Ghosts final episode crowned most-watched comedy of 2023
Ghosts spoilers follow.
The final episode of Ghosts has been crowned the most-watched British comedy episode in 2023.
The hit BBC sitcom came to its triumphant conclusion on Christmas Day (December 25), with Alison and Mike (Charlotte Ritchie and Kiell Smith-Bynoe) welcoming their daughter Mia into the family.
Data from the Broadcasters' Audience Research Board (BARB) reveals that the farewell episode reached a whopping 6.62 million viewers across the first seven days from its broadcast (via British Comedy Guide).
Related: Ghosts BBC pilot originally had "hundreds" of ghosts changing each week
The Button House gang are in good company, with episodes of Michael McIntyre's Big Show, Have I Got News For You, Blankety Blank, For The Love Of Paul O'Grady, Would I Lie To You? and The Cleaner also making the top 10.
Christmas specials proved popular last year, with festive episodes of Mrs Brown's Boys and Not Going Out earning an impressive 4.07 million and 3.86 million viewers, respectively.
BARB's consolidated ratings combine the estimated count of viewers from the day of broadcast with figures of households that caught up with the episode on streaming platforms.
News of Ghosts' ending shocked fans in March last year, as it had received critical acclaim since its debut in 2019.
Related: Ghosts season 5 cast reveal cut storylines being used in spin-off project
Ben Willbond — one of the show's writers, who also plays The Captain — exclusively told Digital Spy how the writing team came to the decision to finish after season five.
"We talked about it really from when we started writing series 4. We all sort of agreed, really, then, that if we made it to 5, then it would be time to stop. We all have various other things that we wanted to be doing at this time," he said.
"Every time I talk to somebody about it now, I feel like we've made the wrong decision, because we love it so much. I would hate for it to be series 7, and people going, 'What happened to Ghosts? It used to be really good.'"
Ghosts aired on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer.
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