Parky: Ghostwatch even terrified me

Michael Parkinson has confessed making infamous Halloween mockumentary Ghostwatch is the most scared he has ever been.

Broadcast 20 years ago on October 31, 1992, Ghostwatch was a 90-minute mockumentary in which BBC reporters claimed to be filming live the strange goings on in a north London house. By the finale, it seemed the poltergeist had invaded the TV studio where Parkinson was presenting.

Michael speaking while promoting upcoming DVD Parky's Picks, revealed: "I've never been as frightened in my life, because they wouldn't tell me what the end was at all.

"In the end I was sitting in a studio at the BBC without a cameraman; they were all remote cameras and they said: 'Look for a red spot,' and the red spot was supposed to be the evil spirit which was right at the top of the gantry which then started moving down and towards me. At the same time these b****y cameras started moving towards me. I was absolutely terrified, and I think that was the only way I could possibly have acted."

He added: "I was actually looking around confused thinking 'What the hell's happening here?!' So it was a very interesting way they shot it."

The show caused controversy as trusted BBC broadcasters presented the show as if it were real, and prompted an estimated 30,000 calls to the BBC switchboard in just one hour from frightened viewers.

Michael, 77, admitted he had no idea Ghostwatch would have such an effect on the masses.

He said: "Well nobody did at all. It was not predictable. But when you see it back it's quite spooky stuff.

"It was unexpected and the cult following that attended it was even more unexpected. Nobody even would imagine that would happen."

:: Parky's Picks is released on DVD on November 26.