There's Christmas cheer for anybody mourning the dearly departed Ghosts after the UK show made its final haunting in November. The fifth and final series may have come to an end, but the sitcom has been reincarnated for a one-off Christmas special with Ghosts: A Christmas Gift having arrived Christmas Day (December 25) 2023.
You can watch Ghosts: A Christmas Gift for FREE in the UK on the BBC iPlayer streaming service. But don't worry if you're away from home because you can watch the Ghosts Christmas special on iPlayer from anywhere with a VPN.
Aired: Christmas Day 2023
UK: BBC iPlayer (free with TV licence)
AU: ABC iview
US: N/A
How to use a VPN to watch any stream
As we re-join the ghoulish residents of Button House, there are welcome and not-so-welcome guests in tow for the Christmas period. Alison (Charlotte Ritchie) and Mike (Kiell Smith-Bynoe) are bringing along their gorgeous new-born baby Leia for her first noel... but invited too is Mike's mum Betty (Sutara Gayle). And it doesn't take long before she outstays her welcome.
Just as it seems she may finally leave, Betty senses that things in the house are far from normal. Paranormal, in fact. And then it's all hands on deck to try and force the irritating in-law to leave them in peace — cue Operation Bye Bye Betty.
As Smith-Bynoe says: "It’s Christmassy, it’s in keeping with Ghosts and you’ll laugh and cry at the ending especially... Even at the readthrough, it felt fitting and emotional, realising this was the end of that journey we’ve been on for a long time.”
Ready to return to Button House? Here's how to watch Ghosts: A Christmas Gift from anywhere in the world and for free — we've got all the streaming information you'll need below.
How to watch Ghosts Christmas special in the UK
How to watch Ghosts Christmas special in Australia
Ghosts: A Christmas Gift hit ABC iview in Australia on Tuesday, December 26, and aired on TV on ABC TV Plus the same day at 9.15 pm AEDT.
That means you'll be able to stream the festive episode (along with all of the recently released Ghosts series 5) for free on the service. All you need to do to watch is register on ABC iview with your name, date of birth and postcode.
Can I watch Ghosts Christmas special in the US?
Although CBS and Paramount Plus is now beginning to show Ghosts UK (season 2 is currently being shown), the new A Christmas Gift is not in its listings.
You'll either have to settle for the 2020 season 2 special The Ghost of Christmas — which is available to stream now on Paramount Plus — or, if you're a Brit or Aussie travelling to the States and are desperate to watch the new episode on Christmas Day, you'll need to go down the VPN route...
How to watch Ghosts Christmas special from anywhere with a VPN
You can watch Ghosts on any of the streaming services above by using a VPN — no matter where you are in the world.
Normally a streaming service will know where you are trying to tune in from and block you if you're not in the right country but a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is an app that hides your location. That means you can access your usual sports and entertainment services even while you're traveling abroad.
Our favorite VPN is ExpressVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.
How to use a VPN to watch any stream
- Download the app at ExpressVPN
- Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
- Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!
What is the Ghosts: A Christmas Gift release date?
The half-an-hour 2023 Ghosts Christmas special, called A Christmas Gift, aired on BBC One in the UK at 7.45 pm. It is now available to watch on the network's BBC iPlayer website and apps.
There is currently no release date in the US. In Australia, it was added to ABC iview on Tuesday, December 26.
All you need to know about Ghosts: A Christmas Gift
Ghosts: A Christmas Gift trailer
What is the cast of Ghosts: A Christmas Gift?
- Charlotte Ritchie as Alison
- Kiell Smith-Bynoe as Mike
- Sutara Gayle as Betty
- Jim Howick as Pat
- Ben Willbond as The Captain
- Mathew Baynton as Thomas
- Laurence Rickard as Robin/Humphrey
- Lolly Adefope as Kitty
- Martha Howe-Douglas as Fanny
- Simon Farnaby as Julian
Has Ghosts UK now finished?
Season of 5 of Ghosts that broadcast in the UK this year has been confirmed as the final series. The last episode aired on November 10.
The US version of Ghosts is still being made, with two seasons already available to watch on Paramount Plus and a third expected to follow in 2024.
