Sally Morgan (psychic)

Morgan claims to have had her first psychic experience at the age of nine months and has said she saw her first spirit when she was aged four.{{cite news|title=Sally Morgan: I've got a psychic gift - it's my duty to help you|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/sally-morgan-ive-got-a-psychic-gift-126309|accessdate=16 October 2014|work=Sunday Mirror / mirror.co.uk|publisher=MGN Limited|date=4 May 2014}} In her early 20s, Sally would do ‘readings’ for her friends at parties as party-tricks.{{Cite web |last=O'Boyle |first=Claire |date=2018-09-21 |title=Psychic to the stars Sally Morgan is coming to the Ulster Hall |url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/whats-on/psychic-sally-morgan-spooky-childhood-15174810 |access-date=2022-06-17 |website=BelfastLive |language=en}} She lived with her supposed ability for nearly 25 years, before leaving her career as a dental nurse{{Cite web |last=O'Boyle |first=Claire |date=2018-09-21 |title=Psychic to the stars Sally Morgan is coming to the Ulster Hall |url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/whats-on/psychic-sally-morgan-spooky-childhood-15174810 |access-date=2022-05-27 |website=BelfastLive |language=en}} to become a professional medium.

Morgan has appeared in various television shows, starting with the ITV2 programme Sally Morgan: Star Psychic in 2007, which showcased her attempts to seemingly connect audiences with the spirits and ghosts of their loved ones. Subsequent programmes included the Sky Bio channel programmes The Psychic Life of Sally Morgan and Psychic Sally: On the Road,{{cite web |title=Sally Morgan: Star Psychic |url=http://www.tiscali.co.uk/lifestyle/newage/features/sally-morgan.html |publisher=Tiscali.co.uk |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090401210747/http://www.tiscali.co.uk/lifestyle/newage/features/sally-morgan.html |archivedate=1 April 2009 |accessdate=2 September 2009}} together with Sky Living's Psychic Sally's Big Fat Operation. Following the notoriety of her first television show, Morgan embarked upon the first of numerous, nationwide theatre tours.{{Cite web |title=Sally Morgan {{!}} Wyvern Theatre, Swindon |url=https://swindontheatres.co.uk/online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=AD97F1B8-B3E2-4F8F-81CA-D4517F7428F5 |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=swindontheatres.co.uk}}

In September 2011, during a show in Dublin, Ireland, an audience member had claimed that she overheard a man relaying information to Morgan from the control room at the rear of the theatre.{{Cite web |title=Is 'Psychic Sally' a fraud -- or the victim of a witchhunt? |url=https://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/is-psychic-sally-a-fraud-or-the-victim-of-a-witchhunt-26776330.html |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=independent |date=28 September 2011 |language=en}} The woman later called in to the Irish, National, radio network RTÉ to report the situation. On her website, Morgan responded to The Guardian{{'s}} report by denying the involvement of all Grand Canal Theatre employees and stating that her head microphone was a one-way device.{{cite web|url=http://www.sallymorgan.tv/official-statement-in-regards-to-the-guardian/#more-2357|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925114939/http://www.sallymorgan.tv/official-statement-in-regards-to-the-guardian#more-2357|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 September 2011|title=Official statement in regards to The Guardian|publisher=Sally Morgan|date=11 September 2011|access-date=21 October 2011}} Morgan also went on to sue the Daily Mail for libel due to an article they published, that in her words "Was completely false and defamatory".{{cite news|author=Josh Halliday |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/jun/20/daily-mail-libel-damages-tv-psychic |title=Daily Mail to pay £125,000 libel damages over TV psychic 'scam' claim | Media |publisher=theguardian.com |date= 20 June 2013|accessdate=4 April 2014 |location=London}} The Daily Mail later published an apology and paid £125,000 in libel damages after accepting that the earpiece claim was "untrue".{{Cite web |date=2013-06-20 |title=Daily Mail to pay £125,000 libel damages over TV psychic 'scam' claim |url=http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/jun/20/daily-mail-libel-damages-tv-psychic |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2012-03-06 |title=Has Sally Morgan – Britain's best-loved psychic – ever read for you? {{!}} Simon Singh |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2012/mar/06/sally-morgan-best-loved-psychic |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=the Guardian |language=en}} At around this time, The Merseyside Skeptics Society and science writer Simon Singh requested a "test" of Morgan's psychic abilities. However, Morgan declined to participate.{{Cite web |date=2011-10-31 |title=Sally Morgan rejects Halloween challenge to prove her psychic powers |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2011/oct/31/sally-morgan-rejects-halloween-challenge |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Echo |first=Liverpool |date=2011-10-28 |title=TV psychic Sally Morgan's powers to be tested in Liverpool |url=http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/tv-psychic-sally-morgans-powers-3363972 |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=Liverpool Echo |language=en}}

