TV ghost hunter Barri Ghai had a terrifying encounter with an 'evil spirit' in the attic of pop legend Toyah Willcox's Worcestershire home.
The paranormal expert was left 'gasping for air' after being 'strangled' by a ghoul during filming for the new series of Celebrity Help! My House is Haunted.
Ghai, along with his colleagues Ian Shaw and Jayne Harris, had set up a special 'REM' recording device at the historic Pershore residence of the 1980s singer for the popular TV show on Discovery+. Viewers will witness Ghai seemingly restrained while conducting an investigation in the attic.
The team attempted to communicate with a ghost named 'George', believed to be a soldier from the English civil war in the 1600s. Willcox, who has experienced "persistent paranormal activity" since moving to the picturesque Worcestershire town two decades ago, signed up for the show.
The punk pop icon, famous for hits like It's a Mystery, I Want To Be Free and Echo Beach, resides in a historic Georgian house with her guitarist husband Robert Fripp. During the ghost hunting visit, Ghai can be seen clutching his throat before hastily exiting the attic, reports Birmingham Live.
Ghai recounted: "Something just grabbed my windpipe. F**king scared the s**t out of me. I couldn't get breath in, that's what scared me."
"I thought I was gonna die. I actually thought I was going to die."
This is what Barri Ghai, one of the nation's leading paranormal investigators, confessed after a chilling encounter during a haunted house visit. His colleague Harris urgently intervened, pleading with the unseen presence, "Whoever's doing that, can you step away please? You do not have permission to do that. Step away from Barri."
Reflecting on the harrowing experience later in the show, Ghai shared his intense moment with host Willcox, saying, "Straight away we got some kind of indication that there was a bit more of an aggressive male energy that was very dominant up there," and disclosed how he felt attacked by the spirit, "And then, I was sat there, I was talking, and all of a sudden my windpipe was constricted. I couldn't breathe, I was actually really scared."
The thrilling TV programme spotlights the expertise of three of Britains top ghost hunters: Ian Lawman, known for his skills as an exorcist and medium; Barri Ghai, who provides profound insights as a paranormal consultant; and Jayne Harris, a researcher and historian deeply immersed in paranormal lore.
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Venturing into shadowy corners where spirits linger, this iconic trio uses their otherworldly talents to rid celebrities' homes of unwelcome spectres. Commentators were on edge when discussing the fifth episode shot in Pershore, with a spokesperson alluding to the gripping nature of Toyah's case on her website: "To lend a helping hand, the team undergo one of their most terrifying investigations to date."
What they unearth is staggering, connecting dots between an ancient medieval tragedy and the malicious ghost plaguing the property. Toyah, the seminal punk-pop starlet of the '80s, became enamoured with Pershore over twenty years ago, having been familiarised with it through holidays spent there with her family, a stark contrast to her urban Birmingham roots.
Toyah Wilcox, the renowned singer, has lavished praise on Pershore, hailing it "very friendly" and "one of the best places she's ever lived in the world". Having spent her childhood weekends in the adjacent Wyre Piddle with her family, she became well-acquainted with the charm of the area.
The hour-long feature is currently up for streaming on Discovery+, where it forms part of an intriguing six-part series.
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