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Series 3, Episode 1 - The Bone Plot

Ghosts. Spanish Conspirator (Guido Mandozzi). Copyright: Monumental Pictures
A historical documentary team comes to film at Button House. Alison and the ghosts are shocked to discover what they're investigating.

Further details

When a historical documentary team comes to film at Button House, Alison and the ghosts are shocked to discover that the assassination plot they're exploring involves one of their own.

Meanwhile, Mike - always on the lookout for free publicity - begs Alison to accept the offer of a television interview about the old house. The only hitch is Alison is terrified of speaking on camera. Luckily, Thomas is there to coach her in the art of speech-giving. What could possibly go wrong?

Broadcast details

Date
Monday 9th August 2021
Time
8:30pm
Channel
BBC One
Length
30 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Monday 10th April 2023 5:10pm Gold
Tuesday 11th April 2023 1:55pm Gold
Tuesday 11th April 2023 5:10pm Gold
Thursday 20th April 2023 9:00pm Gold
Friday 21st April 2023 12:20am Gold
Monday 5th June 2023 10:30pm Gold
Tuesday 6th June 2023 1:35am Gold
Tuesday 10th October 2023 10:20pm Gold
Wednesday 11th October 2023 1:10am Gold
Monday 22nd January 2024 8:40pm Gold
Tuesday 23rd January 2024 1:00am Gold

Cast & crew

Cast
Charlotte Ritchie Alison
Kiell Smith-Bynoe Mike
Mathew Baynton Thomas
Simon Farnaby Julian
Martha Howe-Douglas Lady Button
Jim Howick Pat
Laurence Rickard Robin
Ben Willbond Captain
Lolly Adefope Kitty
Katy Wix Mary
Laurence Rickard Humphrey
Guest cast
Geoffrey McGivern (as Geoff McGivern) Barclay Beg-Chetwynde
Nathan Bryon Obi
David Ahmad Anthony
Ben Ashenden Captain of the Guards
Sujaya Dasgupta Zara
ChloƩ Delanney Sophie
Alexander Owen Sheepish Guard
Guido Mandozzi Spanish Conspirator
Yani Alexansandrov (as Yani Xander) Humphrey's Body
Writing team
Laurence Rickard Writer
Annie Fawke Script Editor
Production team
Nick Collett Director
Matthew Mulot Producer
Alison Carpenter Executive Producer
Debra Hayward Executive Producer
Alison Owen Executive Producer
Kate Daughton Executive Producer
Mathew Baynton Executive Producer
Simon Farnaby Executive Producer
Martha Howe-Douglas Executive Producer
Jim Howick Executive Producer
Laurence Rickard Executive Producer
Ben Willbond Executive Producer
Imogen Cooper Executive Producer
Jill Forbes Line Producer
Mike Holliday Editor
Amy Maguire Production Designer
Kelly Valentine Hendry Casting Director
Alex Irwin Casting Director
Lucy Williams Costume Designer
Will Hanke Director of Photography
Natalie Pateman Make-up Designer
Ralegh Long Composer
Peter Griffiths 1st Assistant Director

Press

Last week saw the return of Ghosts (BBC One), the offbeat sitcom from many of the cast of Horrible Histories and Yonderland , in which young couple Alison and Mike (Charlotte Ritchie and Kiell Smith-Bynoe) live in a crumbling mansion full of bickering ghosts, including a caveman, a trouserless Tory MP and a witch-burning victim.

The opening episode explained how one of the spectral residents managed to lose his head. By now, three series in, you either enjoy the innocent spookiness of Ghosts or you don't. My own barely concealed inner goth can't help but be charmed. The show has inconsistencies (ghostly hands slide through people but can pick up TV remotes), but whatever, it's not a documentary. Its superpower is that it's reminiscent of a lost Ealing film-style Britishness; so much so that I was surprised to hear that a US version is in production. Ghosts is about as scary as a ghost train ride in broad daylight, but it's always a hoot.

Barbara Ellen, The Observer, 15th August 2021

Review: Ghosts will haunt our screens for years

If any current sitcom has a hope of being repeated 40 years from now, bet on Ghosts (BBC1). It's very funny - but so were lots of great comedies that have faded into obscurity.

Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail, 10th August 2021

Ghosts series three review

Hard-drinking toff Barclay Beg-Chetwynde seems set to be the next member of the phantom troop, in the only TV show that would benefit from bumping more people off.

Stuart Jeffries, The Guardian, 9th August 2021

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