At a public show on 23 February 2012 Morgan gave a reading to two members of the audience, Drew McAdam and his wife Elizabeth. The reading described a man called Toby who had died in an explosion. However, prior to the show, Drew and his wife say they fed Morgan this information by emailing her website and leaving notes in a box provided in the foyer for so-called "love-letters". McAdam's description of the death of "Toby" was taken from a fictional character who died in an explosion in the 1970s BBC drama, Doomwatch.{{cite news|last=Singh|first=Simon|title=Has Sally Morgan – Britain's best-loved psychic – ever read for you?|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2012/mar/06/sally-morgan-best-loved-psychic|accessdate=8 March 2012|newspaper=The Guardian|date=6 March 2012|location=London}}

Morgan performed a psychic reading for Big Brother winner Brian Dowling on ITV2 in 2007. Asked on camera whether she knew him, she said "well, I know of him".{{cite web|title= Brian Dowling appearance Sally Morgan Star Psychic|date= 8 August 2007|publisher= ITV2|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5GEGJMVfe0|accessdate=20 November 2008}} She had actually given a similar reading for him in 2005.{{cite web|title= Welcome to Psychic Sally's February 2005 E-newsletter|date= February 2005|publisher= Sally Morgan|url= http://www.psychicsally.com/enews.html|accessdate=20 November 2008 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050211070435/http://www.psychicsally.com/enews.html |archivedate=11 February 2005}} She later claimed that her original response was made "because the director told me to".{{cite news|author= Robert Chalmers|date= 28 September 2008|title= Sally Morgan: I am not mad, I am not unhinged... I talk to dead people|work=The Independent |location=UK|url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/sally-morgan-i-am-not-mad-i-am-not-unhingedi-talk-to-dead-people-942336.html|accessdate=20 November 2008}}

In March 2014, Morgan became embarrassed during a performance after contacting the spirit of a woman who was still alive in the audience. The woman had mistakenly given Morgan a photo of herself instead of a photo of a dead loved one. Morgan then proceeded to contact and communicate with the spirit of the woman, and when the truth became known, the audience erupted in laughter and Morgan was unable to recover the performance.{{cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/celeb-psychic-sally-morgan-embarrassed-3611040|title=Celeb psychic Sally Morgan embarrassed after 'contacting' spirit of woman sitting ALIVE in audience|author=Jeremy Armstrong|work=The Mirror|date=26 May 2014|accessdate=22 October 2014}}

On 16 August 2018, Morgan entered the Celebrity Big Brother House, where she finished in 5th place.{{cite news |title=Celebrity Big Brother 2018: Who's in the house? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-45194590 |accessdate=20 August 2018 |publisher=BBC News |date=17 August 2018}}

In mid-2021, Morgan took a brief hiatus after losing her husband of 46 years, John Morgan (aged 74), to Coronavirus. Morgan stated: “The support I have been receiving both online and, on the road, has kept me buoyant and allowed me to keep going in such a tough time.”{{cite web | url=https://metro.co.uk/2021/09/28/sally-morgans-husband-john-dies-aged-74-following-coronavirus-battle-15328585/ | title=Psychic Sally Morgan's husband John dies aged 74 following coronavirus battle | date=28 September 2021 }}{{Cite web |last=Kent |first=Sara-Aisha |date=2021-09-28 |title=Husband of celebrity psychic Sally Morgan dies after Covid battle |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/breaking-john-morgan-dead-husband-25089102 |access-date=2022-07-06 |website=mirror |language=en}}

