Who is Zak Bagans? Meet the host of Halloween Wars 2022 (Season 12)

Halloween Wars Season 12 is almost here and its host, Zak Bagans, describes it as the most intense season yet. The show will feature nine teams with their eyes set on the $25,000 grand prize. To win it, all they will have to do is come up with baked goods and pumpkins inspired by Zak’s ghostly adventures. Eddie Jackson, Shinmin Li, and Aarti Sequeira will join him in deciding who will take home the cash and be crowned the Halloween Wars champion.

The synopsis of the show read:

"Halloween Wars is back for season 12, and the search is on for brave and supremely talented cake, sugar and pumpkin artists who can handle challenges inspired by paranormal investigator Zak Bagans’ haunted travels. Competitors from across America show off their skills and try to prove that they have what it takes to claim the $25,000 grand prize."

Halloween Wars will premiere on Sunday, September 18, at 9 pm ET on the Food Network.

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Paranormal investigator Zak Bagans set to host the latest season of Halloween Wars

The actor, author, TV personality, museum operator, and lead paranormal investigator is set to host Halloween Wars Season 12. In 2007, Bagans collaborated with Nick Groff, a fellow paranormal investigator and musician, and Aaron Goodwin to create the independent documentary Ghost Adventures. The Travel Channel later turned it into a series that ran for nine seasons.

Later, from 2014–2016, Bagans also appeared in a spin-off of Ghost Adventures titled Ghost Adventures: Aftershocks, Netherworld, and Deadly Possessions.

Bagans currently lives in Las Vegas, where he founded the award-winning tourist attraction, The Haunted Museum, which attracts more than 7000 visitors per month. He moved to Las Vegas after obtaining a degree from the Motion Picture Institute in Michigan to become a documentary filmmaker and paranormal explorer.

Ghost hunting is a passion for Zak that began after he encountered the spirit of a woman who died by suicide in one of his places of residence. While his approach toward ghosts is rather aggressive and confrontational, he refers to himself as a gentle and zen person who likes cars, candies, and video games.

Earlier this year, he signed a three-year contract with Discovery+ and will have to star in and produce over 100 hours of supernatural and horror shows, including the hit series Ghost Adventures, which launched on the streaming platform in 2021.

Matthew Butler, General Manager, Travel Channel & Paranormal Streaming content said:

"We are thrilled to continue our incredible relationship with Zak to create more groundbreaking paranormal content in the years ahead."

He continued:

"Zak’s authentic voice, engaging style, vivid storytelling and creative vision are a true asset to our streaming portfolio, generating gripping content that pushes this genre to new heights. He is an icon of the brand. There is so much more to come, and we are eager to deliver it to our fright-loving viewers."

In the trailer for Halloween Wars, he said that he’s teamed up with the show to bring viewers the “scariest season” yet. He further added:

"This year, the competition will be inspired by my adventures and my terrifying collection of haunted artifacts."

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More about the show

The show will kick off with some voodoo in a New Orleans-themed qualifier in which three out of nine teams will participate. These teams will have to "cast a spell" with Marie Laveau and impress the judges to save themselves from elimination.