Sensing Murder
| Company type | Television series |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television production |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Headquarters | Denmark |
Area served | Australia, Belgium, Canada, Hungary, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, United States |
Key people | David Baldock (producer), Rebecca Gibney (original NZ host), Amanda Billing (host from 2017) |
| Products | Television series |
Sensing Murder is a documentary-style reality television series featuring three psychics who serve as psychic detectives to offer perspectives on well-known unsolved homicide cases by purportedly communicating with the deceased. Originating in 2002 through Nordisk Film TV in Denmark, this format has been licensed globally, including markets such as Australia, Belgium, Canada, Hungary, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the United States. In 2004, Granada Entertainment secured the US distribution rights. The New Zealand adaptation debuted on TVNZ 2 in 2006, initially hosted by Rebecca Gibney, with Amanda Billing assuming hosting duties from 2017 onward for the combined Australia/New Zealand version.
Format (Australia/New Zealand)
Each episode incorporates dramatized reenactments of events preceding the murder to provide context alongside the psychics' insights. The psychics are given only a photograph of the victim—often kept face-down by some participants—to limit prior exposure and purportedly enhance their intuitive abilities. They relay impressions that may correspond with known case facts and offer additional information through their claimed psychic talents. Subsequently, a private investigator follows up on any new leads presented and liaises with the victims’ relatives.
Producers assert that before each series, they evaluate approximately 70 to 75 psychics across New Zealand and Australia using cases that have been solved to identify those with the highest accuracy. From this group, two or three psychics are chosen per episode to connect with the spirits of victims and provide pertinent details concerning the individual and circumstances surrounding their death. The psychics most frequently featured include Deb Webber (Australia), Sue Nicholson, and Kelvin Cruickshank (New Zealand).
David Baldock, the producer, has declined paranormal challenges on behalf of the psychics but expressed willingness to consider further testing should a third New Zealand season be commissioned.
The Australian iteration of the series encountered difficulties such as budget overruns that nearly resulted in financial insolvency for producer Rhonda Byrne.
Awards and nominations
- 2006 Qantas Media Awards
- WINNER: Best Director, Non-Drama
- WINNER: Best Reality Format
- 2008 Qantas Television and Film Awards
- WINNER: Best Format-Reality Series
Books
- Sensing Murder (2008)
- Walking in Light, autobiography of Kelvin Cruickshank (2009)
Case developments
The Season 1 episode focusing on George Engelbrecht prompted a public memorial event featuring a headstone dedication in 2006. Following the Season 2 episode about Luana Williams, authorities investigated a skull discovered near McLaren Falls; however, it was unrelated to Williams, whose disappearance remains unresolved.
The case involving Angela Blackmoore was ultimately resolved in 2010, with convictions occurring in 2023. The Australian series aired from 2003 to 2004 spotlighted unsolved cases; notably, a 2007 New Zealand episode claimed to identify a perpetrator, leading police to reopen that investigation.
Criticisms
Derived from the Danish program Fornemmelse for mord, which yielded no conclusive outcomes, Sensing Murder has attracted skepticism. Law enforcement agencies in Australia and New Zealand dismiss psychic input as valid investigative evidence.
Both skeptics and police officials have challenged findings presented in recent episodes and frequently choose not to pursue leads generated by private investigators associated with the show. The program was lampooned on Eating Media Lunch for its inability to resolve cases.
TVNZ received criticism for promoting Sensing Murder on its Breakfast show using vague assertions regarding missing persons. In 2012, when Jayne Furlong’s body was discovered, it contradicted psychic statements made on the program about her whereabouts.
Overall, critics emphasize that the show’s failure to solve murders or locate missing bodies highlights the absence of empirical support for psychic methodologies.