You're listening to the Paranormal UK Radio Network, the best in paranormal talk radio in the UK and around the world. Era is the Irish or Gaelic word for Ireland. So take it easy or as we say in Gaelic, lig the ski and listen to all things concerning the paranormal in Ireland and indeed beyond. Welcome to Scary Era.
All views are Mark Manning's own, but you can express them too if you want to be right about everything like he is.
Mark Manning in association with Paranormal Radio UK. Welcome to Scary. Time to grab that coffee or pour that glass of wine. Today I'm proud to present for you at Dereka Cora Special. We all loved ourskouser Derek, and shortly we'll have the honor of being joined by his widow, Gwen, who I've just taken to in a big way because I find her so refreshing and down to earth. For those of you living on Mars, the late Derreka Cora was a
British television personality. A psychic medium, someone who says they can communicate with spirits of the dead. He was best known for appearing on paranormal TV shows in the UK. Although well established and well known, he gained major popularity on the TV show Most Haunted, which aired from two thousand and two to two thousand and five. During his time on the program, the show followed a team investigating reportedly haunted locations around the UK and Ireland, and the
States as well. Derek was, in my view, the master of sensing spirits and relaying messages from them, often entering trance like states. Now, if you think today I'm going to dig down and dirty about the whole Kiran O'Keeffe and the Creed Kaffer Gait controversy, well I'm not go google Kron o'keef and Derek Korra. If that's your thing, maybe someday we'll talk to Kiran O'Keeffe himself and ask him did he do that of his own volition or was he perhaps coerced into it? Either way, that's for
him and his conscience to decide. For me, Derreka Cora was pure entertainment. No matter what you thought about him, he was a pure showman and entertainer, which are all needed to be a psychic medium. Worth watching now for those of you who like fact more than gossip. The main presenter of Most Haunted, A Vett Fielding, published her memoirs in twenty twenty four in which she made certain allegations about Derreka Korra. And it's only right that Gwenecora
gets an opportunity to refute aforementioned allegations. And in this show, oh, you'll hear her doing exactly that. So stand by because she'd be joining us on the phone very shortly in her Liverpool home. And indeed you and I will be spending over an hour in Gwen's cozy company. But first, random, anonymous, strange but true.
I stayed with my husband's family over one Christmas. I was pregnant at the time, so I went to bed early while the others stayed up playing cards. I woke up and saw my husband just standing at the side of the bed. I was about to say, what are you doing? Get in, but then I felt my husband lying next to me asleep. I know it wasn't a dream because I put my hand in his chest and felt him breathing. So a ghost of my husband was looking down at himself.
I was so.
Terrified I couldn't even speak, so I covered my head with a blanket and eventually fell back to sleep. The next day I started searching what could it mean? And there's an Irish paranormal phenomenon called a fetch. A fetch is basically a ghost or copy of a living person that means that either the person will die soon or have really good fortune, depending on the time of day that the fetch appears. Bad ermen at night, good Ermene
in the morning. Unfortunately, I didn't check the time, so I have no idea if it was nighttime or the wee hours of the morning. He's still alive and kicking. But I was so paranoid. In the days after that, I hid the hoodie the fetch was wearing.
Hum.
When I was in school, I had a friend that lived in an estate that had a reputation of being the worst in the town. He told me that one of his neighbors had a pair of the Cursed Crying Child paintings in the house. I thought cool, so after school we went to see them. He took me to a house that looked derelict and knocked on the door. A spinly dirty person of indeterminate age and gender opened the door, and my friend said can we see the paintings? The person nodded and led us into the house. The
house was damp and dirty and absolutely stank. There were no carpets and the rotten floorboards sagged as we walked on them. There were no lights, but in the dim hallway I could see the peeling wallpaper and dug shit on the floor. The resident opened a door under the stairs and took out two paintings and propped them against the wall, then immediately left the hall into a back room.
As we looked at them, I could hear the person start to cry and shriek in the back room like It wasn't a supernatural occurrence, but it unexpectedly ended up in a near derelict house with someone who had psychiatric and possibly substance issues. I was about fourteen at the time, and twenty five years later I often think about how awful that person's life must have been.
My old man had two stories from his old fella. So rural Ireland in the nineteen fifty was probably one hundred years behind the rest of Europe. It was very religious and very superstitious. The first involved him grand at cycling home from his firm laborer job. It was late and dark, and when he was passing by a corner he saw an open coffin by the side of the road. Slightly freaked out, he went over and looked in to see his young, just married daughter inside, and then it
was gone. He rushed home to find out his daughter had passed away a short time earlier. The exact time he would have seen the coffin the second story was when he and his siblings would be lying in bed at night. They would hear the fiddle being taken down and the table being set, and then the sound of
people talking and drinking. I didn't know my grandfather. He died when I was very young, but I suspect that the first story might be due to a man who, from the stories I've heard, suffered from severe PTSD from his time in the trenches in the Somme. But the second story, as I got older, I realized it was probably just his parents having a party and not wanting the kids annoying them. Said this to my old fellow, though, who was not impressed.
Well, this is scary era, And for those of you who don't know what era means, it's the Irish word for Ireland, and of course A dearly beloved city very close to Ireland is Liverpool, and a whole Derek chorus story begins in Liverpool. We're going to start relating to you now because I have his widow Gwen on the line.
Good evening to you, Gwen, Good evening, Mark.
Do you know I could probably throw a stone from my studio wup across the Irish Sea and hit your house.
Possibly, yes you could. It doesn't take long to get between the two cities.
And of course Derek had an affinity for the Irish.
I think absolutely yes he did. He did because his family on both sides had Irish links, as I do myself.
Really, do you know what part of Ireland they're from?
I don't know what to pass violand Derek's family came from, but my links were Northern Irish.
Ah. My good lady is is a Belfast woman herself. So there you go. And actually you have right, you have the same coloring. You know, you've got that lovely hair together. I just thought i'd mentioned that put me in the good books as well with the missus. Who knows how big an admirer I want to say, admirer of Derek akra I was because I think if you say you're.
A fan, Derek hated the words fan himself. He preferred to refer to them mis friends.
Actually, before we go into this which I believe is a big, rich tapestry containing life, look love the paranormal. It was a big thing rather than just the whole taunted thing that you hear about all the time.
And that's what was most taunted. Was only a brief, a brief moment in time as far as Derek's life was confirmed.
Of course, and it was such a life, and we're going to go through it. So I don't want to just you know, dump into that end of things, which is, you know, it's all been said and kind of done and dusted. We of course we'll address it, but I'm not going to make it the focal point of our chat because I have got when a Korra talking to me, and you know, it's a big thing for me. I have a picture of Derek in my studio. I can feel Derek telling me not to be such a prass.
But it was just the way I felt, you know. So look, let's just get on. It's the sixth anniversary only recently.
Let's just get that bit out of January.
So close to Christmas and everything. It was tragic. So can I just bring you back there so we address it and get it out of the way. What happened? You both became in to take it from there.
Yes, we both had flu. What we didn't know and what nobody knew at that point in time, was it was such a virulent strain of flu. People had been calling ill since October. I can remember when Derek did his Halloween event and people then were ill. They had to cancel and this sort of thing. And we tottered through to Christmas. We were vine, and then the day after Boxing Day we both started feeling quite ill. Well but not in a cold source of way. It was
a fluey type of thing. We were supposed to be going out on New Year's Eve to celebrate, but we canceled and on New Year's Day Derek hands went white. He was really ill. We were both ill, but he
was really ill. And so I telephoned Ray, who was Derek's tour manager and driver and friend, and he fulfilled everything for Derek on the road, and because I felt so dreadfully on myself, I asked him whether he would take Derek to hospital, which he did, and when he came back from the hospital he told me that Derek had been put into a medical coma. I didn't quite understand why that would be, because he wasn't gasping for
breath or anything like that. It was just he was ill, and obviously there was something radically wrong if his blood was sort of rushing towards the center of his body more than his extremities. And so at one o'clock in the morning of the second of January got called to the hospital because he was dangerously ill. He was still in an induced coma, and we were sat with him all night, really, and I came home because we have gone, we have cats, we have chickens. I came home for
an hour or two to see two of them. And it was a very strange thing. I came into the kitchen where the dogs are, and it's a very long it's a very big room, and there is there was a set of of French doors through into a conservatory. And as I was standing, he was halfway down the kitchen. I opened see French doors and the Conservative doors to let the dogs out. I saw Derek, saw him, I saw him. He was still in hospital. He was still
in an U was coma. But I saw him walking through the door into the conservatory and out of the conservatory door, and he wasn't worrying what he'd gone into hospital. He'd gone into hospital wearing a jog in suit thing, but when I saw him, he had a pair of jeans and an aviator jacket on, which were items of clothing that he owned. And he just walked away. And it was then that I thought he's gone. But he was still here. He was still physically here, but.
