The flashy showbiz shirts have been replaced with a pin sharp style and Derek looks every bit the celebrity. It was unusual seeing him in daylight and not tainted by the green hues of the night vision - but he is as engaging in real-life as he is on screen filling the room with his anecdotes of his spirit encounters. | "It can be quite alarming... I stand back detached and I can hear the spirit person I am channelling" | | Derek Acorah on being posessed |
Best known for his role as 'spirititual medium' in TV's Most Haunted, Derek Acorah has come a long way from the private readings he once performed from his home.
His first psychic experience had been at a young age at his grandmother’s home in Bootle. It was only later that he discovered that he had inherited her psychic skills and she introduced him to Sam, his spiritual guide who would help him communicate with the 'spirit world'.
As word spread and his popularity increased he started making appearances on local radio. His regular spot with Billy Butler led to a few guest spots on TV and then he got the call from the Most Haunted team.
Now in it's fifth series Most Haunted has projected Derek to celebrity status. He's encountered many sceptics along the way, but he believes that everyone is capable of psychic ability.
“Everyone who is born to the Earth has the psychic ability lying dormant. It is up to ourselves whether we want to develop that or not. It’s not an elite little club” But life is not easy as a medium is not for everyone, and in many cases Derek has encountered bad news. "I’m a man, I’m human being... to see someone that who has an ailment and I can’t do anything about it, it hurts me - but that’s part and parcel of the work”. ”You do get asked questions... and you find yourself having to really think deeply about what you can say. There is a discipline, a spiritual code that you should adhere to, that you do not hurt anyone in any way shape or form either mentally or physically”. An experience of this kind nearly made Derek give up his work as a medium. During a reading with a woman he had seen her husband taking their children away - a vision which resulted in Derek almost quitting the business.
 | | Derek in Radio Merseyside |
”What I’d actually seen was the man taking his three kiddies from his home... I haven’t got the position or the power to prevent these things... It can be very hard” Derek decided to stop working, but was encouraged by his spirit guide Sam, and his Grandmother, amongst others to return to the world of spirit. “They convinced me that it was I should be doing” And Derek hasn't looked back. He is now a household name with celebrity fans including Robbie Williams, Vic Reeves and Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills.
Fans will be familiar with Derek appearing to be possessed by the spirits he contacts. Such experiences can leave him drained and the people around him very concerned.
”It can be quite alarming... I stand back detached and I can hear the spirit person I am channelling, but I can’t hear it clearly - and then suddenly it goes blank, that’s really when they are in, and it’s up to Sam then to help me get back to myself... Sam is invaluable he is the medium over there”
And he believes they are getting closer to capturing a ghost live on camera. ”We are getting close. Most recently on the three days of Halloween, I was talking about a particular person, a spirit man - a highwayman, and right across the lake there he was... he shot across the trees and we got him on camera. And that’s not just the one isolated case. We are getting very close to manifestation, we really are”
Despite the frightening encounters, Derek is clearly enjoying himself and his UK tour is already proving to be a sell out success. To listen to the full interview, click on the link on the right hand side.
Derek appears at the Empire Theatre, Liverpool in January and The Southport Theatre in 23rd and 24th February.
*Win!* Tickets to see Derek Live - plus a signed copy of his book ' The Psychic Adventures of Derek Acorah'! Click on the link on the top right.
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