Morgan has been criticised on multiple occasions for claiming she has psychic abilities, and has been accused of being a fraud.{{Cite web|url=https://www.irishmirror.ie/tv/insensitive-celebrity-big-brother-star-13223064|title=Psychic Sally slammed for 'insensitive' prediction about Princess Diana's death|first=Rose|last=Hill|date=10 September 2018|website=Irish Mirror}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.skeptical-science.com/people/skeptics/sally-morgan-psychic-happen/|title=Sally Morgan, the supposed psychic who never saw what was about to happen • Skeptical Science|date=15 October 2014|website=Skeptical Science}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8778061/Psychic-Sally-accused-of-using-hidden-helpers.html|title=Psychic Sally accused of using hidden helpers|website=www.telegraph.co.uk|date=21 September 2011 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ok.co.uk/tv/celebrity-big-brother-fans-psychic-14359743|title=Celebrity Big Brother fans brand psychic Sally Morgan 'fraud' as Natalie Nunn is evicted|first=J. J.|last=Anisiobi|date=24 August 2018|website=OK! Magazine}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/celebrity-big-brothers-psychic-sally-13128289|title=Celebrity Big Brother's Rodrigo reveals cockroach milk diet|first=Kyle|last=O'Sullivan|date=23 August 2018|website=mirror}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk/category/psychics/sally-morgan-psychics/|title=Sally Morgan « The Merseyside Skeptics Society}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/entertainment-arts-15004103|title=Should people trust in psychics?|work=BBC News}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/2012/oct/22/psychic-sally-morgan-invitation-test-powers|title=Why won't psychic Sally Morgan accept our invitation to test her powers? | Chris French|date=22 October 2012|website=The Guardian}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/psychic-sally-morgan-s-revelations-about-dead-cyclist-upset-girlfriend-9788473.html|title=The psychic, a dead cyclist and an act of 'betrayal'|date=11 October 2014|website=The Independent}}

Members of the public called a radio station claiming to have heard Morgan appearing to repeat back information that they said moments earlier they had overheard coming from the theatre lighting box during one of Morgan's shows at The Grand Canal Theatre in Dublin. Citing "substantial damage to her reputation, as well as hurt, distress and embarrassment", Morgan sued Associated Newspapers for £150,000 over magician Paul Zenon's 22 September 2011 article in the Daily Mail about these public claims.{{cite web|last=Limbrick|first=Sarah|title=TV Psychic Sally Morgan Sues Daily Mail for Defamation|publisher=Press Gazette|date=4 February 2012|url=http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=48632&c=1|access-date=3 February 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120128194757/http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=1&storycode=48632&c=1|archive-date=28 January 2012|df=dmy-all}} JREF President, D.J. Grothe, writing for The Huffington Post questioned why Morgan would sue for £150,000 when she could prove her ability by winning JREF's "Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge". "It makes one wonder if even Sally Morgan believes that Sally Morgan's powers are real."{{cite news|last=Grothe|first=D.J.|title="Psychic" Sally Morgan Sues Critics for £150,000 After Refusing $1 Million to Prove Her Powers |publisher=HuffPost |date=3 February 2012|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dj-grothe/psychic-sally-morgan-sues_b_1244151.html|accessdate=3 February 2012}}

In October 2014, Morgan had used legal threats, while her husband and son-in-law had used homophobic slurs and verbal intimidation, in a confrontation with sceptical activist Mark Tilbrook. Tilbrook had been in the vicinity of many stage psychic shows handing out leaflets entitled "Look After Yourself", advising audience members of clues that might distinguish between a person with genuine supernatural powers and someone who "just appears to have them".{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2014/oct/07/campaign-psychic-sally-morgan|title=Our campaign goes on, despite threats from psychic Sally Morgan's team|author=Mark Tilbrook|work=The Guardian|date=7 October 2014|accessdate=22 October 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/oct/15/psychic-sally-morgan-sacks-husband-son-in-law-abuse-sceptic|title=Celebrity psychic Sally Morgan fires husband for threatening sceptic|work=The Guardian|date=15 October 2014|accessdate=22 October 2014}} Morgan fired her husband and son-in-law from her management team a week later, after video footage of the incident emerged.

In summer 2018, Sally Morgan Enterprises went into voluntary liquidation following an £2.9m Accelerated Payment Notice claim by HMRC.{{cite news |last1=Badenhorst |first1=Francois |title=Psychic Sally didn't see her £2.9m APN coming |url=https://www.accountingweb.co.uk/tax/hmrc-policy/psychic-sally-didnt-see-her-ps29m-apn-coming |accessdate=20 August 2018 |publisher=AccountingWEB |date=2 August 2018}}

• Medium at Large CICO Books (2006) {{ISBN|978-1904991366}}
• My Psychic Life Penguin (2009) {{ISBN|978-0141038490}}
• Healing Spirits: How the Other Side can help your grieving heart Penguin (2009) {{ISBN|978-0141043548}}
• Life After Death: Messages of Love from the Other Side Penguin (2011) ASIN B004S25O66

{{Reflist|2}}

• [http://www.sallymorgan.tv Official Sally Morgan website]
• {{IMDb name|2610774|Sally Morgan}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Morgan, Sally}}

Category:1951 births

Category:Living people

Category:English women writers

Category:English psychics

Category:English spiritual mediums

Category:English television personalities