What To Expect From The Last Ever Episode Of Ghosts

Just before the final series of the BBC’s comedy Ghosts commenced in October 2023, fans were blessed with an early Christmas gift: the promise of a special festive episode to send the series out with a bang. Here’s our first look at the Ghosts Christmas special, plus when it’ll be on TV.

Ghosts Christmas Special 2023

(L-R) The Captain (BEN WILLBOND), Kitty (LOLLY ADEFOPE), Thomas Thorne (MAT BAYNTON), Robin (LARRY RICKARD), Alison (CHARLOTTE RITCHIE), Pat (JIM HOWICK), Mike (KIELL SMITH-BYNOE) in the Ghosts Christmas Special 2023. © Monumental/Guido Mandozzi/BBC

When Is The Ghosts Christmas Special?

Like last year, Ghosts has bagged a prime time festive slot in 2023: the Ghosts Christmas special will air on Christmas Day at 7.45pm on BBC One.

Where Is It Streaming?

Every episode of Ghosts is available to stream on BBC iPlayer, and the 2023 Christmas special will join them after it has aired on Christmas Day.

(L-R) Pat (JIM HOWICK), The Captain (BEN WILLBOND), Julian (SIMON FARNABY), Thomas Thorne (MAT BAYNTON), Kitty (LOLLY ADEFOPE). © Monumental/Robbie Gray/BBC

What Will Happen?

With Alison pregnant and a grave secret revealed, the ominously named series five finale, ‘Last Resort’, left the fate of Button House secure in Alison and Mike’s hands, setting the stage for a Christmas special that really wraps things up. The official BBC synopsis reads: ‘Christmas is just around the corner and Mike’s mum, Betty is staying. Although she is just trying to be helpful, Mike and Alison soon lose patience with her interfering ways. There’s no easy way to ask her to go home so the couple (and the Ghosts) struggle on, with Button House feeling fuller than ever.

(L-R) Betty (SUTARA GAYLE), Mike (KIELL SMITH-BYNOE) and Alison (CHARLOTTE RITCHIE). © Monumental/Guido Mandozzi/BBC

‘Now a Christmas convert, Robin is missing that all important ‘Christmassy’ feeling, so the gang share their secrets to getting into the festive spirit. But when even more decorations and merry music don’t do the trick, the Ghosts wonder if Robin will be able to capture that Christmas magic again?’

Inevitably there will be some sadness to the episode, what with it being a farewell to the series, Button House, and our favourite gaggle of Ghosts. Series co-creator Laurence Rickard addressed this in an interview with Radio Times, saying: ‘The obligation to make sure that we kept this episode Christmassy was a huge boon to the episode itself, because otherwise it would have been pretty straight down the line sad at the end – without much to kind of leaven that. But the Christmassiness of it, I think, gives it the sweet against the bitter.’

Alison (CHARLOTTE RITCHIE), Mike (KIELL SMITH-BYNOE). © Monumental/Guido Mandozzi/BBC

Who Stars?

The confirmed cast is as follows:

• Charlotte Ritchie as Alison
• Kiell Smith-Bynoe as Mike
• Mathew Baynton as Thomas
• Simon Farnaby as Julian
• Lolly Adefope as Kitty
• Martha Howe-Douglas as Lady Button
• Jim Howick as Pat
• Laurence Rickard as Robin/Humphrey
• Ben Willbond as the Captain

But Rickard also teased a surprise cameo: ‘I think certainly the final three or four minutes will be quite unexpected,’ he told Radio Times. ‘And it’s possible we’ll get to see a character that we’ve had before again and there’s certainly a step change very early on – something that we haven’t done before in the show.’

(L-R) Robin (LARRY RICKARD), Julian (SIMON FARNABY), Pat (JIM HOWICK), Lady Button (MARTHA HOWE- DOUGLAS), Thomas Thorne (MAT BAYNTON), Kitty (LOLLY ADEFOPE) and The Captain (BEN WILLIBOND). © Monumental/Guido Mandozzi/BBC

WATCH

The Ghosts Christmas special will air on Christmas Day at 7.45pm on BBC One. Catch up on iPlayer.