Help! My House Is Haunted: 'The Preacher's Pursuit' - Series 5, Episode 13 Review

In the penultimate episode of the fifth series 'Help! My House Is Haunted', titled 'The Preacher's Pursuit', the team faces a case in Staploe, Bedfordshire. They are called to Gospel Hall, a 19th-century converted chapel now home to 52-year-old Silvana. Silvana, troubled by her experiences, says, "When I first moved into the property, I was happy. I loved my home." However, over time, she felt a negative presence, with her ex-partner eventually declaring, "I hate living in this house. I hate this house."

As the team journeys to the property, Medium Ian Lawman, who relies solely on his psychic abilities without prior knowledge of the case, senses a challenge ahead. He told his team mates, "It wouldn't surprise me if I don't hear voices quite quickly," hinting at the intense nature of what they're about to encounter.

Upon entering the chapel for his initial psychic sweep, Ian immediately feels an uncomfortable and aggressive presence. "It's almost as if somebody's following me," he notes, sensing a spirit named John trying to communicate. He also picks up on the word "field" but doesn't understand why. During his walk around, he also experienced unexplained noises and a commanding voice telling him to leave.

Meanwhile, Barri Ghai meets with Silvana's sister, Antonietta, who shares similar experiences of unease and physical discomfort in the house. Jayne Harris, on her fact-finding mission, meets with historian Robin Sherpur to uncover the chapel's past. Robin reveals the connection to John Fielding, a committed Methodist preacher from the 18th century. This backs up Ian's awareness of the name John and explains why he heard the word "field."

Robin describes John as "100% committed to converting as many human beings as he possibly could to his way of thinking." The revelation that the chapel was part of Fielding's nonconformist legacy and his likely disapproval of its conversion into a home provide a possible explanation for the haunting.

After completing their initial research, the team regroups at the property and begins the first phase of their investigation, which they call "spirit triggers." With homeowner Silvana present, the team hopes her familiarity with the property will coax the spirits into revealing themselves.

Before commencing, Ian Lawman asks Silvana about her faith: "Just one thing for me before we really start is, what religion are you?" Her response, "Roman Catholic," leads Ian to deduce a religious conflict at the heart of the haunting. The team then prepares to capture Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVPs), with Barri prompting, "Spirits, calling you forward. How many souls remain in this house?" A chilling male voice captured in the recording seems to demand "get out," aligning with Ian's earlier psychic impressions.

Silvana's attempts to communicate with the spirit, "Who are you? What is it you want from me? Do you want me to leave?" is met with what sounds like "no" on the playback of Barri's audio recorder, suggesting the spirit's desire for her to stay.

Moving to the dining room, the team uses EchoVox, an app that is said to be able to audibly announce words spoken by spirits. Silvana calls out, "Hello. Are you there?" The team hears what they believe is a response saying, "Yes, it's John." This reply not only confirms Ian's initial psychic feeling but also ties back to the historical John Fielding.

As the investigation continues, a woman's whisper is heard. Jayne notes, "So we're hearing a woman as well. John Fielding was married, and his wife was called Rachel." This revelation suggests that both John's and Rachel's spirits might be present.

The team then focuses on the spare bedroom, a source of great fear for Silvana and her sister. Here, Barri sets up a REM-Pod, a device designed to detect changes in the electromagnetic field, which can indicate the presence of spirits. He also uses a Structured Light Sensor (SLS) camera, a tool that projects infrared dots to map figures and movements, potentially capturing ghostly shapes. Jayne, meanwhile, uses the ParaTek app, an application that picks up and interprets environmental readings, translating them into words. As Ian enters the room, drawn by a strange sensation, he hears an unsettling growl. This coincides with the REM-Pod triggering and the ParaTek app spewing out the word "interrupt."

Moments later, Silvana reports feeling colder, a change that coincides with an SLS camera anomaly appearing next to her. As she asserts, "Give me my house back. Please stop what you're doing," the REM-Pod's activity intensifies, signalling a heightened response to her demands. As the situation grows more intense, Barri decides it's best to remove Silvana from the room.

With Silvana away for the night, the team is determined to confront the aggressive entity that has been causing distress and embarks on their main nightlong investigation of Gospel Hall. Barri leads the initial phase of the investigation, stating, "With an aggressive entity in the house and Silvana in desperate need of our help, there's a lot at stake for tonight's investigation." He ventures alone into the most active area upstairs, equipped with an EVP recorder and the Alice Box. Barri's call to the spirits, "Is there a John here? Is there a Rachel?" is met with a whispering voice commanding him to "get out." Barri insists, "You're gonna have to make me." Taking Jayne's suggestion, Barri lies on the bed blindfolded, heightening his sensory perception. He reports, "Something just thumped on the wall behind my head."

The investigation then shifts to Silvana's bedroom, the site of previous disturbing experiences. Here, Ian and Jayne sense the presence of a woman, who they believe to be Rachel, John Fielding's wife. Ian, seeing a lady in a pale dress, calls out, "Rachel, can you come forward?" Despite capturing an unidentified voice, the team is unable to decipher its message, with Barri remarking, "That is the creepiest sound I've ever heard."

The team's attempt to communicate is seemingly met with resistance, leading Jayne to reflect, "Whilst there's still some unanswered questions, it's crystal clear this entity doesn't want us here." This is further confirmed by technical disruptions, including one of the team's static night vision cameras being inexplicably turned off.

In the kitchen, armed with an audio recorder, Jayne hears a tapping noise and asks the spirit to move objects. In response, fireplace tools in the living room, where Barri and Ian are, begin swinging. When Jayne queries, "Would you like Silvana to convert?" the audio she'd recorded suggests this is the case, strengthening the belief that the spirit is indeed John Fielding, continuing his mission to convert people even in the afterlife.

The episode concludes with the team performing a cleansing ritual. Jayne burns sage, Barri uses a frequency generator, and Ian Lawman leads a prayer circle, intending to persuade John Fielding's spirit to move on and ultimately helping Silvana reclaim her home.