Ghostwatch - 25th Anniversary

Tomorrow will be the 25th anniversary of the screening of Ghostwatch - one of the BBC's most controversial and talked-about dramas/mockumentaries. Airing on Halloween night 1992, the show was repeatedly billed as a drama, but proceeded to scare the wits out of its 11 million-strong audience - the vast majority of whom believed that the seemingly 'live' ghost hunting endeavours of Michael Parkinson and Sarah Greene were perfectly real.

Although I wasn't born when it was first broadcast, I first became aware of Ghostwatch when it appeared as part of a Channel 4 countdown of television's most scariest moments. On first glance, the studio set-up with the much respected Parky mixed with supposed 'home footage' and fictional audience reaction posed quite a realistic premise. However, there are give-away signs that present a sense of falsehood. Overall, very powerful viewing but relatively misjudged by its makers.

Any thoughts or memories on this notorious piece of TV?

I know the name but never saw it when it was first broadcast because it was seen a a joke even back then. No-one took it seriously because it was a bunch of BBC presenters. I think it was aired close to childrens TV time so that was the biggest audience and it would have been scary for youngsters but for older folk like watching Blue Peter does Most Haunted. The only difference was in all spirit hunting documentories they never discover anything but in Ghostwatch there were surprises at every turn.

I see it as a bit of misjudged fun like It's a Royal Knockout.