By Conor Sharkey
A human telephone between this world and the next is how clairvoyant Keith Charles describes himself.
I personally have never really bought into all that ghost and ghoul stuff, but the general public got to make their own minds up, after Keith brought his unique show to the Alley Theatre, Strabane, last night (Wednesday).
Over the past 20 years, the former policeman has amazed and astounded experts with his clairvoyant abilities. He has helped solve criminal cases in countries across the globe and has won a legion of fans along the way.
Although he has only been sharing his psychic communications with audiences for the past few years, Keith has been aware of his gift for more than five decades, as he explained when the Strabane Chronicle caught up prior to his Alley appearance.
"Basically, I had an experience when I was about six-years-old when I was at a swimming pool with my aunt. She had a little two-year-old called Ross who went missing and couldn't be found anywhere. I heard a voice in my head that lead me to him. He had gotten into difficulties, but thankfully they were able to save him. So, I suppose I've known since then that I had a gift," the 58-year-old explained.
As Keith grew older, his abilities grew stronger and he decided it was time to seek the advice of an already established medium.
"Around 1980, I decided to do something about my ability so I went to see a medium at a spiritualist church. They helped me and guided me and I've been doing what I do ever since," he said.
Surely when having regular contact with the spirit world, you must meet some less than savoury characters?
"There are some people who aren't very nice in this life, say someone like Hitler. But even Hitler will go to heaven where he will get his comeuppance. I did a show with Vic Reeves once where we went on the trail of Jack the Ripper. We went to one part of London where we met a man called George Chapman. He had poisoned several women during his lifetime and it was rumoured that he may have been the Ripper. He got very angry that people today believed he was Jack the Ripper and he told me that, yes, he was a murderer but he had paid his debt. He was absolutely livid that people thought he had carried out the Ripper's crimes. So, yes, you do meet some nasty or grumpy people but I've never had a black eye or punch on the nose from a spirit. You just need courage and you need to know how to handle the spirits you meet," Keith said.
The celebrity psychic also revealed that a close family member who passed away some years previous often helps out with his day to day contact with the spirit world.
"My son Matthew died a few years back and he regularly helps bring spirits through during my show. He especially helps bring young children through and helps them contact their family. It's lovely when Matthew contacts me, but sometimes I wish he would just sit and have a proper conversation with me," he said.
Despite being in contact with the spirit world for decades, it can still get emotional, as Keith explained.
"It can get very emotional and I've found myself crying on stage on a few occasions. I had a young boy who came through and wanted to speak to his mum who was in the audience. After she had lost her son, this woman had had a nervous breakdown and the young boy had come back to apologise for the trouble and heartache his death had caused her. Working with children is always emotional but that was a very touching moment," he said.
While there has never been a shortage of naysayers or sceptics when it comes to the occult, Keith said it is about keeping an open mind.
"When I meet someone who doesn't believe in what I do, I say that's fine. If someone comes to see me and they say that it is a load of rubbish, I say fair enough, but I know what I'm doing is fact. There is a life after death and we will all meet there. People can judge me all they want, but all I do is pass on what I'm told from the other side. Listen to what I have to say and then you can tell me if I'm right or wrong. I don't mind if people don't believe because I know I'm right," he explained.