Leting you know, he was going.
It must have been. I mean, I'm not a person who sees ghost or even Yes, I believe in the paranormal, and I do believe that things happened, but I think it's greatly exaggerated in a lot of occasions, you know, Yes, but yeah, And I went back to the hospital and I was then told that they were going to turn
off the equipment that was keeping him alive. Basically he was on dialysis and heart medicine and this, and he was on all all sorts of things, and they did turn everything off because he wouldn't be able to sustain his life without help. And his heart stopped after half an hour, just sort of five minutes or so into the fourth of January.
Your heart must have been wrenched out.
I was in shop. You don't you don't absorb, You don't. You don't absorb the reality of or at each side. Didn't. I couldn't accept it. I couldn't accept it to talk. Well, it was just it wasn't real. It was though I was living in the parallel universe, you know, sort of this thing happening, but here's me. I'm at home and Derek's on the road. You know. That was the way that it was, you know. So that was the way
I felt at that time. And of course it was only a few days later that everybody started talking about the COVID coronavirus, wasn't it. That's where it started off, and all the symptoms were. Derek had the classic symptoms. People were shown on the television in bed in induced combas not only everything.
But Gwen, you know, it was really on. There was a couple of unfortunate timings in this whole thing. Okay, so you had it was around Christmas and you were you were all looking forward to everything. You were actually on the cusp of Derek's seventieth birthday.
Yes, yes, he was looking forward to that, wasn't he.
Oh, he absolutely was. Yes, we have plans for a big party. And the year twenty twenty, he said that going to be his last year of touring and working, and he was he was going to retire because he died on the fourth and he was. He would have been seventy on the twenty seventh January, seventy years by three weeks.
So your world, your world is turned upside down, and a few days later the whole world as we knew it, and we're still recovering from it. I think we're still traumatized as turned upside down.
Yeah.
Yeah, So at final just on that side, I want to we've addressed that, and I think it's at the start we should have done that rather than the end, because I want to end on a high on this whole story. As I said to you without it sounding kind of mawkish, you have you any subsequent signs since do you think or communications from or is that.
Not a huge amount. There was one occasion when I was feeling some vegetables in the kitchen and he stood next When I say he stood next to me, you know when you feel as though somebody's there and you turn around to say to them whatever. I had that feeling. I turned around, but he wasn't there, said, I couldn't see anything, but I definitely had the feeling that he
had been stood next to me on that occasion. There's been occasions when the dogs have been looking into the living room and wagging the tails and you know, all these classic things. But do I get the feeling that he's around here all the time. No, but I'm sure that he is, you know. I don't disbelieve that he has just shuffled off this mortal coil and gone elsewhere
and never to be seen again. But I can remember a medium saying to me, you know, sort of when I said, why don't if he'd only just show himself to I could only see him, he said. The medium said, were you clurred on him before Derek died? And I said, well, no, no, no, I wasn't. What makes you think that you might be blurred for him, now, you know? And that sort of brought it home to me.
You should have said, you tell me you're the psychic?
Yeah, but yes, so I'm sure he is here. Yes, I had somebody come along they asked, actually, and I agreed with what's something called e.
V voice phenomena.
Yes, And they came in and largely there was nothing but in wander hum where Derek had a snooker table there and it has a wooden floor, and there was a definite sound of somebody walking in leather shoes sold shoes that Derek always wore oather sold shoes across the floor, and the mirrors, breadth of the word Derek. Those two little things were the only things that nowhere else nowhere
in the house. There was nothing, nothing at all, just those two small things that were picked picked up with EVP equipment.
Wow, well he's still around. I always got the yes, I got the sense from him anyway. He was never well any time I listened to him. Particularly remember he had his own little kind of podcast radio show thing.
I used to love that he did.
Yeah, and I really, I genuinely listened to that all the time, Gwen. But I always got a sense of it's all bigger than just this. It's an expanse whatever existence is. It was. It was bigger than Derek, and he knew it, and he'd say it.
Oh, yes, absolutely, Because as you might remember, of course I'm not telling you your business.
You tell me. But I know he was into, say, meditation as well, so he was into the whole mind.
Yes he was.
Yes, Yes, he had a room in the house that he used and kept very quiet, and that's where he used to meditate. And he used to play music, lovely spiritual music.
I think it was around did you remember. I heard him say one time it was around eleven o'clock most nights. That was that was his time. And he said even if he was at a show, he would try and get home for to be at home in that room at eleven o'clock.
Yes, and when he was at home, I mean it wasn't when he used to travel far and wide as you know, but when he was at home he would meditate.
Yeah.
Right, so let's move on to the next stage. But just before I do as well, how about a little bit about yourself. What's your own background? Where did you hail from originally, and what's your story.
Well, I'm from Liverpool. I spent my time working in lawyer's offices, and I've been married before, as Derek had been married before. I had a daughter, Derek at the front. We got together in the mid eighties when I think I was in my mid thirties. Derek was a couple of years younger than me. Both our marriages had fallen apart, and it went on from there. We married about ten years later in nineteen ninety five, moved to year prior to getting married, we moved to the South Past area
were I'm still here. And Derek when I first met him, wasn't a full time medium or any such thing. He used to coach. He had a footballing background. He used to do coaching in sports centers, this sort of thing.
He had a footballing background. I think he had something to do with the cop itself at Liverpool.
Football he did.
Yeah, I mean I think yeah he was.
Yes, he was headhunted apparently when I mean this is from his mother, it's not from Derek Derek himself. She said he was extremely He was an extremely good footballer, but there were an awful lot of good footballers around at the time. A lot of them on the Liverpool side were internationals, and he really didn't stand that was out in Australia he was married. He went with his wife and his son to Australia and played for USC Lions.
Did you meet him growing up at any stage at all, Would you ever have crossed paths?
He said that we did. I don't remember. In our youth we used to inhabit the same nightclubs. And he said that at one time I had a second job behind the bar in a nightclub. And he said that he met me and spoke to me then that I don't remember.
All those footballer guys. They were full of themselves back then anyway.
Well, they absolutely were, and that's why I wanted nothing to do with the the Everton and the Liverpool football's footballers that used to come into the clubs because they were, yes, full of themselves.
Well, so time moved on, you became an item, if my research is correct, around nineteen eighty five as such. And then I suppose you're in the kitchen one day and he says, we have something to tell you. You know, I know this blow called Sam he's playing for.
But you know he was, he was.
He was very secret about he was his spiritual side of his life and certainly didn't tell me about it. Did Yeah, But it took about six months he helped me in before he told me. It was a conversation as do you believe in tarot cards, and at that point I'd always been fascinated by the paranormal. And once or twice I've gone and had my cards read, you know, it does from the office and this sort of thing. And yeah, so.
Gwen tell us about mister Flynn.
Oh, everybody was mister Flynn. He was what I now know is a medium. I in those days I would have referred to him as support tune teller. Yeah, I'd gone with some people from the office to this filled house she was having mister Flynn, and for the princely some of five pounds, we all had our card read and he did. Actually some of the stuff I couldn't understand, but curiously it did become relevant. You're expecting things that you're told to happen straight away, but they don't. It
can take years. And I was married at the time to somebody else, and he told me that this initial d and it'd have a great bearing on my life, and the Mediterranean red roofed houses and all this sort of thing. And I think this guy's waste money have wasted me five He definitely began to figure And of course we spent a lot of years agoing we bought a house in Spain and spent an awful lot of years going there and had some very happy memories. And the rest of that.
I think Derek used to say to you, it has no time frame, That prediction had no time frame at such day.
You know that happened, absolutely true. But I didn't know a thing about mediumship, about spiritualism, about the paranormal. It was just ghost stories and getting.
You and in your cart.
Right, and speaking of ghost stories and stories in general. We are here with Gwen widow of Derek Acorra, and the book is out and I love it. I'm not just saying that, okay, because I well, I'm kind of prejudiced anyway. I love Derek, right, and Mary loves Dick and all that stuff, right, Yeah, I know, I know. But there was another one, you know he didn't refer to. He actually said, I have to lower the tone, right I saw Derek being interviewed before. No, I won't. I
won't lower the tone, right, will I will? I gwhen anyway, he said, so everyone knows Mary loves Dick right. Well. Once Derek was out on location and he walked into this I don't know if it was an old courthouse or something, and he looked up on the balcony and you remember Derek, he would just shoot from the hip and he goes, that man up there has been tossed off.
