Also, when the first unofficial website went up online, someone asked Oh, wheres the director?

and someone else said Oh, hes dead!

and I thought, Hmm!

I dont want to be dead!

And I dont want to be a he either!

Its great that people appreciate it because it was a great piece of work to do.

Yes, and so mysterious for so long as well.

Do you think that increased its cache falsely?

The fact that they just went ooh!

We didnt do that!

Yeah, I think so.

So what was the difference for you?

Sorry, I dont want to interview you… [laughs]

Haha, its fine.

So I really focused on the hoax element of it at that age.

and everybody at home going noooo!

you’re able to!

and leaping to the door and shouting.

And calling the 081 811 8181 number, no doubt!

So prior to its airing, did you expect that people would react like that?

What did you think would happen?

You know, I have absolutely no idea.

I absolutely didnt think I was making a hoax or a mockumentary or anything like that.

All those words dont fit what I was trying to do.

Did you take any influence from those shows or stories?

No, I didnt.

I do remember looking atNightmare On Elm Street… For me, it always felt too technical.

I can see that.

I remember talking to Ruth Baumgarten, the producer, about how Id like it to look.

I do love that when horror comes into your world, into your reality.

Do you think you were being progressive and influential in that sense?

Oh, completely yes, I think.

I mean, I do.

They didnt recognise it as drama, they thought it was just really poor drama.

In rehearsal, wed watch documentaries.

And I was very aware of it, to try and bridge that gap to realism.

I mean, we did do quite a bit of impro.

As Sarah Greene says, we let them off the hook.

Thered be no artifice or forethought.

I was thinking Oh, well get the bike and motivate the pan.

I was thinking drama all the time and then I thought well, no,theywouldnt do that.

Thats how I was thinking all the time, about the mistakes and the uneasy camera moves.

He was so confused.

Why are you being so crap?

Yeah, but those little mistakes are part of what makes it feel so real and convincing.

Because weve all seen them made on live TV.

Its part of how we know its live.

ever so slightly marginalised.

No, not really.

It was just a story I wasnt there, I was on my break.

So, after 24 years, its finally been put online by the BBC do you feel vindicated?

Now theyve finally acknowledged it, do you feel like thats them saying yep, job well done actually?

Lets wait and see if theres a backlash!

Some would quietly confess that they thought it was great, but nobody would ever say that openly.

And others would completely disapprove, saying that wed broken peoples faith in Auntie.

So there were two camps at the BBC and I think its probably still true today.

To be onstage at the BFI!

So are you planning anything for the 25th Anniversary?

Is there anything youd like to do?

I sort of feel like my works done in that respect.

Stephen and I are working on something else its a film and were quite far into that.

Weve been developing it for a long time so were hoping thats going to go.

Were hoping next year.

I will absolutely take you up on that.

Lesley Manning, thank you very much!

you’ve got the option to download Ghostwatch : Behind The Curtainsat the BBC Store here.