Tony Stockwell: In High Spirits, Grand Opera House, York July 28

Tony Stockwell's psychic radar picks up messages from loved ones who have passed over. Last weekend he hosted Living TV's paranormal extravaganza, I'm Famous And Frightened, a celebrity encounter with ghosts in a haunted castle. On Wednesday, he visits the Grand Opera House on his In High Spirits tour. Charles Hutchinson takes stock.

How do you define what you do?

"I call it 'mediumship', which is the communication between our world and the spirit world."

Where in our world are you at present, Tony, as we do this interview July 13?

"I'm training 30 spiritualists in the Brecon Beacons. They're with me for a week, going from course to course, studying spiritualism; how to present their work publicly; and the ethics involved."

Spiritualism is not everyone's cup of herbal, is it?

"I was angered by a statement by Derren Brown the television illusionist, who said spiritualism was ugly. It amazes me that we're victimised. It rocks people's foundations. There is good and bad in all things but the truth is out there. We are doing shows to 3,000 people and they're queuing to come in. You wouldn't get that kind of reaction to other religious shows."

Is spiritualism a religion?

"Spiritualist religion is one religion but 'mediumship' is not purely for spiritualism. I know Hindu mediums, Jewish mediums."

Do you consider yourself to be religious?

"No, I'm not a religious person. Without being pious or going over the top about it, I am what I would call a spiritual person who goes around helping people.

"I think religion has caused more damage than good. I think that people are bored by religion. A lot of it is outdated. People move on, and now what matters is being good, kind and generous and not taking, taking, taking."

Does 'healing' come into your work?

"We've been doing healing on the course this week - and you don't need be a spiritualist to heal. When a mother touches child, that is healing.

"A universal energy flows through us all: it is the energy for good, and it's a universal power that is all around us regardless of creed."

In your show in York, you will be passing on messages from the other side to those in the audience. When did you discover you had the powers to be a medium?

"I have always been aware since I was little. I've been aware of things since I was four: people appearing, things moving. I was seeing things or hearing things that others weren't."

How did your family react to you having these powers, and what was your own reaction?

"The family didn't take much notice.

"It has freaked me out in the past but I didn't lose control and I've amazed myself with some of the wonderful things that come through.

"Some messages are just so accurate that it's incredible."

Does anyone ever object to any message you bring out from the other side?

"It hasn't really happened. When you work with the truth, it is all very healing."

Living TV has embraced the psychic skills of Derek Acorah, Colin Fry and you, but what about other television networks?

"It's only Living TV that has the balls to put on the kind of show like I'm Famous And Frightened. It's to do with the Independent Television Corporation, which I think is nervous about such shows. You can show classic pornography on television, and people being murdered in a war-torn country, but it's as if the work of mediums is the last taboo, because there are people running television who are high church.

FACT FILE

Name: Tony Stockwell

Occupation: Psychic medium

Age: 35

Home: Essex

Television shows: Living TV's Street Psychic, Psychic School and The 3 Mediums with Colin Fry and Derek Acorah

Latest TV gig: Hosting I'm Famous And Frightened, ghost-busting reality television exercise with John Noakes, Rusty Lee, Neighbours' Ann Charleston etc

Where, when and why in York: Grand Opera House, July 28, 7.30pm, on tour in his In High Spirits show, an "entertaining and emotional evening full of tears and laughter".

Tickets: £16.50 on 0870 606 3595.

Updated: 16:17 Thursday, July 22, 2004