That's right, Yes, that was the stewed in right, Yeah, in close to Abaca, Benny, I think it is in the world. And they used to hang the po because yeah, yeah, yeah, yes, hanging Jeffrey. They used to hang them by pushing them over the banister and yes, loud loudly proclaiming and he him off.
And I'm sure, I mean, there's so much in this. Let's just say. The book is called Haunted and Tallowed, right, and it's the Derek Acort Memoir by Gwen and Derek A Korra. And I kept dropping big hints to my missus Dad, I wanted to in my Christmas stock in.
Right.
Sure enough he turned it turned on and there was and I have to be honest with you, it's better than I thought it would be.
Right, Oh, thank you.
People have a kind of fantasy project that's our Gwen. You know, people say I'll have a go or put the book out, but no, I mean it's this book.
Is was It was definitely not a yeah, No, I think I don't think it would have ever have got written if.
It all right, person, I feel a blonde wig coming on, maybe a genuine blonde press that's coming on. No, I don't think. In fact, I'm going to put them on
hold for quite a while because the story continues. So in the middle of all this kind of revelation that Derek had these powers, you know, it was to you it was manifested in these visits to like the spiritual movement as it was back in the whate late nineteen seventies, nineteen eighties, early nineteen eighties, what were the spiritual movements as such? Are these people sitting around going not once for yes, twice for no, or what's going on there?
No, it wasn't like that. I mean, it may have been years ago, but certainly when I started going to spiritualist churches as Jerk, it was it was very much like that. The prayers, a medium would demonstrate medium ship, giving messages out to the people that were in attendance. In those days, there were very few a dozen or so people. As spiritual and mediumship and psychic became more accepted, I suppose the congregations grew I don't know what they're like.
It's years and years since I've been to a spirituous church. I don't know what they're like now. But yeah, it's no, it wasn't not once, yes now.
I think back then as well, they were known as a seer, a seer, yes, yes, an oracle chuck some names that you then, Okay, So Lilian Starr.
Yes was a medium.
No, no, absolutely, she was a medium and a very good medium and she used to demonstrate mediumship in the Liverpool Spiritualist churches. And she was the one that told me so I wouldn't have a very good time being married to a medium.
Well you can tell her, you know, it as a ride anyway, So it was great and that this whole story Lilian Star as well. How many stars are there in Liverpool? Was she anything to ring Or do you think or Freddy?
No?
No, no, no, no, no no relation whatsoever to Burdie Star because of course Bergie Star's name wasn't Star. No no relation whatsoever.
Well, and she wasn't anything to Ringle, no conversation. That's just maybe in a big Egypt, as we say here in Ireland. So you know, when it came to these spiritual Derek was big into them. What would your own philosophy be when about the spiritual movement? Is it an attainment or is it about getting material things? What would you think?
I think that both could apply. I think some people go into it thinking that they're going to make an awful lot of money, and others don't want to. They do it for nothing because as they love it so much, they love communicating with spirits. So I think that all posts are covered as far as that's concerned.
And did they ever get a bit clannish or political at all?
Oh? Yes, really yes, yes, yes, definitely. The committee's deck, committees, well when if they hated that's too strong a word. But he disliked the committees because they were very pretty and you had to be chums with the committee if you wanted to get anywhere. And that's why he stopped going to the churches, and he refused to demonstrate in any of the churches in because it give him a hard time when he was up and coming.
Well, one day he shows up with you in Lancaster and in the manner of the lotto, saying it could be you. A lady yes, called Gloria Duffy says it should be you, Derek, you should be up here on the platform doing the work of spirit.
That's right. Yes, that was the following week, was the first time that he'd stepped upon the on the platform in a spiritualist church, because Gloria gave him the courage to do so. I mean he had been he had been working doing readings for people and getting paid with words as originals and this. Yes, it was Gloria that first encouraged him and asked him to go to various different churches with her and join her on the platform.
He took to it like a doctor water.
He dead. He loved it.
But initially I think did the nerves get to him? Were you with him on his Yes, he was.
He was very nervous. Yes, he tried desperately to get me to to in the car around when he was actually going to Lancaster to do his first demonstration on the platform. Yeah, he was very, very nervous. But once he'd done that first one, he was fine.
He was fine.
I've heard other mediums say that initially they are nervous of giving off what they receive because they're afraid if somebody saying, what a load of rubbish. I suppose it's only that they gain the nerve as people are accepting of what information they come across with.
I think Derek is trying to communicate with a stare. In the background all night you can hear that is that a police or an ambulance or something.
Would probably be an ambulance because it's the roads quite a way away, but it's o'ten feel so sound carriage and I live roughly between Ormster and South Past hospitals and they're often doing transfers and.
A break for ads. I need to tell you this, As I said, this is more of a I want to just say this to you when Derek passed. I never ever did anything like this before. And I don't take it personally that I didn't get a response, because I'm sure you had a deluge of an avalanche of mail, right, But I just had to write how I felt, right and in my own little handwriting. So it's somewhere. It's it's probably in the binner. There's day known I wrote. I.
No, no, it'll still be there. And if I'm honest, I have yet to go through, Oh God, all the letters and the messages and the text messages, are still there and opened and emails and I've yet to go through them. Maybe it's something a huge undertaking.
Maybe someday and maybe not as well. Maybe it's just leave well enough alone. So look, the other thing is so he kind of got a bit of a he made his own break with your help. You were still working at the time to start, and he was doing jobs as well. And then you had a little premises, yes.
In waiver Tree, which is a suburb of pfoah.
Right, and people used to go there for readings they did, Yeah, and how did the blue It was gone?
Okay, yes, it was going fine. It was fine, Yeah it was, but it.
Was in the suburb. And we had this idea that because he was absolutely inundated with people wanting to make appointments with him, so we thought that maybe in the Liverpool City Center would be it would be easier for people to travel too, because if they were coming from out of town to go into the city center, it was simple on the bus or a train or driving or whatever to find the way into a suburb. It
wasn't quite so easy. So yeah, we moved his office from waiver Tree to Liverpool City Center on Victoria Street.
But wasn't a point reached when well and all as it was going Derek indicated to you that it was getting too much.
Oh, yes, yes, there was that point, and that's how we both ended up with our certificates in hotel management.
Pub manager. Yeah, very good.
Yeah, oh I still have my certificates there. Fantastic assuring everybody that I can change a barrel and deal with real ale and all this.
Yeah, but I believe, I believe when Derek did end up managing a pub, but it was one of those pubs where if you didn't have a knife on you, they gave you one on the way in the door.
That's right. Yes, when he was training he was at the pub that was, you know, sort of really nice. And then of course he moved into a tougher pub in a tougher area and didn't like it one bit.
There was a lady out of her gourd one time at a table I was reading I don't want to give your book away, by the way, we leave plenty of your book. But I think she was just a scouser was souted on something right, and she was like yeah, and he tried to give her assistance and that was the kind of drugs drug problem in the area of people selling drugs and stuff, and was at that.
Point, Yeah, it was a really tough area. There were a lot of drug problems. And yes, it was that of incidents that caused him to think twice and realized that maybe working with spirits was probably a better option than.
But the question, sorry, Gwen, Sorry, the question is though I shouldn't have interrupted there. Sorry. The question is, though, why did he give it up in the first place, because.
Because he couldn't. He It was involving a track who committed suicide and he unfortunately took his two children with him, and Derek could see this guy for a reading, and he could see something bad happening in the future, yes, and suspected that that would be sort of what it was. And fast forward a year, the guy came back to him and Derek said, you know, sort of, you really really must not do what you're planning on doing. And when what the guy did, obviously he killed himself and
his two children and his wife. The guy's wife came to see Derek and that's how Derek found out what had happened, and he just couldn't couldn't deal with it because he hadn't been able to stop the tragedy, and he felt that he should have been able to stop the tragedy. But I think he realized that.
You can't absolutely not alter anything.
Absolutely nobody can nobody can change anything. What is meant to be A person decides will be a decision that they make, and no matter what anybody says to them, regardless as to who they are, they'll do it if they if they get so badly depressed.
But Derrek had sensed that, and that's why the kind of that's why it had all cooled down on his front, and he wanted to try and make a new start with the pub and what have you. That's the calling of Spirits was was so strong. You continued on. There were a lot of lots of platform work for you there, and the theater work would get our appearances by the Salvation Army at times and Jehol witnesses and it's all Derek's fault.
