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Blumhouse Television and Michael Seitzman’s Maniac Productions  have acquired the rights to The Battersea Poltergeist podcast, written and presented by Danny Robins.

The series – which we covered extensively on Sci-Fi Bulletin – was a Bafflegab production for BBC Radio 4 for BBC Sounds. The companies have also acquired the rights to Shirley Hitchings’ life and the James Clark book about the case. There will be two series – one scripted, one non-scripted.

“From our first listen to Danny’s captivating podcast, we were hooked and could easily envision how to bring the story to life – in both scripted and unscripted formats – for television viewers,” said Chris McCumber, Blumhouse Television president. “We’re grateful to Michael Seitzman for identifying the project early on, and championing it so aggressively.”

“It’s been an amazing journey making the podcast for the BBC and now I couldn’t have hoped for a better partner than Blumhouse, a leader in the genre, when looking to further develop it,” said Robins. “I’m thrilled to work with them and Michael to bring the series to life visually. Ghost stories don’t get stranger or scarier than this.”

“Once you listen to the gripping and terrifying true story of Shirley Hitchings, it’s easy to understand why Danny’s podcast inspired two-page spreads in every newspaper in the UK,” said executive producer Seitzman. “It was exactly what we’d been looking for to launch our new ongoing series based on true hauntings. As he did with his podcast, Danny Robins will have viewers sleeping with the lights on after they watch his show!”

Robins additionally told Sci-Fi Bulletin, “It’s been amazing seeing the impact the podcast’s had. It feels a little surreal that this thing I recorded in my shed at the bottom of my garden has engaged people all around the world, trying to solve the mystery of this truly strange, terrifying haunting. I’ve loved the community that’s grown up around the show and I just can’t wait to continue to tell Shirley’s powerful story in a new incarnation.”