Derek Acorah describes himself as a spirit medium. He is best known for his
television work on Most Haunted, broadcast on Living TV. He has received
a lot of criticism casting doubts over his legitimacy as a medium.
Personal life Born Derek Johnson in Bootle, he is
known professionally as Derek Acorah. He lives in Scarisbrick near Southport, in
North West England. Acorah together with his wife Gwen is a
patron for the charity Pathfinder Guide Dog Programme, a registered charity
which provides seeing dogs for blind people.
Acorah has also raised many thousands of pounds for The Anthony Nolan Trust.
In March 2014 he was convicted of driving without due care and attention
and failing to provide a breath sample following a car crash. Acorah had failed
a roadside breath test but refused to give the required sample at a police
station. He was banned from driving for 28 months and fined £1,000.
Biography Acorah was on the books of Liverpool FC
during the Bill Shankly era but was released by the club without playing a
first team game. He carried on playing at other clubs and finished his football
career in Australia. Acorah's television career commenced in
1996 with the satellite TV channel Granada Breeze. He appeared on Granada
Breeze for five years starting off initially on 'Livetime' then later
appearing weekly on 'Psychic Livetime'. He also appeared on 'Predictions' which
started out as a showcase for various studio guests but later became a vehicle
for Derek alone and renamed 'Predictions With Derek Acorah'.
In July 2001, Acorah was asked to feature in a new British television
programme called Haunting Truths, which was subsequently sold to Living and
renamed Most Haunted. He worked on the show for six series.
In 2002 Acorah featured in a series of programmes made by IPM Productions named
Antiques Ghost Show and in 2004 Acorah was presented with the Variety Club of
Great Britain's Multichannel TV Personality of the Year Award, as chosen
by its members. Yvette Fielding the show's presenter and
executive producer initially stated "There is no acting on this programme,
none whatsoever. Everything you see and you hear is real. It's not made up, it's
not acted." After his 2005 departure from Most
Haunted Acorah filmed a one-off special for LivingTV, Derek Acorah's Quest for
Guy Fawkes followed by Derek Acorah's Ghost Towns with Ruggie Media. This
programme ran for three series. In 2008, Acorah took part in two series for Sky
Real Lives titled Derek Acorah and in November 2009 Acorah featured in a
programme where he said he was attempting contact with the spirit of
Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson: The Search For His Spirit. The show was
named the worst TV programme of 2009 in a poll of more than 9,000 Yahoo! users.
Acorah also made a cameo appearance in the Doctor Who episode Army of Ghosts.
Acorah's other television work includes Celebrity Five Go to..., Harry Hill's TV
Burp, Celebrity Quitters and Paranormal Egypt. He has also made appearances on
Celebrity Juice, Loose Lips, Richard and Judy, Bo' Selecta!, Brainiac: Science
Abuse, The Paul O'Grady Show, The Weakest Link and Loose Women as well as
a cameo in the 2011 film Big Fat Gypsy Gangster.
On 9 March 2011 Acorah took part in a live online seance hosted by the Sun.
In May 2012, following media criticism, Acorah apologised to the parents of
Madeleine McCann after he claimed to have received a message from a 'spirit
guide' stating that the child had died some time ago, but would soon be
reincarnated. Later in May 2012 Acorah apologised to the parents of Madelaine
McCann for an article which appeared in that newspaper and denied the
accusations made from The Sun's earlier article in May 2012.
Bibliography The Psychic World of Derek Acorah:
Discover How to Develop Your Hidden Powers – Derek Acorah with John G.
Sutton, Paitkus Books, 2003 'The Psychic Adventures of Derek Acorah:
Star of TV's "Most Haunted", Element Books 2004
Ghost Hunting with Derek Acorah – Derek Acorah, Element Books, 2005
Most Haunted: The Official Behind-the-Scenes Guide – Yvette
Fielding, Derek Acorah, 2005 Haunted Britain – Derek Acorah, Harper
Element, 2006 Haunted Britain and Ireland – by Derek
Acorah Ghost Towns – Derek Acorah, Harper
Element, 2006 Derek Acorah's Haunted!'
Derek Acorah – Amazing Psychic Stories' Derek Acorah – Extreme Psychic'
References External links
Official website