Omid Djalili is to front a new Sky show that uses a psychic to tap into the ‘energies’ of the battlefield and perform a ‘healing ritual’.

Battlefield Healers will feature academic experts, archaeologists, and local historians – but also ‘metaphysical and spiritual sleuth’ Konstantin Pavlidis to offer a new-age perspective. 

The hour-long pilot episode, which airs on Sky History next Sunday, visits the site where the Battle of Bosworth was fought in 1485. It was where Richard III was slain, paving the way for a new Royal dynasty, the Tudors under Henry VII. 

In the show, Djalili will challenge the image perpetuated by Shakespeare that the last Plantagenet king was a ‘deformed villain’.

Jasper Warry, who created the format, called it ‘a true passion project’ that was based a ‘profound and incredible experience’ he had filming with Konstantin at the Battle of Hastings site in 2017.

He added: ‘Omid and Konstantin have done an incredible job bringing it to life… it’s a genuinely original format that will offer a new perspective on our rich and fascinating history.

Sam Pearson, executive producer for Sky, said the broadcaster was ‘struck by the originality of  [producer] Hello Deer’s approach of bringing in an enthusiastic modern-day spiritualist to try and unlock the battlefield horror and the enduring mystery of these iconic events in a new and vivid way.’

On the website of the alternative health clinic where he practises, Pavlidis  is described as a ‘meta-physicist working in the fields of wisdom traditions, therapy, traditional medicine, healing, scientific research and the movement arts’.

In an interview with the Mirror today, Djalili admits the show’s approach was ‘controversial’.

He added: ‘I am spiritually minded, but when Konstantin was saying, "I'm feeling something," while we were filming, it was funny to me.

'When you go to the site, you don't have to be a medium to think, "My God, something bad happened here." There are bits in the ground that feel like bones. There’s a swamp, it’s eerie, horrible. Then Konstantin did this whole healing ceremony and, afterwards, it felt like there was some kind of closure.’

• Battlefield Healers premiers on Sky History on February 2. at 9pm.