Joe Marler has opened up on a spine-chilling condition that leaves him frozen with fear in the dead of night.
The former England and Harlequins prop made the startling admission while chatting to BBC Uncanny star Danny Robins on his Things People Do podcast, lifting the lid on a recurring episode that feels straight out of a horror film.
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Robins, 49, joined Marler to talk all things supernatural. The writer and podcaster has built a reputation investigating real-life paranormal encounters, even though Marler admits he is largely sceptical about ghosts.
But the 34-year-old revealed one experience that continues to terrify him.
Marler said: “I am intrigued to know if some of the stuff I have experienced is due to a ghost or if there is an explanation.
“I always have this recurring moment that there is this figure in my doorway and it is not me or one of the four kids.
“It is bigger, a figure in the doorway. It is like I can feel him staring at me and I am s***ing myself and I can’t move.
“I am paralysed and screaming at the top of my voice ‘f*** off get out of here what do you want’.
“I want to reach for my baseball bat but I can’t and then that happens so many times but there is this perverse thing in me that kind of enjoys it.”
Thankfully, Robins was quick to shut down the idea of a ghost stalking the former England star.
He explained: “I can tell you what is happening here, it is called sleep paralysis and many people who think they have seen a ghost have just experienced this.
“Basically your body locks you down so you don’t act out your dreams.
“It paralysed you so you don’t get up and jump out of a window.
“But sometimes it goes wrong and you are stuck in a state when you are awake and your body is locking you down and you are seeing sleep imagery in front of you.
“The classic is seeing a dark shadowy figure in your room and sometimes you hear people calling your name.
“But it is a weird state and it can be terrifying. Often you can feel this pressure on your chest and people often speak about feeling a demon or witch sitting on your chest.”
For Marler, it turns out the scariest opponent he faces is his own mind.
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