Russian blogger Natasha Gasankhanova has revealed that she refrained from criticizing participants on the television show Battle of Psychics because she was afraid of having a curse placed on her.
Gasankhanova discussed her concerns during an episode of her podcast DaDa - NetNet, which is hosted on the VKontakte social media network.
She drew attention to a growing trend on the TNT network reality series, saying contestants increasingly use mobile phones during challenges. According to the blogger, psychics now open photos of test subjects on their screens to look up information rather than using traditional methods.
Smartphones in Psychic Tests
Reflecting on earlier seasons of the program, Gasankhanova recalled watching the show while living in Saratov, a city in southwestern Russia. At the time, she said, psychics were always handed a sealed envelope, standing and touching it to describe the energy they felt.
In recent seasons, however, Gasankhanova observed contestants looking directly at their phones. She added that she chose not to name the specific individuals involved because she feared receiving a diarrhea curse from them.
Reactions from Contestants and Critics
Her podcast guest, Oleg Sheps, who won the 21st season of Battle of Psychics, responded by stating that he did not use a mobile phone during his own testing challenges on the show.
The reality program has previously faced strong public criticism from other online commentators. Russian blogger Nikolai Sobolev called Battle of Psychics a witches' coven and questioned why the television show continues to air.
Show Format and Background
Battle of Psychics is a long-running Russian reality television competition broadcast on the TNT network. The series features participants claiming supernatural abilities who compete in various elimination tasks.
Gasankhanova hosts her interview show on VKontakte, Russia's major domestic social platform, where she regularly discusses entertainment news with guests.
