The Ghost Hunter is a British children's drama series created for the BBC and based on the books The Ghost Hunter by Ivan Jones. It was first broadcast in January 2000 and the last series was first broadcast in 2002. Repeats continue to be shown on BBC and CBBC as well as in other countries. The first and second series were later reworked into two ninety-minute films.
School location scenes from each of the three series were filmed at St. Laurence School in Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire. Many of the castle scenes were filmed at Berkeley Castle in the Cotswolds.
The Ghost Hunter series revolves around Roddy and Tessa Oliver, two ordinary children whose lives are turned upside down when William Povey, a shoeshine boy from the Victorian era appears in Roddy's bedroom as a ghost and appeals to him for help. The Ghost Hunter is searching for William in order to obtain 'spectral energy' which is only obtainable from capturing ghosts.
At first she seems concerned only to "collect" ghosts, but later her intentions become clear. She wants to use their energy to pass through Time itself and thereby have everlasting life. William's energy is especially high which makes him more attractive to the Ghost Hunter. As Roddy has second sight (the ability to see ghosts) and is the only person initially who can see William, he is the only person who can help him escape. Later, Roddy's sister Tessa also finds she has second sight and can also see William. In their on-going battles, the two boys and Tessa become firm friends and have many adventures together.
Although the series was a ground-breaking one for children's television and influenced other series which followed it, and although it had very high ratings, a fourth series was never commissioned.
Characters
Roddy Oliver, played by William Theakston – William's friend who has the ability to see and hear ghosts which is known as 'second sight'. Tessa Oliver, played by Verity-Jane Dearsley – Roddy's sister, also has 'second sight' William Povey played by Lee Godwin – The main protagonist, a shoeshine boy from the Victorian era who died and lived on as a ghost. Elliot Town, played by Jack Quarmby – Roddy's best mate from the year 2027 Mrs Croker, 'The Ghost Hunter' played by Jean Marsh – The titular antagonist, who detests ghosts and who is willing to do anything to avoid death. Clarence DeSniff, played by Richard Hanson – The Hunter's assistant Murdoch, played by Glyn Angell – the keeper of Newgate Prison. Mr Oliver & Mrs Oliver, played by John McAndrew and Tracy Brabin – Roddy and Tessa's parents Leo, played by Eddie Brown – Roddy's son from the year 2027 who inherits his father's ability to see ghosts. Bex, played by Kelly Salmon – Roddy's daughter from the year 2027 who also inherits her father's ability to see ghosts. Professor Darcy, played by Andrew Havill – Victorian inventor who begins working with 'The Ghost Hunter' in series 3.
The Series
Series One
The main action takes place in Roddy and Tessa's village and school where the Ghost Hunter is active. One of the Ghost Hunter's chief abilities is her sense of smell. She can sniff out a ghost effortlessly. But Roddy and Tessa do not know who the Ghost Hunter is. They set about trying to discover this so that they can protect William. One of their ruses is to put garlic all round Roddy's bedroom, where the ghost is hiding, as the smell is said to keep ghosts and evil away. Eventually, the children realise that the Ghost Hunter is Mrs Croker, but only when she arrives at Roddy's house with her "ghost immobilising vapour" (GIV) with which she tries to freeze William, shrink him and put him in a bottle. Thanks to Roddy's quick wittedness, William escapes and the police almost arrest Mrs Croker but she escapes. Mrs Croker is also, and always, on the look out for other ghosts and has a whole collection of bottled ghosts that is discovered by Roddy, William and Tessa when the two boys save Tessa after she is kidnapped by De Sniff and left tied up and gagged in a secret hideout while Mrs Croker and De Sniff go back to the house to look for William. When she learns that there is to be an AGM (Annual Ghost Meeting) at Chillwood Castle, she and her side-kick DeSniff set up a powerful plan to bottle dozens of ghosts. Her plan is to use ghost-energy for her own wicked purposes, but the plan fails when she attacks the ghosts during a unique ghost celebration that allows them to assume their human bodies once again. Thanks to Roddy, Tessa and William, Mrs Croker falls from the battlements of Chillwood Castle, and is believed to have been killed. De Sniff escapes.