Ghost Hunters is an American paranormal and reality television series. The original series aired from October 6, 2004, until October 26, 2016, on Syfy, spanning eleven seasons with 230 episodes, not including 10 specials. The series was revived in early 2019, airing its twelfth and thirteenth seasons from August 21, 2019, to May 27, 2020, on A&E. After cancellation, it was revived again for its fourteenth season on Discovery+, starting October 31, 2021. Season 15 began on October 1, 2022, on Travel Channel, and Season 16 is set to release on Travel Channel on April 6, 2023.
The program featured Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, who founded The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS), a team of paranormal investigators. The two worked as plumbers for Roto-Rooter while moonlighting as paranormal investigators at night. In the 12th and 13th seasons, the revived show featured Wilson and a new investigatory team with no discernible connection to TAPS, though it maintained the same format, producers, and referenced past episodes. For the fourteenth season, Hawes and the previous TAPS team from 2016 returned, while Wilson and the new team were not featured.
Initially produced as a docu-soap for 10 episodes, later episodes of Ghost Hunters shifted to a more documentary focus. Episodes feature the team investigating reportedly haunted locations across the United States, with some investigations in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Canada in earlier seasons. This concept led to the show’s first spin-off, Ghost Hunters International, in 2008, featuring Ghost Hunters investigators in lead and guest roles, including Hawes and Wilson. A second spin-off, Ghost Hunters Academy (2009–10), had TAPS members Dave Tango and Steve Gonsalves training prospective investigators in a competitive format. Annual Halloween specials were broadcast live from 2005 to 2011, featuring celebrity guests and interactivity.
The series popularized paranormal reality television and ghost hunting, with some members moving on to feature in their own television programs.
Jason Hawes
Jason Conrad Hawes (born December 27, 1971) is the co-founder of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS), based in Warwick, Rhode Island. He is also one of the stars and co-producers of Syfy’s Ghost Hunters, which ended its initial run after its eleventh season on October 26, 2016. Several years later, the show was renewed and revived for a 12th season at A&E, with new episodes premiering in August 2019 without Hawes’s participation. TAPS co-founder and former lead investigator Grant Wilson returned to lead a brand new team, while Hawes moved on to lead his own show with Ghost Hunters alumni Dave Tango and Steve Gonsalves in Ghost Nation, which began airing on the Travel Channel in October 2019. The series ended in 2021 when the trio returned to Ghost Hunters after it moved to Travel Channel.
Steve Gonsalves
Steve Gonsalves has been a public speaker and educator about paranormal phenomena for more than two decades. As a main cast member of the hit television series Ghost Hunters, as well as Ghost Hunters Live, Ghost Hunters Academy, and Ghost Nation, Steve played a key role in the global surge of interest in the paranormal. Gonsalves began his work in paranormal studies at a very young age and has investigated over 1,500 reportedly haunted locations. He had the privilege of working closely with Ed and Lorraine Warren, paranormal pioneers and the inspiration for The Conjuring movie series, as well as Dr. William G. Roll (Poltergeist). In addition to his numerous appearances on various television, radio, and paranormal series, Gonsalves executive produced and co-directed the hit documentary films, The House in Between 1 and 2. He lives with his cat, Fleur, in Massachusetts.
Dave Tango
Dave Tango has worked with TAPS for the past several years. His current role within the team is as an investigator and evidence analyst. Dave has always been interested in the paranormal and loves being able to find answers to the questions he has. “I used to perform professional magic shows for children and adults alike, so I still have a fond interest in magic and illusions,” said Dave.
In his free time he enjoys listening to electronic music, brainstorming inventions and spending all his money on gadgets. Dave also enjoys photography, art, working out and music creation. And although in ghost hunting the team sometimes encounter spirits that may not be so nice, Dave enjoys being around people who are caring and considerate of others. “My heroes are the kind of people who do things for the less fortunate, who are always giving without wanting anything in return.” (Courtesy of SyFy)
Shari DeBenedetti
Shari DeBenedetti was born in Schenectady, New York and moved to Boston with her family when she was 11 years old. She graduated from Lynnfield High School and attended Bentley University while working full-time at an engineering firm where she still works part-time today.
Shari became interested in the paranormal field at a very young age as she experienced many strange and unexplained things. But it wasn’t until the age of 25 that she began to research and investigate the paranormal, because the house she lived in at the time was believed to be haunted. Shari and her family had many frightening experiences there. It was so bad that she was afraid to go into the house alone, not knowing what was going to happen next. That’s when she decided to start investigating with her friends and eventually formed a team. Shari wanted to help others who were experiencing paranormal activity so that they would be comfortable living in their homes.
Whether for a client or for fun, over the years she has also investigated hotels/inns, historical properties, cemeteries, forts, lighthouses, office buildings, apartment complexes, and restaurants.
Shari first met Jason Hawes at a T.A.P.S. paranormal event and has remained friends with him, and other team members for many years. When she’s not on the road filming Ghost Hunters, Shari enjoys spending time at home with her two children, Angelina and Nico. Shari also still conducts private investigations with a few teams in her local area. (Courtesy of SyFy)