15 episodes

A paranormal cold case, re-investigated through a thrilling blend of drama and documentary. The true story of one of Britain's strangest hauntings, with Dafne Keen and Toby Jones. Presented by Danny Robins.

The Battersea Poltergeist BBC Radio 4

    • Fiction
    • 4.6 • 898 Ratings

A paranormal cold case, re-investigated through a thrilling blend of drama and documentary. The true story of one of Britain's strangest hauntings, with Dafne Keen and Toby Jones. Presented by Danny Robins.

    Introducing The Battersea Poltergeist

    Introducing The Battersea Poltergeist

    A paranormal cold case, re-investigated through a thrilling blend of drama and documentary. The true story of one of Britain’s strangest hauntings, with Dafne Keen and Toby Jones.

    • 3 min
    Episode 1: 63 Wycliffe Road

    Episode 1: 63 Wycliffe Road

    63 Wycliffe Road is an ordinary house on a quiet South London street, but in 1956 it becomes famous as the site of an alleged poltergeist.
    The strange events focus around teenager Shirley Hitchings – but is it a haunting or hoax?
    Ghost hunter Harold Chibbett arrives to investigate.
    This series blends drama and documentary to explore an intriguing paranormal cold case. As we hear the original haunting brought to life, host Danny Robins begins his own present-day investigation – what really happened to terrify the Hitchings family 65 years ago?
    Written and presented by Danny Robins, starring Dafne Keen (His Dark Materials), Toby Jones (Detectorists), Burn Gorman (Torchwood) and Alice Lowe (Sightseers).
    With original theme music by Mercury-nominated Nadine Shah and Ben Hillier, this gripping 8-part series interweaves a chilling supernatural thriller set in 50s London with a fascinating modern-day investigation into Britain’s strangest ever haunting – a mystery unsolved... until now.
    Shirley Hitchings........Dafne Keen
    Harold Chibbett.........Toby Jones
    Wally Hitchings........Burn Gorman
    Kitty Hitchings..........Alice Lowe
    Ethel Hitchings..........Sorcha Cusack
    John Hitchings........Calvin Demba
    Mrs Cameroo..........Amina Zia
    Written and presented by Danny Robins
    Experts: Ciaran O’Keeffe and Evelyn Hollow
    Sound Designer: Richard Fox
    Music: Evelyn Sykes
    Theme Music by Nadine Shah and Ben Hillier
    Produced by Danny Robins and Simon Barnard
    Directed by Simon Barnard
    Consultant: Alan Murdie
    With thanks to James Clark, co-author of 'The Poltergeist Prince of London'
    A Bafflegab production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in March 2021.

    • 30 min
    Episode 2: Shirley

    Episode 2: Shirley

    Danny meets the only surviving witness to the haunting – the real-life Shirley Hitchings.
    What was it like living with a poltergeist?
    Back in 1956, Harold Chibbett begins his investigation of 63 Wycliffe Road, learning more from the family about the shocking events, as objects appear to move of their own accord.
    Written and presented by Danny Robins, starring Dafne Keen (His Dark Materials), Toby Jones (Detectorists), Burn Gorman (Torchwood) and Alice Lowe (Sightseers).
    With original theme music by Mercury-nominated Nadine Shah and Ben Hillier, this gripping 8-part series interweaves a chilling supernatural thriller set in 1950s London with a fascinating modern-day investigation into Britain’s strangest ever haunting – a mystery unsolved… until now.
    Shirley Hitchings……..Dafne Keen
    Harold Chibbett………Toby Jones
    Wally Hitchings……..Burn Gorman
    Kitty Hitchings……….Alice Lowe
    Ethel Hitchings……….Sorcha Cusack
    John Hitchings……..Calvin Demba

    Written and presented by Danny Robins
    Experts: Ciaran O’Keeffe and Evelyn Hollow
    Sound Designer: Richard Fox
    Music: Evelyn Sykes
    Theme Music by Nadine Shah and Ben Hillier
    Produced by Danny Robins and Simon Barnard
    Directed by Simon Barnard
    Consultant: Alan Murdie
    With thanks to James Clark, co-author of 'The Poltergeist Prince of London'

    A Bafflegab production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in March 2021.

