30 Most Influential People In The UK Paranormal Field

The 30 most influential active members of the paranormal field as published in issue 30 of Haunted Magazine in May 2021.

November 21, 2021
This page is more than three years old.
Here at Higgypop we always have our eye on the current trends in the paranormal. We follow the movements of as many teams and investigators as we can, we follow paranormal, and we soak up the buzz around certain members of the paranormal world.

This means that when Haunted Magazine asked us to compile a list of the most influential members of the paranormal community in the United Kingdom, we were able to put together a list of almost 400 people for consideration. We painstakingly whittled this list down taking into account everything from audience size, Google trends search data, social media following and engagement, and real-world reach - things like running physical locations and the number of visitors they get.

We weighted the list based on how active these people have been over the last 12 months, but also took into account the lasting influence they've had from earlier work. Based upon our observations of interactions online we factored in the credibility of teams and investigators and how well respected they are, but also the amount of attention they attract both positive and negative.

The resulting complicated algorithm gave us a list of 30 people. Those included in the list below aren't all necessarily the most famous, the most knowledgeable, or the respected, but these are the 30 people who we think have had the biggest influence over the paranormal field.

From authors to investigators, academics to entertainers, these are the teams and individuals who have shaped the way the wider community investigate, entertained us, and educated us, those who have generated the most debate, discussion and interest in this field rightly or wrongly.

1. Ciarán O'Keeffe

Parapsychologist & ghost hunter

Ciarán O'Keeffe
Ciarán O'Keeffe is a parapsychologist working out of Buckinghamshire New University. He's perhaps best known for his regular appearances in 'Most Haunted' over the course of seven years from 2003, but he's also made countless other appearances on television and in the media talking about his passion for the supernatural. Ciarán's knowledge and understanding of the paranormal is endless and his selfless willingness to share this with others in the

2. Hazel Ford

Haunted Happenings

Hazel Ford
Hazel Ford launched her Nottingham-based paranormal events company, Haunted Happenings, in 2007 and it quickly became the most successful business of its type in the UK. Having given more than 200,000 members of the public the chance to experience a ghost hunt for themselves, it's fair to say that Hazel and her team have given many people their first taste of paranormal investigation, taught them the basics and inspired them to get out there and hunt ghosts.

3. Jayne Harris

HD Paranormal

Jayne Harris
Jayne Harris is a paranormal investigator from the West Midlands with a particular interest in the history of haunted locations. In recent year's Jayne has made a name for herself as a lead investigator on the television shows, 'Help! My House Is Haunted' and 'Unexplained: Caught On Camera'. Her open-minded and spiritual approach to the paranormal has helped her build a loyal following through her own paranormal events company, HD Paranormal.

4. Yvette Fielding & Karl Beattie

'Most Haunted'

Most Haunted - Yvette Fielding
Yvette Fielding is the host and co-creator of 'Most Haunted', a genre-defining ghost hunting show which is often credited by many investigators as the thing that sparked their initial interest in the paranormal. Since 2002 the show has put many of the UK's now-famous haunted locations on the map, firmly establishing them as paranormal hotspots worthy of future investigation by those Yvette and her team inspired to follow in their footsteps. Karl Beattie is the co-creator of the long-running ghost hunting show, 'Most Haunted', in which he appears on-screen alongside his wife, the show's host, Yvette Fielding. Karl has become a popular name in the paranormal field himself, perhaps due to his willingness to take time out to meet his followers at ghost hunting events hosted all across the UK by his paranormal events company, 'Most Haunted Experience'.

5. Really Channel

Discovery, Inc

UKTV Really Channel
Without the Really channel many of the influential names on this list wouldn't have a platform. Since its launch in 2009 the free-to-air digital television channel has established a reputation as the go-to channel for paranormal entertainment and ghost hunting shows in the UK. The Discovery Inc owned channel has championed homegrown talent in original British shows, as well as airing some of the biggest paranormal shows from around the world.

6. Barri Ghai

The Ghostfinder Paranormal Society

Barri Ghai
Barri Ghai has had a long career within the paranormal field off-screen, but the enthusiastic ghost hunter has recently made a name for himself as a lead investigator on 'Help! My House Is Haunted' and 'Unexplained: Caught On Camera'. Even at his own paranormal events, which he hosts through his company the Ghostfinder Paranormal Society, Barri is always on a passionate quest for the truth and for hard evidence of the paranormal.

7. Paul Stevenson & Andy Soar

Haunted Magazine

Haunted Magazine
With over ten years of publications under their belt, Haunted Magazine is the unrivalled champion of paranormal magazines, not just here in the UK, but worldwide. Its team of passionate writers, guided by editor in chief Paul Stevenson, ensure every edition is packed full of a staggeringly varied array of paranormal articles, each written from their own unique perspective and brought to life through the world-class design skills of Andy Soar.

8. Danny Moss

'The Haunted Hunts'

Danny Moss
Danny Moss is the lead investigator on the Amazon Prime series 'The Haunted Hunts' and appears in Pick's 'Paranormal Captured'. Danny's passion for sharing his team's investigations with their ever-growing fanbase is unrivalled. Danny is fast becoming one of the leading names in paranormal entertainment in the UK and his driven, hard working attitude is likely to ensure that he has a long and exciting career in the paranormal.