Oh yes, they'd be outside the theaters handing out leaflets and saying that the people were going in to see the devil, and oh yes, it was, it was. It was funny in those days. It used to be, you know, the demonic thing. Nowadays it's it's people saying there's no such thing as mediums. They're all frauds, they're all fakes, they're all this, they're all you know. I think the Salvation Army has given up.
Yeah, they failed to recruit him into their ranks anyway.
For assurance, they certainly, And there was.
Others outside shouting, Jesus loves you, but we don't.
That was right, that Yeah, that was when I was in the dressing room and they somehower of a new maybe there's only one dresser, I can't remember, but yeah, they sang and chanted and shouted shouting to Jesus, maybe we don't.
But Derek had other things on his mind. He seemed to at one stage experiment with his hair and what to elaborate on that.
Well, people can read the book.
Yes, maybe maybe they should we leave that. Let's just say Goldielocks.
Yeah oh yeah, yeah.
So yeah, life goes on and suddenly he gets a break on radio. Is that correct?
Mm hmm, yes, yes, he did. It was Lankashire Radio and Red Rose Radio were the first two stations that he he guested it on. And then he wrote his first book, and I thought it was a good idea to sort of send out press pacts to publicize this book to radio stations and such like, and James Whale got in touch and invited Derek down to London to the studio one Sunday evening and a guest on the James Whale Show.
The recently departed James Whale.
Yes, yes, that's right, yes, yes, the notorious James. The life out of it.
We can't we can't speak ill of the dead, but we would say that a brace of might have been a description at times. However, Derek's charm came in to play, and not only that, his mediumship came into play because he managed to land the whale, so to speak.
He did, he absolutely did. Yes, he became very good friends with James and it was a weekly date for two three years until James unfortunately succumb to kidney cancer and he had to take time out while he recovered from that, and of course, by the time he had recovered a new month Derek back. Derek was too busy, he couldn't do it. So, yeah, where it came to an end.
It's important to mention there might even be a misconception out there that most haunted was the making of Derek Acorra. But it's too late to take it back when well, the point I'm making is is he was well established.
Absolutely, you know.
Did he have out and about with Derek Acorra as well? Was that like a TV show or something? Did he have a problem called out and about or our predictions.
Or predictions with Derrek Acora? He'd been not on Grenada Brirees, He'd done Psychics own, psych It Live, Lifetime, Psychic Live Time, Predictions of Dereka Kora. He guested on various different television programs. He had regular radio slots, he was filling theaters and when he was in Gerada, brez Ibet Fielding had a program called Simply di Wile or something like that, and where she did the steak of that plastic thing. Absolutely yes, And she used to Derek and I smoked and smoked
at the time. We'd jump into each other on the steps of these outside on the steps of the studio, and she said that her husband had devised this program and they were looking for a medium. Would Derek do the honors on this pilot program?
And where did that take laid?
Yes, it was Mitchell and Priory, Mitchell and Priory, Yeah, down down South. Yeah, And so one flatter day down we collected us and down we went to mitchelland Priory and did the investigation and it all went very well. Came back home and they kept in touch with us, and they were trying to sell the program and I think it was November when because a lot of people turned them down because the Paranormal wasn't programming that seemed to be popular at the time.
But yeah, how did Derek feel that kind of period between the pilot and the commissioning of the show, did he have any thoughts on working with Carl and or No?
Not really.
I don't think he thought that it would it would happen, you know, sort of. He was he was busy, he was getting on with his own rife. They get in touch. Carl used to phone up and spend hours talking to to Derek, and then in the November it was commissioned. And it was at that point what Derek said to me, I don't really want to do it.
I said to you, he didn't want to do it.
Yeah, what was that an inkling or that?
I don't know. I don't know whether it was some sort of premonition or whatever. But he wasn't keen, and I said, oh, it'll be fine, it'll be fine, you know. So they seemed to be nice people, because there were nice people in those days. They were nice people, very amenable, funny, good company. Fine. Yeah, So November it was commissioned, and then we heard the first filming of this first program would be Chillingham Castle in January of two thousands and two US.
So they had places like the ostrich In, Yes, a lighthouse as well.
Was there souter lighthouse such light house?
Yeah, there was plain castle.
And would you turn up enthusiastically to these places, Gwen, because I know, I mean, I know you believe in the paranormal as such, but you've whereas like it was Derek's kind of DNA or his nervous system. You really were the lady in the background, probably the long suffering lady in the background. Don't give you enough credit. You know, you were a great couple. You can see even with photos of the two of you, you were a sound couple.
And he may have had all this talent and mediumship, et cetera, but you were and I don't mean to pat patronize you, you were his rock, and that comes across so you'd be out there in some of these locations probably kind of half interested, freezing your nickers off, probably for parent expression, right, And some of these are because it's I've worked in television in my time. It's not everything that's cracked up to be. You know, you've got a crew with you. Some people are some people
are hungover, some people are in a bad mood. Some people are are light and flighty because they don't know any better. You really wear the power behind that whole throne.
I've been in supporting him, and I used to drive him and in those days, I used to drive to the theaters. I used to drive them everywhere. We worked together in different capacities. And yes, I used to like going to these different locations because I love old houses and I love castles, And that was the bit that
I like. Yes, it was more I was more interested in sort of seeing these places and sort of sitting waiting for a ghost to I've got to say that there were occasions when there was paranormal activity, okay, but it was subtle and it wasn't it wasn't exciting, you know, like, oh, it's difficult to remember, but there would be an occasion where there was an unexplained sound, or an unexplained movement, or an unexplained shadow. Not all the time, but there
were occasions when anomalous events took place. Should I would say it wasn't all theater for the television program, but there were a lots of things that were taken as being paranormal, but they actually weren't.
But as well, you just touched on something there I can identify with when I used to look at most haunted. I'm just saying it to you now as a punter, you know. And I'd often say to my wife and be there with a glass of wine, you know, and I'd say, God, I'd love to do that. And the reason, the reason for it was just as you've said, Gwen, it was the historic nature of a lot of these places.
Yes you saw.
Something or not, it was the fact was you are in a building that's probably four hundred years old, has had to have seen life and death and all kinds of things play out from history in it. And it wasn't a bad gig, really was it. Because you go out on these places. I'd have a nice dinner somewhere probably and you get a few bob for it, not them mad as we all know. But it was great. There was a time as well. Do you remember was it you that the cradle rocking? Was that one of those subtles?
Yes, yes, that was Applehampton.
Wow.
And they were filming in a bedroom and I was standing halfway up the stairs and I could see into the room that was next to the one where they were filming. Yes, And there was a cradle in that bedroom, and it suddenly started swaying. Now I knew there was nobody in that room.
I knew it.
I think it was Carl noticed this cradle swaying. Of course, a big deal was made of it. And it was only after, really really that I thought, I wonder whether the floorboards run and the movement of the room next door made the cradle rock. And when they were on the wrecky, before Derek arrived at the place, did they notice that this thing would happen? Was it all planned?
Was it actually paranormal activity? You know, your mind asks lots and lots of questions, especially it asked questions It probably wouldn't ask if you'd been treated fairly, But if somebody doesn't treat you fairly then you start questioning.
Okay, plus as well though, as you made some good relationships or good friendships.
Absolutely, I have to throw yes, lovely old Richard, he's fabulous, It is fabulous. And Jason Carl he was on the first series. Yes, we made lots of friends and remain. They still keep in touch with me, even though Derek's can't. But yes, we did. Some people we.
Never heard from again, that's like thought.
Yeah, you know, that happens with everything.
Of course, Richard Foenix wasn't too well recently as well, around this time last year.
That's right, Yes, but he's fine now he is. I saw him, yeah, yeah, yeah, he's absolutely fine now.
Well, they can do wonders these days, Gwen, because it was it was a heart issue he hadn't. I'll be honest with you. I had one myself. I had a quadruple there a few years back. Oh really seven years ago. Yeah, And so you know, you just take it day by day. Phelix to be a bit older than me now, in
his early seventies, but he's looking great. Because there's another paranormal team called ghost Era based in Ireland, and I know, I know Anthony Kerrigan was over there during the week and some photos on his Yeah, nice pictures of Anthony and his son, and you can just tell, like Richard is being so nice to him. And by the way, I just have to say as well about being nice to people. A couple of things struck me about Derek right when I used to watch him on Most Haunted.
