EXCLUSIVE: Ghosts may have wrapped in the UK but the hit comedy continues to spook viewers around the world.
The show has taken the top scripted format prize in K7‘s annual “Tracking the Scripted Giants” report, having been adapted four times over the past 18 months in Australia, Germany, France and Greece.
Created by a number of its stars, Ghosts originated on the BBC in 2019, following a group of ghouls from different historical periods haunting a country house while sharing the house with its new living occupants.
Although its UK run is now over, it has proved to be highly adaptable, becoming a smash hit in the U.S. on CBS where it has been renewed for a sixth season.
“Where traditional half-hour sitcoms are concerned, this is a rare entry that seems to have the staying power of the pre-streaming era,” said the report. K7 celebrated the “flexible” nature of the show and praised producer and distributor BBC Studios for “showing flexibility in how adaptations can be structured in terms of plotting.” “The German version, for example, quickly diverged from the BBC scripts, incorporating storylines from later UK seasons and adding original plots. This kind of openness in how new adaptations are mapped out is also a great selling point for a scripted format.” This morning, BBC Studios confirmed the German Ghosts has been recommissioned.
The success of Ghosts drove a strong year for British formats, which closed the gap on Korea as K7’s top format originator. Last year, Korea originated 19 of the top-selling scripted formats, with the UK just two behind now on 17. Israel, which had a strong year especially for sales of Your Honor, was third with eight.
Other shows to have sold well recently include Doctor Foster, Liar and Call My Agent!, the latter of which is being made into a Netflix movie.
“Less focus on chasing the ‘hot new format’”
‘Doctor Foster’
BBC
Ghosts may have been the best-performing but the report also highlighted how buyers are keener on old IP like Doctor Foster, which is coming back in the UK 11 years after the original.
Nearly 40% of the adaptions tracked in the report are based on formats that debuted more than 10 years ago, almost doubling the figure from the previous report.
“This has always been a feature of the scripted market, but this time the shift is clear: less focus on chasing the ‘hot new format’ and more on finding the right story for specific audiences in the present climate,” said K7. “For some, that means remaking a proven format with the confidence that such established IP provides.”
Crime and thriller was the top-selling genre, making up 28% of the overall remake market, reflecting a trend that audiences have seen on screens in recent months with streaming hits like All Her Fault and The Girlfriend.
The scripted format market grew slightly to 60 remakes last year, reversing a decline from the prior year. This is still a way behind the high of 77 in 2022.
K7 unveiled the report at Series Mania, which is taking place in Lille.