Production has kicked off in Western Australia on Ghosts Australia, a local take on the hit British comedy that also spawned a successful US adaptation.
The new series is being developed by Paramount Australia, BBC Studios Productions Australia and Screenwest, with filming now underway in WA’s surrounds.
The eight-part series follows the misadventures of Kate (Tamala Shelton, Cleverman) and Sean (Rowan Witt, Totally Completely Fine), a couple whose dreams of city homeownership are derailed by an unexpected inheritance: a crumbling country mansion teeming with chaotic ghosts from various decades.
When Kate survives a near-death experience and gains the ability to see the spirits, what begins as a boutique hotel renovation quickly spirals into a supernatural circus. Together, the couple must contend with six spectral housemates – each as neurotic and noisy as the next – and juggle romance, real estate and the undead.
Who’s who in Ghosts Australia?
The ensemble cast features Australian comedic actors such as Mandy McElhinney (Love Child) as a maternal Irish publican with thirteen kids; Brent Hill (Hamilton) as a Third Fleet naval officer with regressive views and a stiff upper lip; Ines English (Last Days of the Space Age) as a repressed Edwardian socialite; Michelle Brasier (Aunty Donna) as a bubbly 80s aerobics instructor; George Zhao (The Family Law) as a concussed gold-rush miner; and Jackson Tozer (Deadloch) as a 1990s bikie named Satan.
In the original UK version, the ghosts comprise of a Byronian poet, an MP, a scout leader, a neanderthal, a WWII army captain, a POC Victorian woman, a strict Edwardian matron, a dark ages ‘witch’ and a beheaded Elizabethan man.
The US version chose to localise its ghosts by altering the characters to a baroness, a Wall Street stockbroker, an Indigenous hunter, a Woodstock hippie, a Viking and a Revolutionary War veteran, keeping only the scout leader as the one unchanged character.
After a quick comparison between the UK, US and upcoming Australian versions of the show, it would seem there is a glaring omission when it comes to notable archetypes of (so-called) Australian history. Whether future plots will attempt to tackle Indigenous history remains to be seen, but for now it undoubtedly looks a little odd.
The press release tells us to ‘expect everything’ from ghostly gender politics to posthumous rom-coms.
‘We’re delighted to commence production on the Australian iteration of this much-loved global comedy hit,’ said Daniel Monaghan, the SVP of Content and Programming at Paramount Australia.
‘Ghosts Australia boasts a stellar cast and an incredibly talented creative team. We can’t wait to bring this witty and heartfelt show to life, complete with our set of uniquely Australian ghosts.’
Kylie Washington, EVP and GM Global Entertainment Australia at BBC Studios ANZ, added: ‘We’re excited to have assembled such a talented ensemble cast to breathe life into our distinctly Australian reimagining of Ghosts. The UK and US versions have been runaway hits, and we look forward to introducing audiences to these comedic, warm-hearted and unlikely housemates.’
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Ghosts Australia production details
The series is directed by Christiaan Van Vuuren (A Sunburnt Christmas) and Madeleine Dyer (Colin from Accounts), produced by Bree-Anne Sykes (Wellmania) and executive produced by Sophia Zachariou (The Office Australia), Kylie Washington and Sophia Mogford (Paramount ANZ).
The writing team is led by Josh Mapleston (Surviving Summer), with Libby Butler (Neighbours), Shontell Ketchell (Gold Diggers), Philip Tarl Denson (Zero-Point), and Steph Tisdell (Fisk) contributing.
Screenwest CEO Rikki Lea Bestall welcomed the production to WA, highlighting, naturally, the economic and creative benefits: ‘The production will kick off what is set to be an exciting year for the WA screen sector, creating a slew of opportunities for Western Australians.’
Ghosts Australia is based on the original UK series by Monumental Television, and produced for Network 10 and Paramount+ with major investment from Screenwest and the Western Australian Production Attraction Incentive (the most competitive incentive in the country, according to WA’s State Government).
What did I mean by ‘fifth go’? Well, even though the original Ghosts series is over, the franchise shows no signs of dying down, with the US version renewed for two more seasons and adaptations already airing in France and Germany. A Greek version, which will be the ‘sixth go’, is also on the way.
Ghosts Australia will debut later this year on Paramount+ and Network 10.
