Ghosts season 4: release date, cast, episode summaries and all you need to know

Ghosts Season 4 features Robin and co.
Ghosts Season 4 features Robin and co. (Image credit: BBC/Monumental Television/Robbie Gray)

Ghosts season 4 is just as wonderfully funny as the previous series and you can watch the whole series now.

Ghosts, which stars ex-Call the Midwife actress Charlotte Ritchie as a woman who can see ghosts for real, has been one of the BBC's biggest comedy hits for years and it's even spawned a Ghosts US version.

Setting up the new series, Kiell Smyth-Bynoe, who plays Mike, says: "Series four is about the guest house and trying to create the perfect B&B experience. Mike and Alison are trying to get the best reviews — that is their main goal for the series. In the first episode, they get their first customers, and we see how Mike and Alison respond in their own different ways to praise and complaints."

And of course the ghosts aren't happy? "They've only just started to accept Mike and Alison! So the idea of having even more people in the house — for Lady Button especially — is really not what the ghosts want. But Lady Button soon gets involved in the guests' business and has strong opinions on how they're conducting themselves in the house." 

Here's everything we know about the new series including episode round-ups...

Ghosts season 4 release date

Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) in a blue checked shirt and Alison (Charlotte Rtichie) in a grey jumped looked stunned at a slice of toast in the Button House kitchen in Ghosts.

(Image credit: BBC)

Ghosts season 4 ends on Friday, October 28 at 8.30 pm on BBC One. You can watch the whole series on BBC iPlayer.

Ghosts season 4 plot

The BBC has teased some plot details: "When we return for series 4, Button House is open for business, well, the gatehouse is. Can Alison (Charlotte Ritchie) and Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) make a success of the humble B&B or will the interfering ghosts once again scupper their plans?"

Talking about what's in store for Pat, Jim Howick says: "Pat is Pat. Part of his character is that he’s always on an even keel and is very much the sunny gel for the group. And so from a character point of view, he doesn't really get to go on many journeys. It's often the characters that are reactionary or prudish in some way and not open to change who get the huge, meandering stories, and Pat is more of a mediator in the group."

What happens in episode one of Ghosts season 4?

Titled "Happy Holiday", the episode sees Alison incredibly nervous as their guest house finally opens. Will their first guests be happy? Alison and Mike do everything in their powers to make them happy, but of course the ghosts aren't helping.

Meanwhile, the plaguers suddenly begin worshipping Thomas much to his delight at first. Plus Pat discusses with Mary how wonderful package holidays were before deciding perhaps they weren't!

What happens in episode two?

Titled "Speak as ye choose", the episode delves into Mary's past, explaining more about how she ended up being burnt as a witch. It also looks into an important friendship she had with another ghost, who helped her to become bolder in saying what she thinks.

Meanwhile, Kitty teaches The Captain the virtues of living in the moment.

Ghosts season 4 cast

Alison (Charlotte Ritchie) and Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) return as the owners of Button House. Martha Howe-Douglas plays Lady Fanny Button, who started to thaw somewhat in series 3 and even turned detective at one point! 

While Mathew Baynton returns as Thomas Thorne, who briefly switched his affections away from Alison in the most recent series. 

Jim Howick plays loveable Pat Butcher, while Ben Willbond is back as the Captain, who likes to keep everything in military order. 

Plus there's Katy Wix as Mary, Laurence Rickard as Robin/Humphrey’s Head, Simon Farnaby as MP Julian Fawcett, and Lolly Adefope as Kitty. 

Is there a trailer?

Yes! And it looks fab.

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.


Other than watching and writing about telly, David loves playing cricket, going to the cinema, trying to improve his tennis and chasing about after his kids!