Was just you know, there was a bit of theatrics there. I loved it because you would get into the whole experience with Derrek. I remember watching them one day and he was coming up the stairs. Now, anybody else would just walk up the stairs, but you're Derek came up the stairs and he was doing the one hundred and eighty degree scan and it was something something's gone down here, the sidualanity, you know. And as well, do you remember that lovely ring He used to have the big ruby
red ring. Do you remember that? Yes? Well, yeah, God, pride of place. But so so that struck me about him was he would he would bring you whether you liked it or not. And look at you've got to have a little bit of showmanship in there. You've got to be a you know, this business about fakery or whatever. You're not gonna have a television show unless you can do a bit of genuine mediumship and a little bit
of spice as well. And he brought me, you know, he brought that whole historic feel that you know, the possessions or whatever. But you know, the regional accents would come out and stuff, and it wasn't all baloney. And you know what, Gwen, I don't mean to offend at all, even if it was. It's television. You are not going to keep viewers unless you can get them to watch something of interest. He was like no other medium they had on that show. I liked the David Wells coupling.
I kind of liked that. I thought that kind of worked. I wasn't too gone on a lot of the others. This is what gets me about the whole of vette thing. My interpretation is there might have been a degree of professional envy there or something, and there was no need for it because everybody complimented, especially those early shows. Everybody worked together. But anyway, typically me, I'm going off the point, you know, So he pure entertainment. The other thing which
is often overlooked. I thought, just as a viewer, I thought he was immensely polite. He was yes, do you mind if he if I, or do you mind if can I? Is it okay? If? Now they're small things, but if you're in a certain generation, they're very important things. He would give people their place. He would ask permission. He never seemed to you know, it wasn't just here I am and I'm the medium, and you love me or leave me. There's nothing like. He was very human
and I loved him. And you know where I was the day he passed. Here's the comment right that brought me the news of his passing. I was standing by the sink in my kitchen. The radio was on, and the presenter was flustered in his own words and paraphrasing, but he said, good God, he said, there's so much news in the world at the moment, and it seems that all anybody's interested in this guy, Dereka Korra.
Now you know global, it did.
It did go viral and global all these things. But that's how I That was a blunt instrument to me. I mean, that's how I found out, and I was shattered. But at the same time, it was showing the impact that his presence had. Anyway, So you did as I said, pop over this end of the places like some people might pronounce it leap, but it's known as lept.
Castle, that's right.
And you know how was that for you? Because everyone has a left Castle story.
Oh I love left Castle. It's such a fascinating place. It does have its own eariness and it's definitely a place where it goes exist.
Yeah, it is.
Because I took a photograph of one or what I believe.
Ew and what was the attire of that aforementioned photograph? What did the person have in it? The figure having it a tight Oh, you don't know where the breeze comes from, but you sure know where it's going, like a.
Plaid over the top part and a cone helmets, a tone shaped almet and sort of long straggly hair, and its striding from the door to the stairs. Everybody was filming upstairs. Now I didn't see this, but I was in the dark. There was only the log fire burning. And I used to take photographs, just random photographs in places to see whether I picked anything up. So I was shocked when I saw this figure on one of
the photographs that I eventually downloaded onto a computer. Because it was a there were no photographs from phones in those days. Yeah, so I was quite shocked and I showed it to Carl and he said, that's Sean the chapter. But Sean didn't wear a chronicle what looked like a chronicle metal as he wore a flat cap. Yes, he certainly didn't have a leather kilt in the plaid on you see. I I don't know what the indigenous dress
of the Irish is. Yes, so I don't know whether it is something that fits in to the history of Ireland or whether it doesn't. I don't know, but that's what this figure was wearing. Yes, it was dismissed being shown the owner anyway.
You moved on that. You do Charlsville Castle at once to.
Day, yes, is it?
Yeah?
I think there was little girls or something. I might have fallen down the stairs or off a parapet or something there. That's that was the story I think I used to hear.
I can't remember what these stories were. I do remember that there was some sort of dark rooms, small rooms and this sort of thing. But I spent most of the time on that filming because I didn't watch the program, you know when it was aired, Durables did, so I don't know the content of some of the some of the filming because I spent most of the time in the crew room of that cattle.
Yeah, isn't as interesting as well, you don't watch the shows. But at the same time, Gwen, this probably I'm about to say bittersweet, but when most people lose a relative, et cetera, they might have a handful of photos or a few bits of video, et cetera. You have a whole body of work to look back on because it's all on the internet now as well and smart TVs
and what have you. Do you ever look at any of the old programs, not necessarily just most Haunted, but any of the rest of them, because there's plenty out there. I found a lovely interview which I think was filmed in your house gone way back. A guy came over and Derek had this beautiful front room. I have to say it looked well a room. And right at the end of the interview as well, I mean, Derek finished, so on cue at the best I can tell you, you used to have a clock that goes literally if you.
Watched Grandfather in the hallway, and.
Literally as Derek finished it, just like chimed. It was really like it was military precision timing. So yeah, but do you ever look at any of the of the programs at all or.
I don't don't know, No, I don't I've got everything I think that that Derrick ever filmed on DVDs or whatever, but they're still in the Soane Rappers's been opened.
Yeah, well, you know, I kind of understand that as well, you know, I do. And by the way, you mentioned Toler Moore, there was a bit that was the first kind of indication that at times was a bit of a coolness in the relationship with Yeah, Carl and the Vet's company was called Antics Production Clue and that there's a clue in the name.
That's right. That we were all last day in Ireland was from Patrick's day, Yeah, before we were traveling home to England. And yes, there was it was definitely frosty, not between Derek and I and such like, but we detected a definite frostiness between the crew, yes and Antics. Yeah, and that was when it became evident that Jason was no longer in favor as well.
All right, did he dirty his bib somehow? That's his story to tell.
I don't know. Yeah. Yeah.
The other thing is Gwen on the understanding side. I know myself. You know, in broadcasting it's very hard. It's like it's like grounding up cats or something, you know, And there's all these little interplays. And also, believe it or not generational. Okay, you you might have been a bit older than the crew, but also Karlavette were a bit older than the crew. There can be issues going.
On and oh yes, I mean.
Events is the same age as my daughter, you know, sort of, so we didn't tend to gel should I say? Is that? Is that a good word with the crew. And we worked with them and we were friendly with them, and that they were you know, but yeah, we wereked sort of friends as such, you know, but we shut and go for dinner together and all this.
There's always a butt with me and here it is. Do you know what? Though, So that early series, you know, maybe a series or episode three, four, whatever the series were, series three, You guys, This was kind of pop star stuff for satellite television, wasn't it. It took off like a rocket.
Oh yeah, yeah it did. And nobody was more shot than Derek enough, Yeah, it's I mean it. Although Derek was successful before, sure, most Haunted definitely sort of boosted that success, and it would be it would be wrong to say otherwise, because once upon a time he was known, but he became extremely well known. The fact that his death created such a farraw proved that that was down to him appearing on Most Haunted and.
Every cloud has a silver lining though, because it came to him. You know, he was mature in life at the time, so he wasn't going to know you, and he had you. Of course, it's star Warts and he described he described Jersey's star Warts and his rock behind him, so it was a nice place to be for a mature couple as well. But said it did take off, and so much so does if you right might remember remember Three Mediums, Colin fra Tony Stockell. That was the
real the Limo life, wasn't it. They arrived at the theater. I got the vibes. I could really If you really want to see Derek in love with his craft, I think look at that show. It's on YouTube there somewhere. The Three Mediums.
Yeah, yeah, they rocked that stage that night.
Oh yes, that was the hammer Smith and they build it.
They filled it. But you know, I think it was a recognition of it becoming, as they say these days, a thing. You know, the paranormal was suddenly a thing, and these were like these three I don't know, princess whatever. And it did the Dickie bows and the you know, the formal wearin it just it just worked. It was. It was a lovely time for you.
It was.
It was.
It was a fabulous time. And I think people look back on those days and think that I can do that, but that those days are gone and it's no reflection on thelites of people. But it will never happen again. It just won't happen again. Derek and Colin and Tony to a degree, they were at the right place at the right time.
Yes. And do you know why it won't happen again either, Gwen, because people have the attention span of a gnat now
through the likes of TikTok et cetera. It's terrible. It's really nobody what I was to love about most haunted, like Saturday night whenever kids are in bed glass or to of wine, going to that little place where you're not quite out of it but you're nice, you know, you're the Scottish have a word for it nicely mougered, right, and then then Derek would start his antics pardon the pun, with all you know you got away from me woman, and I just I was in another place with that programs.
So look, without making a big meal out of it, as we say in our there was a bit of a snot on at times. You could feel an atmosphere here right now. You can put that down to generational, You can put it down to a lot of a lot of things. But the speculation was, which I can't get over cart my head around this as a business person, right, is that there might have been a bit of professional envy in so far as Derek's profile was quite high. But I mean why I can't get my head around.
