Spook Squad facts for kids

Spook Squad was a fun British TV show for kids. It was a gameshow made by BBC Scotland. The show aired on BBC One and BBC Two as part of the CBBC lineup. It ran from January 6, 2004, to March 30, 2004.

In Spook Squad, three child contestants entered a spooky, haunted castle in Scotland. Their mission was to help Professor MacAbre. They needed to hunt down ghosts before these ghosts reached their "death day." If the ghosts reached this day, they would gain special superpowers! The show was filmed in the real Fyvie Castle.

What Was Spook Squad About?

Every episode of Spook Squad followed a similar exciting plan. Three children visited a haunted castle in Scotland. Their goal was to earn a spot in the Spook Squad. This was a special team of Ghostbusters-like ghost hunters!

Meet the Characters

When the kids arrived, they met Professor MacAbre. He was played by Andrew Pepper. The Professor was a bit strange and easily scared. He was a paranormal expert who hosted the show. He gave the children their instructions for each game.

The main challenge for the contestants and Professor MacAbre was to stop ghosts. These ghosts had died in the castle. They were trying to get a special item on the anniversary of their death. If they succeeded, they would get superpowers and live forever! For example, a ghost called the "Devilish Debutante" wanted a necklace. Another, "The Headless Knight," was looking for a gauntlet.

The main bad guy was Lord MacAbre. He was played by Ford Kiernan. Lord MacAbre was Professor MacAbre's evil ancestor. He was the one who set up all the games for the contestants. The children had to finish their tasks before the clock struck midnight.

How to Win the Game

The contestants' main goal was to collect "ectoplasmic residue" from the ghosts. This ectoplasm gave them letters. These letters would eventually spell out the name of the special item the ghost was trying to find.

The children explored two different rooms in the castle to find the ectoplasm. But Lord MacAbre always had games waiting for them! Each episode had at least three different games.

Types of Games Played

• Memory Game: Contestants had to match sounds to where they came from. Then, they played the sounds in a certain order.
• Bowling Game: This game involved knocking down skeletons. They used large rubber balls and mops to guide the balls.
• Other Challenges: Sometimes, they had to navigate a maze. Other times, they threw hula-hoops over small statues. Or they might have to remember details about different statues and place them on another statue.

The Final Challenge

The third game often took a contestant outside the castle. They might go into the castle's dungeon or the graveyard. If they went into the dungeon, they would get locked in! They had to find a key to escape. If they couldn't, the other contestants had to give up some of their collected letters to free them.

In the very last game, the contestants entered the room where the episode's ghost had died. Professor MacAbre would show them all the letters they had collected. He would then ask them to spell out the correct item. They had to find this item before midnight to win the game!

If they won, the ghost would be banished from the castle. The contestants would receive medals and officially "enter" the Spook Squad! But if they failed, the evil ghost would haunt them, and they would run out of the castle!