High Spirits with Shirley Ghostman2005

Name: High Spirits with Shirley Ghostman
Genre: Comedy Horror, Supernatural
Released: 2005-03-01
Rating: 7.3

Created by Marc Wootton

7.3

Crypt Score

Blended from 2 sources

IMDb 8.8TMDB 6.2

✍ Review

Share this title

X Facebook Reddit Pinterest

Year

2005

Seasons

Network

BBC Three

Status

Ended

Box Office

🏆 Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award1 nomination total

The premise

High Spirits with Shirley Ghostman is a British television comedy show broadcast on BBC Three It features character comedian Marc Wootton playing an effete and slightly vicious fake medium/psychic. It is narrated by Patrick Stewart, with animated sequences by Rex Crowle produced by onedotzero. The character of Shirley Ghostman is sometimes considered to be a parody of the supposed act of controversial psychic, Derek Acorah and contains actual satirical references to the television show 6ixth Sense with Colin Fry in Shirley's opening speech to the audience. The show was very successful on BBC Three and was set to move to BBC Two in the summer of 2005.

Horror Vault's take

Marc Wootton brings to life Shirley Ghostman, a deliciously pompous and scheming fake psychic whose supernatural pretensions are matched only by his ego. Narrated with deadpan gravitas by Patrick Stewart, the series skewers the world of TV mediumship and the credulous audiences who lap it up. Equal parts mockumentary bite and outrageous character comedy, it targets the conventions of paranormal entertainment with gleeful precision.

Content: Mockery Of Grief And Bereavement, Satirical Depictions Of Religious And Spiritual Beliefs

Episode Guide

· 4h 0m total· Mar 2005 → Apr 2005

S1.E1 · FirstsPremiere
Mar 1, 2005 · 30 min
Shirley visits the vets and informs several pet owners what their animal's grievances are. It's the first heat of Spirit Academy. Ripping off the Pop Idol auditions format, Shirley searches for the UK's next psychic superstar. The Paranor
☠
S1.E2 · Record Breakers
Mar 8, 2005 · 30 min
Shirley discovers his audience has psychic potential. Shirley gives the best wedding present of all to several couples before they take their vows - a graphic and scary insight into their futures. Its round two of the Spirit Academy audit
☠
S1.E3 · The Complaint
Mar 15, 2005 · 30 min
The BBC forces Shirley to apologise on TV to Mrs Oxley. Shirley gave Mrs Oxley a reading and she complained that he'd stolen words from the obituary of a newspaper and used them in the reading. Shirley offers career advice to several peopl
☠
S1.E4 · Fat
Mar 22, 2005 · 30 min
Shirley tells the audience about a cheeky e - mail he has received from Sue in Derby concerning his weight. Shirley explains that success brings money and money brings food. Shirley uses his powers to explore people's problems using their
☠
S1.E5 · Breakdown
Mar 29, 2005 · 30 min
Shirley shows the audience a drawing of Sheba which a viewer has sent in. Shirley points out that nowhere in the show's title is Sheba's name mentioned. He stresses the show is not a double act and sets fire to the drawing with a lighter.