'Ghosts' makers tease major change in US version from UK original

Ghosts CBS
(Image credit: Cliff Lipson/CBS 2020)

The makers of CBS hit Ghosts have revealed how it will take a different course to the UK original.

Ghosts is a huge hit on both sides of the Atlantic, with over eight million people tuning in on CBS, while in the UK the BBC version is hugely loved and has a fourth series in the pipeline.

In the UK original Alison (Charlotte Ritchie) and Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) have plans to open their spooky mansion as a hotel, but it never quite happens.

Ghosts Christmas special 2021

Mike and Charlotte in the UK version of 'Ghosts'. (Image credit: BBC/Monumental Television/Guido Mandozzi)

However, Ghosts executive producer Joe Port has revealed that Samantha (Rose McIver) and Jay (Utkarsh Ambudkar) are set to open their country home as a B & B.

While Port said the B & B opening won't mean the show has a guest star each week, it will allow them to have new people in the show as they build to season 2, which has been announced.

Speaking to Variety, Port says: "The last five episodes [of Season 1] are building toward the opening of the B&B.

"In the British version, they actually never opened the B&B so far over three seasons. But, we did as many episodes in one season as they did in three seasons. We have to tell a lot more stories in a year and just because we’re opening the B&B doesn’t mean it’s going to be the guest of the week. 

"There's going to be a lot of stories that happen when there are no guests there. There’s going to be fits and starts, but we do like the storytelling engine of being able to just have people drop in and without too much trouble on our part for coming up with a reason why they're there."

Indeed at 13 episodes long, the US series is over double that of the UK version, which has six episodes per series, plus there have been two Christmas specials.

Meanwhile, Ghosts season 4 is on its way for UK viewers. It’s not been revealed yet when the comedy will return, though.

David Hollingsworth
Editor

David is the What To Watch Editor and has over 20 years of experience in television journalism. He is currently writing about the latest television and film news for What To Watch.

Before working for What To Watch, David spent many years working for TV Times magazine, interviewing some of television's most famous stars including Hollywood actor Kiefer Sutherland, singer Lionel Richie and wildlife legend Sir David Attenborough. 

David started out as a writer for TV Times before becoming the title's deputy features editor and then features editor. During his time on TV Times, David also helped run the annual TV Times Awards. David is a huge Death in Paradise fan, although he's still failed to solve a case before the show's detective! He also loves James Bond and controversially thinks that Timothy Dalton was an excellent 007.

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