Ghosts: BBC sitcom to ‘rest in peace’ as end announced after five series

Bafta-nominated sitcom Ghosts is coming to an end after five series, it has been announced.

The comedy series, written by and starring the team who adapted Horrible Histories for the screen, follows a couple (Charlotte Ritchie and Kiell Smith-Bynoe) who inherit a large old home haunted by its previous occupants.

Since it first aired in 2019, the show has amassed a large fan base and received rave reviews, even spawning a US remake.

On Friday (31 March), the writing team – consisting of Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond – announced that filming has wrapped on series five of Ghosts, which will be the show’s last.

“After five incredible years haunting the halls of Button House, we have decided that the time is right to let our beloved sitcom Ghosts rest in peace. We have just wrapped filming on our fifth and final series and we can’t wait to share it with you all later this year,” they wrote on social media.

“We could never have imagined the reception the show has enjoyed, or the fun we have had making it, and we would like to thank our amazing cast and crew as well as everyone at BBC Comedy, BBC1 and Monumental Television for their tireless support.”

They added: “But most of all we’d like to thank everyone who watches. Mathew, Martha, Simon, Jim, Laurence and Ben.”

The BBC’s director of comedy Jon Petrie added: “We are officially in mourning for the end of this BBC Comedy Classic. We can’t thank the Ghosts team enough for five incredible series (not to mention some perfect Christmas Specials) and we can’t wait for BBC viewers to see the final series. We look forward to working with the team on new projects.”

In the forthcoming fifth series, which also stars Lolly Adefope, Alison (Ritchie) and Mike (Smith-Bynoe) will begin exploring other means of making ends meet and contemplate a new chapter that could have a huge effect on the Ghosts.

Earlier this month, the show returned for a charity special featuring a special appearance from Kylie Minogue.