    • 29 min
    Episode 3: Interview with a Ghost

    Episode 3: Interview with a Ghost

    Danny explores possible links between the Battersea case and the Enfield Poltergeist, a famous alleged haunting from 1977.
    He meets two reporters who covered the case, one of whom claims to have been attacked by the poltergeist. We hear more from the real-life Shirley Hitchings as, back in 1956, teenage Shirley appears to communicate with Donald the Poltergeist, and her story becomes front page tabloid news, gripping the nation.
    Written and presented by Danny Robins, starring Dafne Keen (His Dark Materials), Toby Jones (Detectorists), Burn Gorman (Torchwood) and Alice Lowe (Sightseers).
    With original theme music by Mercury-nominated Nadine Shah and Ben Hillier, this gripping 8-part series interweaves a chilling supernatural thriller set in 50s London with a fascinating modern-day investigation into Britain’s strangest ever haunting – a mystery unsolved... until now.
    Shirley Hitchings……..Dafne Keen
    Harold Chibbett………Toby Jones
    Wally Hitchings…… Burn Gorman
    Kitty Hitchings……….Alice Lowe
    Ethel Hitchings……….Sorcha Cusack
    John Hitchings……..Calvin Demba
    Ronald Maxwell……….Rufus Wright
    Joyce Lewis………..Miranda Raison
    Written and presented by Danny Robins
    Experts: Ciaran O’Keeffe and Evelyn Hollow
    Sound Designer: Richard Fox
    Music: Evelyn Sykes
    Theme Music by Nadine Shah and Ben Hillier
    Produced by Danny Robins and Simon Barnard
    Directed by Simon Barnard
    Consultant: Alan Murdie
    With thanks to James Clark, co-author of 'The Poltergeist Prince of London'

    A Bafflegab production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in March 2021.

    • 31 min
    Case Update: The Key

    Case Update: The Key

    A special bonus episode, answering your questions about this thrilling investigation. In our first case update, Danny discusses your theories about the case so far, finding out more about the mysterious key on Shirley’s bed, and hearing from experts Ciaran O’Keefe and Evelyn Hollow about possible explanations for the strange noises at 63 Wycliffe Road.
    Written and Presented by Danny Robins, starring Dafne Keen (His Dark Materials), Toby Jones (Detectorists), Burn Gorman and Alice Lowe, with original theme music by Mercury-nominated Nadine Shah and Ben Hillier, this gripping 8-part series interweaves a chilling supernatural thriller set in 1950s London with a fascinating modern-day investigation into Britain’s strangest ever haunting – a mystery unsolved… until now.

    • 15 min
    Episode 4: The Underground Exorcist

    Episode 4: The Underground Exorcist

    A psychic medium offers to perform an exorcism to remove Donald the Poltergeist.
    Broken by sleepless nights and constant fear, the Hitchings family accept – but is this putting teenage Shirley in even more danger? As Danny continues his present day investigation of the case with the help of parapsychologists Ciaran O’Keefe and Evelyn Hollow, he meets a real-life exorcist to learn about the risks involved.
    Written and presented by Danny Robins, starring Dafne Keen (His Dark Materials), Toby Jones (Detectorists), Burn Gorman (Torchwood) and Alice Lowe (Sightseers).
    With original theme music by Mercury-nominated Nadine Shah and Ben Hillier, this gripping 8-part series interweaves a chilling supernatural thriller set in 50s London with a fascinating modern-day investigation into Britain’s strangest ever haunting – a mystery unsolved... until now.
    Shirley Hitchings……..Dafne Keen
    Harold Chibbett………Toby Jones
    Wally Hitchings…… Burn Gorman
    Kitty Hitchings……….Alice Lowe
    Ethel Hitchings……….Sorcha Cusack
    John Hitchings……..Calvin Demba
    Harry Hanks…….. David Troughton
    Ronald Maxwell……….Rufus Wright
    Joyce Lewis………Miranda Raison
    Mrs Hanks……….Lizzie Roper
    Christina.........Amina Zia

    Written and presented by Danny Robins
    Experts: Ciaran O’Keeffe and Evelyn Hollow
    Sound Designer: Richard Fox
    Music: Evelyn Sykes
    Theme Music by Nadine Shah and Ben Hillier
    Produced by Danny Robins and Simon Barnard
    Directed by Simon Barnard
    Consultant: Alan Murdie
    With thanks to James Clark, co-author of 'The Poltergeist Prince of London'
    A Bafflegab production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in April 2021.

    • 30 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
898 Ratings

898 Ratings

Watscovo ,

GW

Excellent podcast

wwfc_slme! ,

Bloody Brilliant

Another great podcast by Danny and his team. Great Story. Listened to this and the witch farm. An been doing my own research. Hope there’s more to come

AnnieJuly1 ,

Who finds these “experts”?!

Clearly a case of an attention seeking girl trapped in a family environment she felt better than - and the layer of this ghost hunter who for some reason devoted his life to the case gave it a credence it didn’t deserve.

The only real expert here was the handwriting expert - and her evidence that the girl faked the letters is brushed aside because it’s inconvenient to the hokum underpinning a career spinning podcasts about ghosts.

The hilarious thing is the two resident “experts” - they’re both lightweight nobodies who just sit there and insist on their own side of the story cos it’s no in their self-interest to open their minds.

All a load of nonsense!

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