Another Reality Ghost Investigator Speaks Out Against Bagans

The reality ghost show drama continues as another investigator, Bill Hartley, from Trvl Channel’s Ghosts of Shepherdstown speaks out about that show’s cancellation. In a pointed confessional, Hartley explains that, in his words, a “douchebag in glasses on an adventure,” sought to shut it down after Discovery, which owns Trvl Channel, merged with Scripps Network which owned Ghost Adventures starring Zak Bagans.

Hartley, along with lead investigator Nick Groff and Elizabeth Saint, were the faces of Ghosts of Shepherdstown. And as he explains in the video, the show went on for two seasons. Hartley, under contract, was seemingly supposed to return to his role for season three, although he admits in the video he was questioning himself about returning.

However, after the merger, “the douchebag in glasses” protested its renewal because said bespectacled individual didn’t want to be associated with the same network as Nick Groff.

Allegedly there is a feud between Groff and Bagans which recently came to light after Groff himself went on social media to explain why his show Paranormal Lockdown was canceled. It’s rumored that Bagans used his celebrity to force an ultimatum on the network. Being the cash cow for the paranormal reality world that Bagans is, seemingly the network conceded to his demands.

The “Ghosts of” franchise continued with “Morgan City” and “Devil’s Perch” but without Groff or Hartley. Although neither investigator addresses Bagans by name, it is heavily implied that he is the one they are talking about.

Conversely, another paranormal investigator who used to work with Bagans on Ghost Adventures, Dakota Laden, took to Instagram to address the escalating rumors. Laden is the creator and host of Destination Fear which also airs on Trvl Channel. He states in the video that Bagans does not have a hand in the future of his show. Shortly after saying that, it was learned that Destination Fear was canceled after four seasons. But Laden asserts that although he isn’t supported by Bagans, he had no hand in why it ended.

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Zak Bagans has made a name for himself in the reality television world. His many franchises are popular among fans of the genre. In 2017, the host opened the Haunted Museum in Las Vegas where it continues to be a favored destination.

Bagans is also an author and a host away from ghost hunting. He was featured on 2022’s Halloween Wars and partnered with horror director Eli Roth to produce The Haunted Museum an anthology series airing on Discovery+.

Bagans has remained silent about the allegations against him.