I don't know whether it was an insecurity thing or what. If it's profile was quite high. Richard Felix's it was a beautiful soup that all worked, and you know, business is good. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. What was this a kind of is this a jealousy thing?
Yeah? Yeah, I would say that it was. I would say that it was resentment because Derek ended up being or being talked about it as been the the star of the show, and I think it was an awful rub for them that he was the star of the show that they created, and maybe they thought that that should be the star. But the audience choose what the audience choose, you know, sort of Derek didn't go out to steal anybody's linel like, Derek was just being Derek.
That's the way that she was before and that's the way that she remained after.
Well, again, I'm only speculating, but how can it be is this vanity or insecurity? You've got somebody who was already back in the day like Blue Peter presenter, which is high profile enough. Okay, the thing peaked in the seventies probably, but still, you know, she was there as a as a well known presenter, and and Carl was an accomplished filmmaker. There they're essentially.
He was a cameraman, not a filmman.
Oh sorry, oh a cameraman, right, A cameraman, right, Well, he was he was you know, he was good.
He was very good.
He was very good.
And he's I think is he some kind of a martial arts guy as well? I think? But what I'm saying is I can't get my mind around it is because in my own small way say, when I put together this podcast, I used to think it's about Mark Monning. No it's not. It's about the people who are on the show. And it doesn't lessen my profile. I am the guy who's brought them together. I produce, and I'm still going to be known by the handful of people who listened to the podcast or the radio, whatever I'm on.
I don't need to be the center of it. I don't. I just don't know where it came from.
It was it was, there was there resentments, There were resentments, and it made life uncomfortable work in there, and Derek just got fed up and he said, he said to me, I'm going to resign. I'm going to tell them that, you know, I'm finished. So he found his agent meeting in Manchester. The antipopice in Manchester was arranged. Richard Wolfe
and Claire Hollywood of Living TV came down. So there was Carl Yvette, Derek, his agent, Stuarts, Claire and Richard and Stewart said on Derek's befal that Derret wanted to resign from Most Haunted and so that was that was, that was it. But Richard didn't want to lose Derek because he obviously appreciated that he could draw an audience. So he said, would Derrek do one more series of Most Haunted and three or four more Most Haunted Lives?
Derek reluctantly agreed. He didn't particularly want to do another series. He wanted to finish at series five. That was it. He just wanted to draw a line under it. So yeah, he agreed to do seriously.
The lives as well. They were big, and I think it wasn't the very very huge the very first live was that made that was fabulous? Was that maybe when Derek star was it was he that kind of king of paranorma.
Then that's the genesis fabulous night.
Yeah, yeah, it was a fabulous night. I got there was sort of blue washed light and there it was introduced in after after I said Herbert, and when the crowd sort of stood up and cheered and streamed and yelled. I saw that space and she wasn't.
So now we're getting yeah, perhaps the origin there is that show that the live So he read kind of under duress and the other thing is listen, I really sympathize with the situation that he was in. Look I wasn't there. It's not really for me to say, but I've been in situations you know, this bloody passive aggressive thing, right,
it's where you know, these are the microaggressions. It's one thing if somebody has a go with you, right, and guys often do it, yeah, you know, and then you will, Brian, refute whatever's being said, or you'll have a go back, you'll have a pint afterwards. Everyone forgets about it, right, But when it's things that niggly things you can't quite accuse directly or you'll be certainly you're a very unreasonable person, are you You know that. That's where my real sympathy comes from.
There's a situation where we were made to feel uncomfortable. We were just well made to feel uncomfortable, and Carl's attitude changed from being cheery, chappy to arrogant, really sort of diss you know.
Yeah, I mean, like Derek even was Robbie Williams like a mate at one point even you know, he just knew so many people and he was loved by so many people. But look, the only reason I'm reading I don't really want to get into all that, but you know, I think there was a book written a year or two back. Was it the Vets book herself? And that's where where I suppose it was. Probably it certainly was the impetus. You needed to get your side out as well.
I couldn't allow. I could not allow the outright lies that she told in that book. And I will meet her in court any day if she chooses to assume me.
What's in the public domain kind of that she said it really upset you or hurt you. I would have hurt Derek.
It was it was everything. He was egotistical, he was an alcoholic, he was a womanizer. He chase staffter her wanting to snog and groper. He was He was just a horrible person who wanted everybody to cowtow to him. And this that wasn't Derek. That wasn't Derek at all. Derek was a down to earth Liverpool guy and he remained down to a Liverpool guy who didn't have any huge ego. Who was he was just normal. She's made him out to be a monster. She actually said that her and Carl had created a monster.
It's beyond me how Derek managed to do all these things when, as you shared earlier, you were on location. You know, now it's going to mess around with another woman in front of her wife, you know. So I don't know. But if you know what, Gwen, what I love about you, without again patronizing it all is there's
a love, there's a lovely dignity about you. And you held your powder until you know you were kind of provoked into doing the right thing and to defend the name of your husband and of course the great entertainer Derek Acorra. So look, I understand all that, but you know, as I said at the beginning of this, we need to move on. Because was there was there what after? Life after Most Haunted? So some of the things that he got up to was as you said, Richard Wolf,
who would have been the controller of Living Television. He unlike certain other parties, he knew the expression, I don't want to kill the goose that laid the golden egg. He had other plans well.
He asked Derek doing a series of Most Taunted while he created a program for Derek on his own, which he did and it was called that Derek Cora's Ghost sound.
Yes, is that the one with Danielle Westbrook or.
That's right there, Danielle and Westbrook and Watson him the pianist known for the white Bikinian. Wow celebrity.
You don't hear them, you don't. You don't hear them telling any odd stories.
And you know, because there were no stories.
Oh we live and we learned. So Look. The other thing was, wasn't the Ghost Antiques Show as well?
Oh?
Yes, but that was whilst Derrek was part of Most Taunted in the break between filming series one and two, I think either one two or two and three, Derek filmed the Antiques Ghost Show. Yeah, that didn't go down well either, really, but you know.
The other thing was the books. You remember that and I have it. I have the what's it The Psychic Adventures of Derek Acorah. Yeah, I love that book. There was another way as well. I think I had them all on my Kindle. I love that.
I think that might.
Yeah really, but at the time that it kind of was there a crossover with Most Haunted and the books publication?
Yeah, yeah, because the publisher put star.
Well it was one of them. Did that? How could Derek have predicted it?
How could he? How could he have predicted it? Indeed, I mean the all this would have been passed by Living Television, and any content in that book had to be passed by Living Television, who owned Most Haunted at that time, because I believe that when they commissioned the program, they bought the rights as well. So yeah, we sorted to all be discussed and passed with antics productions, but apparently not. You know.
The thing is, you know, I think when things like that happened, just keep quiet, you know, just keep quiet about them and don't get upset by and they will pass, you know. So I don't know what the reaction of Karen Evett was to the book, but if it said Star of the Most Haunted, it probably went down like a French case of the Family Reunion, you know, absolutely. So listen, as I said, there was lots of afterlife after Most Taunted, and I want to I want to
touch on a few things as well. I mean, hey, listen, even before the whole Most Taunted thing as well, in the Paranormal Research International or whatever in the States, they had you guys out to la and what have you, and they came over and turned to England. And this was all totally aside from Living Television, right, this was before yeah.
Before before most haunted. This is the late nineteen ninety eight, ninety nine. Yeah, it went over to Los Angeles and he did he did investigations in Hollywood. He was on the entertainment and programs such as that, and then the IPS came over here and did a series of investigations and they're available on or they were available on videotape. I don't know now it's so many years ago, but he wasn't some medium that had just been picked up.
Not at all. Tell me, and you can tell me to mind my own business if you want. Do you got any royalties at all from any of the adventures at this stage? There's so much of it out there, the work, the body of work.
No, No, The only the only thing that Derek gets royalties from to this day is his appearance song.
Dr Who, Oh, Doctor Who.
He was on the Army of Ghosts series with Billy Piper and the chat.
Yeah, that was the episode of Doctor Who the Army of Ghosts.
Yeah, yeah, and all miss him.
Well with teeth like that. You've got a signal batman, you know, which reminds me as well. And I certainly would have hoped you'd got a few barbs out of this hang on, I have a I just have a premonition coming on now before I ask you about about big brother, right, which is what I'm going to ask about. Do you guys like you love you guys even before the whole thing took off. You love your holidays and stuff, and you were into you were into cruises and did
it drive Derek bananas? When you know he'd be on a boat and people were looking for readings.
And people didn't look for readings. They were very actually very kind. I mean people would always say hello and nice to meet you, and and maybe you know, would like an autograph for if they happened to have one, and be books you know what he signed. In fact, we were at Petra, we were in front of the treasure House and this chat came running over saying Derek Gora, Derek Corra and he pulled a book, one of Derek's books out of his backpack. Would sign would you sign this?
