Ghosts cast return to shoot film The Possession of Button House
The BBC sitcom Ghosts is returning as a film called The Possession of Button House, with the cast back on set at West Horsley Place three years after the TV series ended.
How it was covered
- BBC One was the only channel found covering it.
- Channel 5, BBC News, BBC Two, Channel 4, GB News, ITV and Sky News: not found in tracked broadcasts.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story. Facts only one channel reported are attributed to it.
The BBC sitcom Ghosts is returning as a feature film called The Possession of Button House. Mike, Alison and the ghosts are making their big-screen debut, with the cast and crew back on set three years after the TV series finished to shoot the movie.
The film is being shot at West Horsley Place, the estate used as Button House during the show's five-series run. In the story, Button House is to be turned into a hotel. Protesters set up camp against the plan. Their invasion of the ghosts' home is the inciting incident. The title points to a possession plot, and the film gives the ghosts a chance to leave the grounds for the first time.
On set, the cast described the shoot as ambitious and a step up from television. They said they want it to be something audiences feel they have to see in the cinema. The production is full of references and love letters to films they grew up with, including The Goonies, E.T. and Big. The team said it is aspiring to do something beyond its budget or means.
Returning to costume has been part of the process. One cast member said the corset, layers of dress, wig and feather help them get back into role. They also joked about neck muscles and cold weather. A prop head, normally kept on a shelf in a study, was described as heavy and accurate to the weight of a human head. Another scene shows Julian possessing a boy, with the line: 'I realise it's confusing because I'm inside a boy, but it's me, Julian.'
The reunion was emotional. The cast said they wanted to work together again after Ghosts and Horrible Histories, and one said they cried tears about saying goodbye before returning to round off the story. They compared the comeback to Oasis getting back together. A full extended cut is also available on BBC iPlayer.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| A film is titled The Possession of Button House. | |
| Filming for the production is taking place at West Horsley Place, which represents Button House. | |
| The film's plot involves protesters opposing plans to convert Button House into a hotel. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
This channel led with entertainment correspondent Colin Paterson behind the scenes, giving the item a warm showbusiness feel. It concentrated on cast reunion, costume, props, location and plot hints rather than industry detail. Compared with a straight news bulletin, the segment treated the film as a fan-focused comeback and pointed viewers to an extended cut on iPlayer.
- “We're back, three years after we finished, to shoot the movie.”
- “It's called the possession of Button House, so that might give you a clue as to what happens in the film.”
- “It's full of references and kind of love letters to the films that we grew up with, The Goonies and E.T. and Big.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.