some of my best friends are witches. Unlike me, they won't be glued to their television sets this Hallowe'en watching the potent brew of ghouls, ghosts and ghasties being served up to us on the spookiest night of the year. In BBC1's Screen One special, Ghostwatch , Michael Parkinson, Sarah Greene, Mike Smith and Craig Charles will be examining the paranormal and investigating the most ha...

GH OSTWATCH ( 12) Directed by: Lesley Manning Written by: Stephen Volk Produced by: Ruth Baumgarten Released: 25/11/02   Distrib utor: BFI - Archive Television Running Time: 91 minutes Screen Format: PAL, 1.33:1, non-anamorphic Audio : Nicam stereo Subtitles: None Special Features: Audio Commentary, Featurette, DVD-Rom co ntent To mark the film's tenth anniversary in 2002, the British Film Institute released Ghostwatch on home video for the very first time. As the latter format had not entirely disappeared from the shop shelves, the film was also one of the last to be released on both DVD and VHS. The now sold out single-disc DVD edition (at present, a highly sought-after collector's item) featured a modest collection of extras and exclusive DVD-ROM content. The film itself was presented almost uncut - with two (technically) minor omissions being the Lambie-Nairn 'Spinning Globe' and Screen One 'boulder' idents, both of which imm...

If you own the BFI single-disc edition of Ghostwatch (a review of which is coming soon), and have listened to the audio commentary, you might have heard director, Lesley Manning mention 'Harrying in' certain characters from time to time. 'Harrying' is a nickname given to digital compositing by way of the Quantel effects rendering machine, " Harry ". Simply put, "Harry" was a broadcast-quality, digital recording system. The main difference between this and other 'analogue' editing machines was that Harry allowed video sequences to be stored, cut and mixed without degradation - a problem which often occurs when dropping generations on video tape. Using the system, separately photographed images of Pipes the poltergeist could then be superimposed onto other shots - most notably, the scene you voted as being the scariest glimpse of Pipes in our online poll, some months ago. In 1985, Quantel released the "Harry" effects composit...

It goes without saying, the differences between television as we know it today compared to what was on offer back when Ghostwatch first aired are significant to say the least. Back then, there were no digital channels, and even satellite and cable TV were both still in the process of being first introduced to the masses. As requested, here is the full schedule for the four available terrestrial channels back on Hallowe'en Night, 1992 - and it's an impressive one at that. Which favourite shows do you remember? Let us know in the comments section, below!

The new REVOX A77 MK lll is the best recorder that REVOX has ever made. A unique synthesis of reliable electronics and precision mechanics. It sets a new standard in tape recorder design and performance. While fully capable of meeting the most rigorous studio demands, its ease of operation also makes it the perfect choice for the serious enthusiast. If you've seen Ghostwatch , then the chances are you'll still be able to vividly recall the chilling voice recording scene in which the shredded voice of Pipes the ghost could first be heard. But something you might not be aware of is that the specific model reel-to-reel player used in the film is now a highly sought-after collector's item: the ReVox A77 Mk III .   Of Swiss design and construction , the A77 was at the higher end of the audio recording/playback range before the advent of digital sound, and is still held in high regard by audio engineers and enthusiasts alike. As stated in the audio commentary for Ghostwatc...

A brand-new, 'haunted' wallpaper for your desktops - available in the following sizes: 800 x 600 1024 x 768   1280 x 1024

Did you know that Ghostwatch has been screened on BBC One, post-1992? ...Well, sort of.   In 2006, during the episode of Doctor Who entitled, Army of Ghosts , among the veteran TV presenters (no, not Parky, Sarah and Craig) covering a devastating, paranormal attack on the UK were Derek Acorah, Tricia Goddard and notably, Alistair Appleton who could be seen fronting the current affairs show... ' ghostwatch '. An interesting choice by writer, Russell T. Davis (an homage to the original film, perhaps..?). The production even went so far as to develop and release a companion flash game on the Beeb's website - a fun little hide-and-seek adventure that, ahem, features a cat being mistaken for a spook during a false sighting - but sadly, no reflection of Mr. Pipes in the kitchen window, shortly afterwards..!   Thanks to YouTube subscriber, Phil for mentioning it to us, and a big thank-you also to everyone for helping us pass a whopping 10,000 channel views ! Just a q...

Congratulations are in order for Craig Charles and company after a massive 2.6 million viewers tuned in for the recent Red Dwarf revival, Back to Earth , on digital channel, Dave . A figure, which according to the series' official website is now: "the highest-rated commissioned show on a digital network ever." For those who missed the specials, it seemed that after having spent over three-million years in deep space, last surviving human, Dave Lister, hard-light hologram, Arnold Rimmer, super-cool, Cat and sanitation mechanoid, Kryten had finally returned home... but in classic, Red Dwarf tradition, there was a sting in the tale, as the hapless crew soon realised things were not as they should be... An enjoyable trip down memory lane, the three-parter has led to speculation amongst fans that a new series, or even the long-rumoured Red Dwarf movie may soon follow... ...The End? The smeg, it is.