You know?
So that it was but no, generally people were really nice, you know, they chat and say hello and this sort of thing. But he wasn't sound for reading.
Yeah, I just have a vision of the two of you on a boat, like you can't get away by the way. He went down well in Egypt as well, didn't he. I mean he was he was highly thought of over there.
Oh yeah, Paranormal Egypt. He did a series of programs Paranormal Egypt Jets. That was another fabulous, fabulous experience because we just went to places that tourists don't normally go and into all the tombs and the aeries. Place I've ever been in my life was the Karen Museum at midnight. Oh it's it's an amazing place anyway, but when there's no people around and it's so huge, and you've got these huge, great mummies and whatever they call them, you know, these great.
Carvings, yes, hieroglyphics.
Yeah, it was amazing. Yeah.
He was asked black though, wasn't he. I mean they were very impressed by him. I can't remember the professor or whoever it is, or the chief guy that's theared that looks after it woked. Yeah, he's high profile. And I noticed he took Eric as well.
He did, Yes, he did. He was the Minister for on Twister Antiquities, Minister of Antiquities.
I feel like that myself sometimes. Sixty two this year Gwen, am I still young?
That's all right, seventy eight this year, So don't worry.
God, you sound good on us. You sound great on it. And sure it's only look at it as I get that, you know, I'll be honest with you, Gwen. I used to think, oh, the forties and you thirty, and the fifties and you, and then you get to sixteen ago. No, but it's it's a very ridiculous because I'm sure like you at times, the mind doesn't really change the fact of anything. I feel younger, it doesn't.
Know, your mind doesn't change. This is the this is the awful. I can remember my dad saying that his mind was, you know, the same as it had ever been, that just his body was letting him down. You know, I've got to the stage now where I know exactly what you meant.
I know, I think back to my own father. He was a military guy who was a he was a colonel in the Irish Defense Force. It's a lovely, lovely man. And indeed you mentioned Petra in Jordan. That's why I was really interested, because as a kid I traveled all around the Middle East part of the United Nations. But he used to say to me in his Tipperary accent. The older I got, the quicker at and the order,
you know, because i'd been marking a birthday. I mean, I'm sixty three this year, you know, and I remember, you know, your fellow Liverpudlians the Beatles, kind of basically declaring sixty four was aged when I'm sixty four. Oh my goodness, listen, I want to ask you about and we wrap up really soon, and I promise you because
I've kept you up. Yeah, God love you. Probably in your Jammy's there with the coffee gun cold, but and i'd love to I mean this without its sound and corny, I'd love to give you a big hug because I think you're wonderful. I think the two of you were very much. I mean it, it's genuine, and you were lovely. You were a lovely couple. And i'd share a little bit about why I feel like I do about you shortly.
But that doesn't sound as dodgy as it sounds, by the way, So look at the big brother came along. I hope there was a bit of a wedge for him in that. Anyway, it's not all about money, and I know that But what I loved about him? Did he come second in it? Did he? Or he was four fourth? Oh well a stone's throw away from second.
Yes, he was at the final We wouldn't neither of us expected.
Yeah, it was not only that. Do you know what he charmed the young people?
Oh?
Yes, he got on with everybody. He enjoyed himself enormously, really really did he loved it? And you know, you hear people say, oh it was so dreadful, it was this, it was well, it was not for Derek. It wasn't he enjoyed. He was good everybody who waits snoring?
Oh did he?
Yeah?
He was good for But I remember, I mean I kind of dipped in and out of it myself. But I watched it one night and there was some young
felt almost incredulous. I don't know what contestant it was, or a guest or whatever I called, but he was talking about Derek in his gun He's lovely, He's like an unc And then Derek would say residual energy here feels like that's that sound Scottish actually, you know, the residual energy and like it was an old famine pit or something that they were filming over that's what he thought. So look at I said, I'd say some of the
reasons that I feel like you about. Like nobody else I've had on scary Era, and it's this I as a fifty something year old. First of all, I used to love because it's quite a bit of social media of Derek. You know, he was having a stab at it towards the end, right, So I would get insights into Ray. Who is this Derek's road manager also known as Rogers, Right, yeah, And he had this little series where you basically got to fly on the wall view at Derek's life. And I thought to himself, I like
this life. He's in Wales one minute, he's up the m one the next he's in Scotland. So and so it's a traveling man. It's a bit of a show man. He makes people feel good. I don't get into any kind of negative fakery and all that. I think it's a good living to give people hope. So i'd see this guy who's you know, he'd be there the picture I had him of the studio, right, he had something like a coffee and he's had a chuck adoodle. I
even remember it. That will show you now that I'm not just making it up about the picture in the studio. He was holding a chocerdoodle and he had that a white turtleneck and a black jacket. He was always very very elegant. As I said, the two of you is such a lovely couple. And but you know, he was quite dapper, and the hair was never out of place. And I know he would have you know what, you'll be well able for it. Anyway, there would have been
female attention around him. But I used to look at this guy going up and down the roadways of the UK with the occasional for a maybe over to a little jaunt over to Spain or whatever to join say Colin Fry and and of course then he had the tuxedo and all the rest of dinner jackets. And I said, this is great, you know. So I used to get that insight as a fifty something new I look at it and I said, Derry could cheer me up right. So he'd be on about Roger Rodgers, or he'd be
sleeping in the car. There's a nice one of them down somewhere in Wales, I think, and he's having a coffee with some guy down there is a nice chat. The other thing I used to see was your Facebook lives on Sundays.
Oh right, yes, I looked in on them.
Right, and I know that you were people of a certain age grappling with technology at times as I am. But you did well on it, right, because remember you'd be waiting for the three to want the camera to go. You didn't know whether it was on or not.
That's right. There were many, many and many a time when I'd be on my hands and knees on the floor with my hand on the actual keyboard, trying to do things where therek was doing everything rotten or.
Not, that's right. And I get these little well you're like darbian Joners, but but I get an insight into you. And I'd be waiting on the Sundays and I knew there was like a zoo, if not a menagerie out the back. There's there's all kinds of animals and no one's ark in there at times. Right, So he had he had the koi fish. Remember he go out for the city. You sit on the on the end of the pool. There are the cooi. Are the coys still knocking around or have they gone?
Oh yes, no, no, they're still here, everything still here.
Are the dogs still alive?
Of course?
Yeah?
Yeah? What breed are they?
The big Pool Standard?
The standard poodles? Yeah, Milliam Merlin mun Mulins sitting looking a bit right?
Get this? You gets this Irish prat off the line. I want my pettigree chong but yeah, God knows what it is, but anyway, somebody's making money out of it. But there was pictures of Derek and he'd have the two of them in his arms like they were his buddies. Used to just love that kind of little window on your life in a in a in a wholesome way, Gwen.
But I'd look at now that The other inside I got was one time you were you were waiting to go on, and this proved to me as I said, you were having You were wrestling with technology at times, right, so you weren't going to be in the mood to conjure or make or contrive something up right, And he was talking to you. You won't even remember this, Gwen,
because but I'm such an afficiado of man. Right, you were waiting for the camera to come on, and he and Derek said to you, you said, there's atmosphere here tonight or something isn't there And he said to you, yeah, they're active, they're around tonight. And he was talking about spirit people I suppose, or is energies. It was that unguarded moment. I remember thinking he's not making this up.
Oh no, no, no, any there was unfortunately an awful lot sort of comments and chat went out when we were unaware.
Yes, well I have to sorry you mention. I'm sorry now you walk yourself into this, Gwen, because one of the videos I hold dear is when you remember he was going through his he was going through a kind of a trunk of his memories, right, and you were behind him filming. You remember you know where I'm going with this.
And I the most saunted memorabilia.
Well, yeah, and he was laughing. He was laughing at his pacelip. He said, everyone thinks I'm a millionaire. Look at this. What the other thing was? And if you had all these little didn't you have all these little like little trophies.
Oh yes, yes there, I've got tons of stuff and I really actually must get rid of it all. I've even got these signs to the Jerk Cory ghost Town signpost, which is yeah and all his clothes are still in suitcases, and you know, but all the Memorabiliah. Yeah, I don't know what I'm going to do with it.
Actually, well, you know what when he was when he was if you pardon the expression, rooting in his drawers, right, you were standing behind filming it and you were saying to him, listen, Derek, this is all fine and good, but when you got your big backside out of the way.
I don't remember that one, okay.
