Why Ghosts’ cast and creators agreed it was time to say goodbye
Ahead of its final series, the stars of Ghosts have spoken about the ending of the show and what to expect from the last episodes.
Ghosts’ stars, writers and creators Mathew Baynton, Simon Farnaby, Martha Howe-Douglas, Jim Howick, Laurence Rickard and Ben Willbond return with six new episodes of the BBC comedy, joined on the cast by Lolly Adefope, Charlotte Ritchie and Kiell Smith-Bynoe.
In the series opener, Alison and Mike grapple with preserving Button House post-fire while a surprising development looms. Meanwhile, the Ghosts investigate Kitty’s mysterious demise, Pat gets creative to rejuvenate their enthusiasm and the Ghosts ponder their legacies prompted by a wild prediction from Robin.
Charlotte Richie, who portrays the endearing Alison, revealed her emotional journey leading up to the final scenes.
“I was really emotional for the whole three weeks leading up to the end,” she confessed. “It wasn’t really the last day that did it to me – by then, I think I’d pre-grieved! In some ways, it’s cathartic to say, ‘OK, that’s it. That’s the end of the chapter.'”
And she agreed with the decision to end the show, continuing: “I think the writers are really smart. They knew that it was the right choice. I think we just were just getting to the point where everyone was very comfy in their parts, and it was just the right point to finish. A lot of the feedback I’ve got from people has been that they think it’s cool to quit while you’re ahead.”
For Kiell Smith-Bynoe, who plays the affable Mike, the ending promises to be an emotional rollercoaster. “What the writers have done is really amazing,” he shared. “I did ask to watch the last few minutes of the final episode, and that didn’t help my emotions! It’s really brilliant.”
Lolly Adefope, Kitty, reflected on the appropriate timing of the show’s conclusion. “Five is a great round number, and you never want to push something past its limits,” she noted. “Ghosts is so well loved, and you want to give it a proper send-off.”
And how do they hope viewers will react to the final episode? Mathew Baynton (Thomas) believes that the emotional resonance of the show will leave a lasting impact. “I hope that they’ll find the ending very meaningful and emotional and a suitable end to five series of a show that they’ve loved,” he expressed.
For Simon Farnaby, who brought the quirky Julian to life, the decision to conclude the series was a calculated one. “It’s sad, but it was the right time to end it,” he explained. “You always want to leave them wanting more. I don’t think the sixth series of anything is the best.”
Reflecting on the collective sentiment among the cast, Richie added: “There are so many goodbyes that we have to see them as a good thing because otherwise, it’s just too sad all the time.”
Ghosts series five begins on Friday, 6 October at 8:30PM on BBC One and iPlayer.