On Saturday March 28th, to celebrate the upcoming release of Red Dwarf: Back To Earth , Craig Charles will be making a guest appearance at the Birmingham Memorabilia Show along with fellow Dwarfer , Robert Llewellyn, who plays lovable DivaDroid 'noid, Kryten . The longest running collector show in the UK, Memorabilia started life back in 1994 for fans of movies, TV shows and sport alike. The event takes place thrice-yearly at the Birmingham NEC and features live Q&A sessions, autograph signings, screening areas, gaming tournaments, and more. For more information, click here , or the picture above.

On 4th April 2009, renowned psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman and a host of other experts will gather to examine the science and history of hauntings as part of the Edinburgh International Science Festival . The event will consist of seven talks - one of which (" Dialogue with the dead": Creating ghosts for television ) will be presented by Ghostwatch screenwriter, Stephen Volk . Topics will cover the truth regarding scientific investigations into 'haunted' houses, how the brain can be fooled into seeing apparitions, whether spirit photographs offer evidence of the afterlife... ...and how poltergeists once panicked the nation. Audience members will also have a unique opportunity to witness a genuine Victorian phantasmagoria, and meet the man who creates ghostly goings-on in the Harry Potter movies. The event will take place in the University of Edinburgh's Anatomy Lecture Theatre - an atmospheric, spectacular and historical venue not usually open to...

Coming soon to UK digital channel Dave (Friday 10th April at 9pm to be exact), Ghostwatch 'Interviewer', Craig Charles will return as slobby, space-bum Dave Lister for a special, three-part mini-series entitled, Red Dwarf: Back to Earth . Following on from the cult, sci-fi comedy hit's eighth season ( BtE now being its ninth), the story sees Craig as the last human being alive in the universe, finally returning home after a three-million year sojourn into deep space - with just senile computer, Holly , ironing-obsessed mechanoid, Kryten , the super-evolved Cat , hard-light hologram, Rimmer , and ex-girlfriend, Kristine Kochanski , for company. Craig's appearence in Ghostwatch came shortly after the airing of Red Dwarf's fifth series on BBC 2, which also saw the spine-chilling television debut of the ever-menacing glove puppet, Mr. Flibble in the horror-centric episode, Quarantine .

Fantastic Writing - Science Fiction, Fantasy & Magic: Writing the future, the past and other worlds   On S aturday 7th March 2009 , De Montfort University will be hosting the third annual writers day for aspiring TV scriptwriters at the Leicester City campus. Among the speakers will be Ghostwatch screenwriter, Stephen Volk who will be discussing his supernatural ITV series, Afterlife . Other confirmed guests include James Moran ( Doctor Who, Torchwood and Spooks ), Phil Ford ( Sarah Jane Adventures , Dr Who and Torchwood ), Julian Jones ( Merlin ) and Graham Joyce ( Doom 4 ). The event costs £65 per person including lunch, refreshments and parking. For more information, click the picture above.

Ghostwatchers , treat your eyes and your desktops to our improved-design blog, and also these brand-new, 'haunted' wallpapers - available in the following sizes: 800 x 600 1024 x 768 1280 x 1024

Yesterday, Stephen Volk, Lesley Manning and I met up in London to discuss Ghostwatch: Behind the Curtains in further detail. Interest in the doc is now at an all-time high, and we are determined as ever to make it happen. The BtC Youtube page and Blog are still both going strong; not surprisingly, having proven especially busy around Hallowe'en - with some DVD copies of the original film at that time selling for as much as £60.00 online. Further meetings are likely to follow, with news to be posted if and when it happens.   Don't forget, the official BtC Forums are still open to anyone who wishes to register. Oh, and congratulations to Youtube user, 15098036 for becoming our 100th subscriber. Cheers!

Happy New Year, Ghostwatchers! By far the most asked question that comes the way of the blog concerns the mysterious, fleeting appearances from our notoriously elusive poltergeist, Pipes... Villainous spectre, Mr. Pipes makes an undisclosed number of physical appearances in GHOSTWATCH, currently thought to be as many as "13" [minus Cherise Wesson's sketch seen at 00:19:00].         Online rumours of another fabled sighting at 01:16:18 were later debunked by director, Lesley Manning [see below]. Irrefutable proof, or just 'faces in the fire'? Decide for yourself... TIME-CODES : Due to the re-inclusion of the Screen One 'Boulder' ident in the 2011 DVD release, the following figures are divided into BFI  & 101 Films issues.   01. Earlys' Patio: 00:06:00 / 00:06:18 02. Haunted Bedroom #1: 00:21:00 / 00:21:18   [2A. Newspaper clipping (unconfirmed): 00:25:19 / 00:25:39 ] 03. The Voice: 00:30:30 / 00:30:50 04. Outside ...