BBC Radio 4 for BBC Sounds

Poltergeist presence, but not the kind you want to unwrap…

“It felt like [there was] nothing holy about this. It felt like almost a physical presence, and maybe I had let it in.”

This week’s episode of Uncanny is the final new case ahead of the eagerly-awaited series finale, which drops early next week with another of their popular live listen-along broadcasts.

Uncanny very much does what it says on the tin this week with a return to what Danny and the experts forensically dissect and analyse best: poltergeists. Strap in for a rollercoaster of emotions: anger, disgust, terror, shock and heroism all feature in this action-packed instalment.

I find myself relating more closely to Patti, this week’s incredibly brave witness, than any other this series, although our beliefs seem to have taken very different paths. The first disclosure she makes about a teenage experience could make you physically sick. It’s horrifying, and I’m sure most listeners will agree with the level-headed and excellent Reverend Kate Bottley for condemning what was a ‘betrayal of trust’, as she rightly says. Kate injects some practical realism, with compassion, in outlining her expertise in answer to Danny’s questions.

Deborah Hyde, a returning sceptical expert this week, again responds with compassion and reason in terms of how fear can evolve, and the impact that ongoing fear and stress can have on any one of us. ‘Third-man’ syndrome will be the New Thing That You Learned Today, it’s a fascinating take.

This is a challenging case, particularly as it is ‘shot-through with religion’ as Danny describes. It’s healthy to question, to query, to investigate. Uncanny has always encouraged this exploration, diving deeper into all aspects and points of view in the search for elusive answers, and as a result it will doubtless have broadened the horizons of all its fans, no matter their point of view.

Oh wait, and there’s another twist as events unfold. Listen in the dark if you dare!

My take on case 14: Unlike Patti, I’ve always felt God’s presence as benevolent and loving. I can, however, completely understand her reactions and I’m so impressed by her consistent bravery in the face of the ongoing poltergeist activity she experienced. I’d have scarpered. For all that, it seems as if this could have been a foreshadowing of the violent event that took place at Tanfield House, and it looks like Patti was driven to take action that may have saved a life.

Verdict: The final new case of Uncanny’s first series saves the best for last – a good old-fashioned poltergeist case with added jeopardy that shocks and stuns. When’s series 2 out? 10/10

Claire Smith