And also so very quickly now we will wrap it up because I'm after take him far too much of your time, even so generous with it, but really quickly. I loved his little radio podcast, Joe, do you remember it?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, And.
Remember he had this thing. You'd play music and he would have this vision of Salmon himself. Of course, Samuel's his spirit guide, and they were going. It was kind of poortent portent in the way. I remember thinking about it after he passed, you know, but beyond this journey, he knew he was going somewhere else. They'd go into this room. See it was there like a meditation thing, like and I know you like you have someone had to sit down and write that out that's okay, that's
well and good. But with the thought that counts right, and you'd go he'd go into this room where describes or whatever would say have you been a good boy or bad? And they wouldn't necessarily judge you as so, but but but you know, you'd be called to account. And then he'd go outside, and he said, and there are letters on the wall. I don't know, I can't understand what they say, but this incredible music would be behind.
It's really great music. I know you listed in the book, which by the way, is called Haunted and Hallowed, the Dereka Cora Memory Memory Memoir written by Gwen and Dereka Korra, because it's important to say that Derek's own hand is in this book as well. So you've got you've got some of the manuscript on a book he was planning, and you've incorporated beautifully.
Yes, yes, I a loss has been incorporated. Some hasn't because I thought it was a bit.
Ah, you're right, you know you make that you make a good call. And I said, you were always very very diplomatic until you know, you were put into a position where you had to really give you a side of account. And tell me, I know he was buddies, funny enough talk about being maligned and been parodied and all the rest of it. Youre David Ike and himself were great buddies.
Yes, there were, Yes, David. You visit Derek regularly when he's had his office in Victoria Streets in Liverpool, and they kept in touch over the years and often spoke when David was over in America. He'd you know, keep Derek updated with what was going on and the sort of thing. So yes, yes, he and David I were good friends.
Because David himself, in his own words, has taken monumental levels of ridicule in his life. But in the world the words of Adamant, ridicule is nothing to be scared of, you know. And he's thriving now more than ever because a lot of what David has said has kind of come to pass. But I remember he guessed it on Derek's show and that was a great, great episode. And listen, I remember him working on something else as well. Maybe you can talk about it, maybe you can't. Beyond the Grave?
Was that a project that never happened? It looked good, It looked.
Good, didn't it was it was really good, and then the chat that we were doing it with yes, disappeared with all the footage.
Oh no, and it's not even out there. That's the thing. We can't we can't even pirate it. There you go. You've got to put everything in writing, as you know, when it comes to merchandise, you'll say no more. You got to put it in write very very quickly. Here as I just move on, So we've talked about the fish the football. You know, sure he was a member, he was on the he was with with Liverpool anyway as a schoolboys, so he'd know the Bill Shankly thing,
which was huge. And as we come to a close here with the lovely Gwen Acora, I want to just ask you. Let me just ask this question. First of all, let's say you're walking down the road and you meet a vest would you have much to stay to her?
If I saw her in the distance, I'd probably turn around and more give the opposite direction. Yeah, I would, because I'm not a confrontational person. But I'm not somebody who shies away either.
You don't mess with scout lady.
Yeah, I'm not argumentative. I wouldn't argue or shout or scream or any of those things. But if somebody has some sort of beef over something, I'd rather they say it and talk to me about it.
Of course, then we would.
Hit a chatter behind me back, go on to sort of Facebook and put these cryptic quotes and all this sort of thing. I'd rather, you know, it's my face and then maybe we can clear this.
Matter up and be done with it. And we're certainly done on that subject. And also, I know Pathfinder Dogs is close to your heart. And Derek, by the way, he used to have some great parties, didn't you. You know, the kind of fans of Derek Acora and all that. Do you remember remember him in the kilt and he flashes in the kilt? That was one and the other thing I loved. He was about sixty five at the time, I know, because I'm so paranoid about my own age. Right,
was he was? I think he was in Spain and that song because I'm happy, Yeah, out on the side of the road. That used to just cheer me up.
No way, that was we We weren't actually in Spain, and that was that was filmed. We were on the banks of Roman, was that right? Yeah? Yeah, that was.
That was he was in such good form, you know, and you can see the other thing was it was the charisma. The people that he say he's dancing with, they all loved him, and I knew there was some nice dinners there and all the rest of it, and the two of you in your in your finery, glitteraty whatever it was. It was lovely being in the court of Derek Okra. I have to say, Lady Gwen to them, Yeah, and look. The other thing is, what do you think his legacy should be?
Oh, it's legacy. I think be kind and show a bit of humility. I think that's what his legacy would should be, because that was the first person she wants I know.
And you know what else him and Sam I reckon what adventures those two were up to. But also very quickly, what's life like for Gwen these days? Are you? Are you feeling it? Or do you? Do you ruminate a lot? Or are you I think you're a people person.
I obviously it's not something that you want to do. But you have to continue on with your life, don't you. I see friends, I go out for dinner, ye, I do normal, normal things. I go on holiday. First time I've been on a plan. I'm going on a fortnight holiday this year. It took me about four years to go away the first time, and now I'm going away this year. Yeah. So yeah, life carries on, but there's always a bit of missing course of.
Course, but it gets I don't think it, you know, it necessarily heals, but it gets easier. And also I think just be aware now there could be a bit of a nuisance, like people like myself or whatever, but just be aware there are so many people who loved Derek, but it's not just about Derek. Like you must hear it in me. I mean I loved you guys as a couple. I saw a lot more than just all the you know, spoons flying around the place. To me, you were you were a nice template for how decent
people should be. And good people are scarce, Gwen, right, and I know that well, you know well you're one of the good people. And I want to thank you. So you're very welcome, and I mean it, so look at wrap up well, missus Akora. You are very loved and you are very generous to give us your time here this evening. Would you take care of yourself?
I will I will and thank you very much.
Good night, darling, Gwen. We all love you. Bye bye.
Yeah, yeah, A couple of things over the years. But I've learned, well, I don't. I suppose it's not learned. I've just become accustomed to it. And I think it's kind of it's it's maybe it's another sense or something. But often when you go into places, you will get a feeling for the place, and you'll get a feeling of whether or not it's comfortable. And whatever cause is that, who knows what causes that. But we have an intuition.
We have an inbuilt intuition. I can't describe what it is or where it comes from, or the physics of it or the chemistry of it, but it's there. And anybody will will tell you to stick with your intuition. If you think something doesn't feel right, then don't don't hang around.
Superb advice from regular contributor to Scary Era, David McGlynn aka the Squire, and don't hang around either. If you've got an Irish paranormal tale to tell, simply email Paranormal Ireland at Proton Male dot com and it'll be read out for you before you get to tell it on air yourself. That's Paranormal Island at Proton Male dot Com.
Mark Manning. What a woman of substance was our Guenacora. I certainly hope you enjoy that nice long form interview. Now, I don't know about you, but my mammy always taught me it was nice to thank people. And therefore today are readers on the section random and I'm I'm a strange but true where in order they were? Sarah Campbell, She's an event host, a radio broadcaster and voiceover of note, followed up by the Master of the Universe himself, David
McGlynn David ny go way way back. He's also known as the Squire because he's very awfully he's got an interest in all things antique and classic cars, and he's also a businessman and he is kind of a Swiss army knife reely of all kinds of everything. What a great guy and new to the fold. I have to
mention the lovely Quiva A Garvey. Now I first heard her dulcet Tones when she partook in a little section we had, remember a few months back, an all female program we had, and I heard her and I went, oh, I like that kind of youthful lilt she's got to her voice. So I got in touch and I'm now happy to say she is going to read for us until she decides otherwise, and she represents not one, but two teams Paranormal Adventures Ireland as well as the para
Unity Project. By the way, if you'd to read for the show and you think you have it in you, I'll decide about that, but get in touch Paranormal Ireland at ProtonMail dot com. That's all you got to do is email me Paranormal Ireland at ProtonMail dot com. Coming up on the next show of Scary Era, I plan to have Carmel Conway. She's from Tuam in County Galway
and she she's a character. She's great crack, but more importantly for our show, she is a psychic medium and I think you're really going to enjoy her if I can square him in as well. I have a long interview done with Eugene Dorian Late of the Parish after Life Paranormal and I think new to the Parish of Ghost Era. He's joining Anthony and the team now then, Darlings. That's pretty much all I've got to say to you about the show today's and the future shows and all
that kind of thing. So you just wrap up well now in a nice woolen underpants or Nicholas, and have yourself a top toddy or even totty if you're feeling a little bilamorous. M hm No, But what I really want to say is I'm Mark Manning. It's been a pleasure to serve you today, and may your life be filled with unexpected and beautiful things. Take care because I care.