Lolly Adefope interview: ‘Ghosts’ star looks back at playing Kitty
Ghosts is back for a final season this autumn!
From the creators and stars of Horrible Histories, the hit comedy series returns to BBC One for a fifth run of episodes next month.
Season 5 finds Alison and Mike searching for new ways to keep Button House going after the gatehouse fire, as they receive some unexpected news that will bring about major changes for them and the Ghosts.
Elsewhere, the Ghosts investigate the mysterious details of Kitty’s death, Pat is inspired to create some new entertainment for the gang when the Ghosts lose their appetite for Food Club, and after Robin makes an outlandish prediction, the Ghosts contemplate their legacies.
Watch the trailer here:
The final season of Ghosts begins at 8.30pm on Friday 6 October on BBC One, and streaming on BBC iPlayer.
Here, comedian Lolly Adefope (This Time with Alan Partridge, Black Mirror) discusses giving the show “a proper send off,” Kitty being “a bit of a stalker,” and crying on the final day of filming:
Why are viewers so fond of Kitty?
“I guess she’s the baby of the group, and people feel quite protective of her, especially considering that she had didn’t have the easiest time when she was alive.
“Despite that, she is this constant source of positivity. She has her tantrums and cries a lot as well, but she tends to be the optimist. She is always positive, and that’s a very good quality.
“Especially around a load of cynical old fogies, you’re going to need her buoyancy. Kids relate to Kitty the most, which is very nice to hear.”
How would you characterise Kitty’s relationship with Alison?
“In the beginning, Kitty is a bit of a stalker, and then it develops into something quite sweet. I think Kitty has just been looking for a best friend and doesn’t really have anyone close to her age in the house.
“So, she sees Alison as the answer to all of her problems, but goes about it in quite an intense way. But in the end Alison does start to love her back.”
Why do you think audiences adore Ghosts so much?
“The thing I get told most often is that it’s the only thing that parents watch with their kids. The whole family watches together. It’s got something for everyone.
“Also, I think during the pandemic it was quite a positive show for a lot of people and a nice distraction. It’s got comedy, it can be emotional and at times it can be sad.
“It deals with a topic, death, that we don’t really talk about that much, while balancing that with comedy. There hadn’t been anything like it in a while. It’s uplifting and emotional in all the right places.
“It’s a great ensemble of very watchable, very funny characters. It’s just such a great premise as well. The fact that Alison is able to see the ghosts when nobody else can is brilliant. There is also always one character that every viewer relates to. Everyone has their favourite.”
Pathos is also a key part of it, isn’t it?
“Yes. It doesn’t shy away from the theme of death, which I think most comedies probably do.
“But it still has a lot of characters with a great deal of heart, and so never feels like a heavy-handed tragedy. It brings in those topics in a way that makes them fun to explore.”
Were a lot of tears shed on the last day of filming?
“I definitely cried. There were a lot of tears from all the cast and crew.
“I can’t remember the last thing I did for five years. School was probably the last thing I did consistently for five years.”
Why do you think that last day provoked so many emotions within you?
“Because the show has been so well received. It’s so rewarding and exciting to do a show that so many people love.
“I also think you form such a strong bond with so many people – obviously, with the cast, but also with the crew, a number of whom have been there since series one.
“It’s just such a wonderful process. Everyone is just trying to make everyone else laugh all day long. It is just like a family.
“This is something that you do every day for months on end. It just becomes part of your everyday life, really. So, it did feel like it was going to be a big shift not doing it anymore.”
Was it the appropriate moment to end the show?
“Yes. Five is a great round number, and you never want to push something past its limits.
“Ghosts is so well loved, and you want to give it a proper send off. You have to make sure it finishes on the right note, rather than peters out to the point where people want it to end.”
How do you hope viewers will react to the conclusion of Ghosts?
“I hope that they’ll find the ending very meaningful and emotional and a suitable end to five series of a show that they’ve loved.
“Even if people didn’t want it to end, hopefully they’ll see the ending as a fitting tribute to the ethos of the show.”
The writing team have been together for a long time. What makes their work so special?
“They put so much heart into it. They have all got families of their own as well, and I think they make something that they would want to watch with their families.
“Interestingly, even though it is a group of six writing together, it never really feels like too many cooks. It just feels like they’ve just got so many amazing ideas.
“They also act as well as write, which I think helps because they know how to write for themselves, and they know how to write for other performers as well.
“It’s not just the writers hoping that an actor will make their words come to life. As a writer-performers, they know exactly how a character should be, which I think makes the characters really well drawn.”
Can you expand on that?
“They have nailed their tone, which is a great blend of comedy and tragedy. They create such a wide breadth of characters as well, which means that it’s always fun to watch and that you’re never bored.
“There’s always something going on because they just so much put into it and there’s so much talent involved.”
Ghosts is available on DVD on Amazon.