Asyia Iftikhar, Senior TV Reporter, has watched three versions of BBC's Ghosts and finds the latest Australian season delightfully ridiculous. The original UK series, which aired from 2019 to 2023, became an instant classic, created by the team behind Horrible Histories. The premise follows Alison and Mike, who inherit a haunted stately home filled with eccentric ghosts. After the US remake's success, Australia launched its own version, which Iftikhar initially approached with skepticism.
Australia's Ghosts: A Fresh Take
The Australian adaptation stars Tamala Shelton and Rowan Witt as Kate and Sean, the new owners. The ghosts are largely original, with few direct parallels to the UK cohort. The standout character is Lindy, played by Michelle Braiser, a lycra-clad exercise guru whose comedic timing rivals Lolly Adefope's Kitty from the UK version. The show features ridiculous plotlines, including Kate's hippy mother trying to move in and a sweet proposal episode where everything goes wrong until it doesn't.
Comparing the Versions
The US version, starring Rose McIver and Utkarsh Ambudkar, boasts up to 22 episodes per season compared to the UK's six. The Australian version, while earnest, doesn't quite reach the calibre of the original, but Iftikhar notes it managed to reel her in by the end. She hopes for more seasons, suggesting that Ghosts' structure allows for endless global spin-offs, similar to The Traitors.
Ghosts Australia is available to stream on BBC iPlayer now.