9. Steve Higgins

Higgypop

Steve Higgins
With more than 500,000 visits to Higgypop every month, Steve Higgins' website is the biggest source of paranormal news in the UK. There are over 5,000 pages of content focussing on paranormal entertainment, trends in ghost hunting and the supernatural in popular culture. Steve and his team of writers work hard to ensure the content is inclusive of as much of the paranormal community as possible, from small teams to ghost hunting TV shows.

10. Steve Parsons

Society for Psychical Research

Steve Parson
Steve Parsons is a well-respected and very knowledgeable, full-time paranormal investigator, regular media contributor and internet radio show host. He is recognised by many as a leading investigator in the UK and has been credited with developing some of the methods now commonly practiced by other paranormal teams. Steve is a member of the Spontaneous Cases Committee of the SPR and is also an advisor to The Ghost Club.

11. Neil Packer

The Haunted Antiques Paranormal Research Centre

Neil Packer
Neil Packer is the hard-working owner of the Haunted Antiques Paranormal Research Centre in Hinkley, Leicestershire. His collection of haunted artefacts server as hub to the local paranormal community, while the daily live-streamed discussion shows hosted by the centre provide a invaluable focal point where the wider community can come together to talk about ideas, theories and trends within the paranormal field online.

12. Phil Whyman & Sara Whyman

'Are You Haunted...?'

Phil Whyman & Sara Whyman
Phil Whyman has been a familiar face in paranormal entertainment since making a name for himself in early episodes of 'Most Haunted'. Phil's knowledge of ghost hunting has ensured that he's remained an active and relevant part of the paranormal community for almost twenty years. Now working alongside his wife, Sara, in their web series 'Are You Haunted...?', the duo are consider to be some of the most credible and respected investigators in the field.

13. Danny Robins

Journalist & podcast producer

Danny Robins
Danny Robins is a journalist and award-winning writer and broadcaster for television and radio. Danny appeared as the investigator in BBC Three's 2007 series, 'The Bulls**t Detective' in which he comically exposed fake psychics. His interest in the paranormal lead him to host the 'Haunted' podcast which saw him delve into real-life ghost stories in forensic detail, this spawn the viral 2021 podcast, 'The Battersea Poltergeist'.

14. back2back Productions

back2back Productions
back2back is a Brighton-based independent TV production company behind some of the best British paranormal shows around. The team, founded by David Notman-Watt, have to date produced two series of 'Unexplained: Caught On Camera' and are currently in pre-production with the third series of 'Help! My House Is Haunted', which earned the company a nomination for Best Factual Entertainment Programme at the Royal Television Society's Southern Awards in 2020.

15. Richard Felix

Derby Gaol

Richard Felix’s Most Haunted Places
As a paranormal historian, custodian of the haunted Derby Gaol, and fantastic storyteller as the guide of Derby's ghost walks, Richard Felix has spent the last 30 years dedicated to paranormal research. Richard shot to fame as a result of his appearance in over 120 episodes of 'Most Haunted'. Richard has produced books, DVDs and podcasts on some of Britain's most famous ghost stories and delivered lectures, talks and countless media appearances.

16. Mike Covell

Paranormal historian

Mike Covell
Hull-based historian Mike Covell has a passion for the unexplained, and several fascinating books on the supernatural to his name, including titles on ghosts and UFOs in Yorkshire. Mike is a well-respected media contributor, making him a familiar face on paranormal television shows. He's aided the likes of Nick Groff, Katrina Weidman, and the 'Most Haunted' team with their investigations by providing a historical backdrop to their cases.

17. Barry Dodds

'The ParaPod'

Barry Dodds
From a young age Barry Dodds has been a passionate ghost hunter, but found a career in standup comedy. In 2016 he began hosting The ParaPod with fellow comedian and sceptic, Ian Boldsworth. The Apple chart topping podcast ran for three series amassing more than 2.5 million downloads. The duo went on to explore Barry's belief in ghosts in a first-of-its-kind spin-off movie. The film's sell-out cinema tour was cut short last year due to the pandemic.

18. MJ Dickson

Sage Paranormal

MJ Dickson
Warwickshire-based MJ Dickson is consider by many to be one of the UK's top paranormal investigators. She's known for her appearances in Pick's 'Paranormal Captured', and has worked on shows like 'Most Terrifying Places' and 'Paranormal Lockdown'. MJ is a well-known lecturer, media contributor, and convention panelist. She hosts events through her company, Sage Paranormal, and organises the annual Sage Paracon, Britain's biggest paranormal convention.

19. Charlene Lowe Kemp

Paranormal Hauntings

Charlene Lowe Kemp
With one of the biggest followings of any paranormal team on Facebook globally, Paranormal Hauntings is a force to be reckoned with. Charlene Lowe Kemp and her team mates work hard to bring followers of Paranormal Hauntings regular ghost hunting content driven by the mere passion for discovery of the unknown and evidence of the paranormal, rather than chasing fame and fortune like some other live streamers in the paranormal community.

