Episode One Summary
The debut episode of Britain’s Psychic Challenge aired on January 16, 2006, featuring eight psychics selected from nearly 2,000 applicants: Amanda Hart, Diane Lazarus, Dave Summerton, Dennis Binks, Mary White, Austin Charles, Anna Galliers, and Soleira Green. Throughout the series, the psychics would face various tests to evaluate their abilities, with one being eliminated each week by a panel of judges.
Episode one presented three challenges. The first tasked the psychics with identifying two pregnant women from a group of ten, using their intuition and pregnancy tests. The second, a matchmaking test, required them to pair five married couples correctly based on photographs. Lastly, the psychics visited The Eagle pub, holding historical items connected to a WWII serviceman to see what insights they could gather.
Diane Lazarus was deemed the standout performer for this episode, excelling in the matchmaking test. Soleira Green, however, was eliminated by the judges. While the tests provided engaging moments, they were more focused on entertainment than rigorous validation of psychic abilities.
Episode Two
The second episode aired on January 23, 2006, featuring the seven remaining psychics. They faced another series of challenges testing their abilities, with one contestant eliminated at the end of the episode.
The first challenge involved identifying which of six men at Lincoln Castle prison had a criminal past, using aura reading and objects linked to the ex-criminal. In the second test, the psychics attempted to match six pairs of football boots to their owners at Lincoln City FC by sensing the energy of the boots. The final challenge focused on a stuffed dog belonging to a 19th-century poacher, with the psychics tasked with uncovering details about the poacher’s story and identifying his grave.
Dave Summerton emerged as the standout performer this week, impressing the judges with his unorthodox methods, while Amanda Hart struggled with the challenges and became the second psychic to be eliminated.
Episode Three
The third episode aired on January 30, 2006, with all the psychics from the previous week still competing, except for Amanda. The psychics faced three new challenges designed to test their abilities, with one psychic eliminated at the end of the episode.
The first challenge took place at the Black Swan pub in Helmsley, North Yorkshire, reputedly haunted by three spirits: a shoeless little girl, a woman in black, and a distinguished man in tweeds. The psychics attempted to identify these spirits, but their vague descriptions, coupled with positive feedback from the test overseers, raised questions about the test’s validity.
In the second challenge, psychics were tasked with matching a pot to its potter from a group of four individuals by sensing the “energy” of the pots, which contained photos of their owners. The third test required them to match handbags to their owners, but none of the psychics made a correct match.
The final challenge took the psychics to Ye Olde Starre Inn in York, where the cellar had been used as a military hospital during the English Civil War. They were asked to uncover details about the cellar’s history. While some psychics hinted at medical activity, much of the information provided was vague or influenced by feedback from the overseers.
Diane Lazarus was declared the winner of the week, impressing the judges with her connection to the challenges, while Dave Summerton was eliminated for failing to deliver significant results. The tests continued to provide entertaining moments but failed to demonstrate evidence of psychic ability, with results often no better than chance.
Episode Four
The fourth episode aired on February 6, 2006, with all psychics from the previous week remaining except for Dave, who was eliminated in Episode Three. The psychics faced another three challenges to test their abilities, with one contestant eliminated at the end.
In the first test, the psychics searched a woodland area for a hidden fugitive. Diane Lazarus excelled by locating the target directly, impressing judges and viewers. The second challenge involved matching a sledgehammer used in a task to its user, with mixed results.
The third challenge focused on uncovering details about a tragic event at a crime scene, where the psychics connected with the emotional history of the location. In the final test, the psychics were asked to diagnose medical conditions, with Austin Charles and Anna Galliers each making one accurate diagnosis.
Austin Charles was named the week’s best performer, while Dennis Binks was eliminated. The episode showcased the variety of psychic abilities and how participants approach different tasks.
Episode Five: The Final
The fifth and final episode of Britain’s Psychic Challenge aired on February 20, 2006, featuring the four remaining psychics: Diane Lazarus, Mary White, and Austin Charles. The last installment presented a series of challenging tests, culminating in the selection of the series winner.
The first test involved traveling to Amsterdam, where the psychics were tasked with uncovering details about the assassinations of Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn and filmmaker Theo Van Gogh. Each psychic provided impressions based on photos and locations connected to the cases, with mixed levels of accuracy.
The second challenge returned to the “find the missing person” format. In Holkham Bay, Norfolk, the psychics had to locate a hidden boy named Sam. Diane Lazarus excelled again, finding Sam within 10 minutes, while Mary White and Austin Charles struggled to pinpoint his location.
The final challenge saw the psychics attempt to shed light on the unsolved murder of Johanna Young, a 14-year-old girl. Diane Lazarus impressed by describing key details about Johanna’s personality and leading investigators to a significant location connected to her death. Her performance stood out, though much of her information remained unverifiable.
Diane Lazarus was named the winner of Britain’s Psychic Challenge, recognized for her consistent performance across the tests. Austin Charles placed third, while Mary White finished as the runner-up.
For full profiles of the contestants check out our “Britain’s Psychic Challenge” archive page.