James Van Praagh is one of the biggest mediums in America, but his current UK tour will be the first time he has ventured to these shores.

The 51-year-old has teamed with his British counterpart Tony Stockwell for a night of mediumship after finally succumbing to fans of his show Living with the Dead, who demanded he brought his talents to the UK.

"I'm thrilled about coming over," he says from his office in America.

"It will be my first time working in the UK though I have relatives in Wales and London who I go over and see every two or three years.

"Usually after the first week I understand everybody's accents.

"I never really had any chance to work in Britain before I had this opportunity with Tony when he rang me up.

"Living with the Dead is on Living TV there and over the years people have been asking me time and time again to tour there.

"I saw Tony on a television show that was sent over here called The Three Mediums and I was impressed with his abilities."

The show will consist of Stockwell taking the first hour before Praagh does his own brand of mediumship after the interval.

"I will see spirits standing behind people in the audience or hear things such as a little girl called Gwen who fell of a bike and wants to say hello," he says.

"All the spirits communicate differently but I find the messages that come through me are not specific for one person and can be for everyone."

Such is Praagh's popularity in the States he expanded into creating a television series called Ghost Whisperer that stars Jennifer Love Hewitt.

"I met this lady who called herself a ghostbuster in Idaho," he recalls.

"I thought she was out of a Dan Ackroyd film but was told she helped earth bound spirits move on so we did a house together.

"She was very impressive and I thought this was a great idea for a show and CBS loved it.

"It's now in its fifth season.

"I knew it would be successful because people are curious about death.

"We have two great experiences we share as humans, being born and death.

"Birth is something we have all experienced and can talk about but everybody is curious about death."

An Evening of Mediumship with James Van Praagh and Tony Stockwell, Fairfield Halls, Park Lane, October 8, 8pm, £29. Call 020 8688 9291 or visit fairfield.co.uk.