20. Ste Richards & Jason Griffiths

The Ouija Brothers

The Ouija Brothers At The Haunted Museum, Nottingham
The Ouija Brothers are one of the fastest growing British paranormal channels on YouTube. Ste Richards and Jason "Griff" Griffiths created the channel in 2017 and have gone on to earn a reputation as one of the most respected teams around. The duo are open-minded, but rational and logical when it comes to validating or debunking the paranormal activity they capture. This honest approach has resulted in them attracting a loyal following.

21. Ian Lawman

'Help! My House Is Haunted'

Ian Lawman - Help My House Is Haunted
lan is a veteran of paranormal TV shows from 'Most Haunted', 'I'm Famous & Frightened' to the latest series of 'Help! My House Is Haunted'. He seems to have been around the paranormal forever, and with a nickname, "The Lawman" that sounds like he belongs to WWE rather than HMHIH you don't mess with lan. A genuine nice guy too, hat wearer, coffee drinker and if there's ever a need for a modern day medium with a background as a night club bouncer and bare knuckle fighter, lan is your man.

22. Eamonn Vann-Harris

New World Science

Eamonn Vann-Harris
Eamonn Vann-Harris is an innovative investigator, who passionately undertakes his own very unique line of research into electronic spirit communication. His worked is facilitated by his own custom-built machines, such as the Infinity machine which he demonstrated while he was a regular on 'Most Haunted' in 2015 and 2016. Now working with his ever-evolving Pegasus machine, Eamonn captures EVPs in a way no other investigator can.

23. Callum E. Cooper

Parapsychologist & author

Callum E. Cooper
Cal Cooper is an award-winning parapsychologist based at the University of Northampton. He's known to the paranormal community for his numerous appearances on television and radio, and recognised for his sceptical approach to the paranormal. Cal is a respected council member of the Society for Psychical Research and hold's a place on the society's Survival Research Committee. He also has several highly-rated paranormal books to his name.

24. Penny Griffiths-Morgan

Haunted Histories

Penny Griffiths-Morgan
Podcast host and writer, Penny Griffiths-Morgan, is a true history buff with a life-long passion for the paranormal. Penny's three books draw on her personal experience as a well-known and respected ghost hunter, they are a must-read for anyone who shares her love of history combined with the paranormal. She's perhaps best-known for her paranormal podcast, 'Haunted Histories', which has gained a loyal following since its launch in 2017.

25. John Fraser

Society for Psychical Research & Ghost Club

John Fraser
John Fraser is a well-respected paranormal researcher having been actively engaged in the field since the 1980s. He's a prominent member of the Ghost Club where he holds the position of Vice Chair of Investigations, and contributes to SPR's the Spontaneous Cases Committee. John has written several books on the subject of hauntings, most recently 'Poltergeist!, which covers famous cases such as 'The Cage' in Essex, Borley Rectory and Enfield.

26. Jenny Bryant

Most Haunted Experience

Jenny Bryant
Jenny Bryant has been the locations manager for 'Most Haunted' since 2015, making occasional appearances in the television show and working closely with allegedly haunted locations in order to feature them on television and, as a result, put them firmly on ghost hunters' maps. Jenny also runs the spin-off paranormal events company, Most Haunted Experience, which has become one of the largest and best-loved companies of its kind in the UK.

27. Bil Bungay

30 East Drive

Bil Bungay
Bil Bungay is the owner of the Pontefract home dubbed the 'Black Monk House', one of the most debated and influential British paranormal hotspots. The house, which was the scene of a poltergeist case in the 1960s has inspired paranormal teams around the world, been the subject of television shows and podcasts, and had movies made about it. With public events held there regularly, the house will have also given many their first taste of ghost hunting.

28. Andy Bailey

Infraready Ghost Hunting Equipment

Andy Bailey
Andy Bailey is the founder of Infraready, one of the UK's most trusted and inventive ghost hunting equipment suppliers. Since 2013 Andy has been converting digital cameras into specialist ghost hunting cameras, as well as creating unique paranormal investigation equipment and continually adding new devices to the range available on his online store. Andy's gadgets are used by countless teams and have been featured in television shows.

29. Stephen Volk

Screenwriter & novelist

Stephen Volk
In 1992 Stephen Volk created one of the most talked about works of paranormal fiction ever. The Welsh screenwriter wrote the teleplay for the now legendary BBC Halloween special, 'Ghostwatch', which has since been credited with inspiring countless ghost hunting and found-footage TV projects and movies. Although it was only a mockumentary, the show featured many real-life ghost hunting techniques that would later be seen in countless paranormal reality shows.

30. Simon Entwistle

Tour guide

Simon Entwistle
Simon Entwistle, an enthusiastic and passionate storyteller from Clitheroe is a much-loved member of the paranormal community, known for his engaging ghost stories that are packed full of local historical detail. Simon has featured on numerous television shows talking about a variety of subjects including the infamous Pendle Witches, and has collaborated with paranormal teams from all across the UK.

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