In a darkened country house in Ireland, a group of people are gathered round a table, staring at a hat.

It's not just any hat, though. It's a hat with residuality, according to Derek Acorah.

It's both a happy hat, and a sad hat, he reckoned, because it's Michael Jackson's old hat.

"Would you like to touch it?" he asked the four Jacko devotees beside him.

And they did. "I can't believe that's his hat," said one.

"It's amazing."

Yup. Incredible. But not quite as incredible as trying to speak to the recently dead on live telly (Michael Jackson: The Live Seance, 10pm, Friday, Sky One).

Sorry, did I say incredible? I meant gobsmackingly crass. I'm always mixing them up.

The hat was there to help summon Jacko's spirit. The hat, and the setting. The whole thing was staged in the house Michael rented to write his last album. The owner said he'd had the bedroom overlooking the playground.

And the fans' passion would help bring him back too, said Derek. Well, they certainly were passionate. Though some might say unhinged.

Anyway it all worked, this mix of residuality and passion. Or at least it did if you believe Acorah, a man thrown off Most Haunted for being possessed by a fictional character made up by one of the crew .

"He's with me," announced Derek, and one fan looked like she was about to levitate with joy.

They must have been quite chuffed in the production room too. In 2005, the late King of Pop couldn't even turn up on time for his trial.

How obliging of him to be punctual for Sky One.

So what did Jacko have to say?

Well, he wanted to be buried alongside Marilyn Monroe, apparently. And he's hanging out with his grandparents. He wanted to someone to say hello to Quincy Jones ("hello Quincy," said one of the fans, hesitantly), and he wished the tabloids would stop being spiteful.

"These journalists they all make lies up, lies up, lies," spat Derek. It wasn't exactly clear if he was being Jacko or himself at that point.

And then it was the fans' chance to speak.

So what did they ask, given a direct link to their idol?

A probing question about the nature of the afterlife, perhaps? Or something that would clear away the mystery surrounding Jackson's death?

No. "Do you realise how much I love you?" asked one chap, between fits of sobs.

"We'll make sure he's okay," promised host June Sarpong. Hmmm.

Easier said than done, June.

And that was pretty much that. Jacko-Derek had a bit of advice for one of the fans who worked as a tribute act ("you're 80% there, he wants you to get to 90%") and then he was gone, unceremoniously shooed backed into the never-neverland because Sky had scheduled Beverly Hills Cop III at 11pm.