You know that feeling when a show just clicks? It’s not just the writing, though that helps. It’s the alchemy of people. When the ghosts 2019 tv series cast first popped onto BBC One, most of us recognized them immediately. They were the "Horrible Histories" lot. The "Them There" troupe.
But seeing them together in a crumbling mansion felt like catching up with old friends who had finally moved into a big, weird house together. Honestly, the British original has a specific flavor of chaos that the (admittedly very successful) US remake can’t quite bottle. It’s grittier. A bit more cynical. Definitely more "British."
The Living: Alison and Mike Cooper
At the heart of the madness are the "livings." Charlotte Ritchie and Kiell Smith-Bynoe.
Charlotte Ritchie plays Alison Cooper. She’s the one who inherits the massive, money-pit known as Button House. After a near-death experience—thanks to a literal push from a ghost—she starts seeing the dead. Ritchie is brilliant here. She has this "done with it" energy that makes the supernatural feel incredibly mundane. Before this, you probably saw her in Fresh Meat or Call the Midwife. She’s got range.
Then there’s Mike Cooper, played by Kiell Smith-Bynoe. Mike can’t see the ghosts. He just lives in a house where his wife talks to thin air and things occasionally float. Kiell brings such a grounded, hilarious frustration to the role. He’s the guy trying to turn a ruin into a luxury hotel while his wife is busy arguing with a caveman about the TV remote.
The Residents: Meet the Ghosts 2019 TV Series Cast
The ghosts are where the show really leans into its sketch-comedy roots. Most of these actors wrote the show themselves. That’s why the chemistry feels so lived-in.
The Romantic and the Politician
Mathew Baynton plays Thomas Thorne. He’s a failed Regency poet who died in a duel. He is obsessed with Alison. It’s creepy, but in a pathetic, puppy-dog sort of way. Baynton plays him with so much over-the-top melodrama that you can’t help but laugh when he sighs about his "exquisite pain."
Contrast that with Simon Farnaby as Julian Fawcett MP. Julian is a disgraced Tory politician who died in 1993 during a sex scandal. He’s not wearing any trousers. Why? Because he died mid-act. Farnaby is a master of the "sleazy-but-charming" archetype. He’s also the only ghost who can actually touch things, though it takes a massive amount of effort just to nudge a glass.
The Authority Figures (Sort Of)
Martha Howe-Douglas is Lady Fanny Button. She’s Alison’s distant ancestor and a total Edwardian snob. She was pushed out a window by her husband in 1912, and now she spends her afterlife judging everyone’s manners.
Then you have The Captain, played by Ben Willbond. He’s a WWII officer who never quite processed that the war ended. He treats the house like a military operation. Willbond plays the character with a stiff upper lip that hides a lot of repressed emotion. It’s one of the most touching arcs in the whole series.
The Pure Souls and the Caveman
Lolly Adefope is Kitty. She’s a Georgian noblewoman who is just... a lot. She’s endlessly optimistic, incredibly naive, and treats Alison like a sister. Lolly’s timing is impeccable. She provides the sweetness the show needs to keep from getting too dark.
Jim Howick plays Pat Butcher. He’s the 1980s scout leader with an arrow through his neck. He is the ultimate "dad" character. Always trying to keep the peace, always organizing a slide show. If you’ve seen Sex Education, you’ll recognize Howick as the teacher, Mr. Hendricks.
Laurence Rickard pulls double duty. He plays Robin the Caveman, the oldest ghost in the house. Robin is surprisingly wise—he’s seen everything from the Ice Age to the invention of the iPhone. Rickard also plays the body-less head of Sir Humphrey Bone, a Tudor nobleman who is constantly being kicked around the floor.
The Witch and the Plague
Katy Wix played Mary, a 17th-century peasant burned at the stake. She brings a weird, haunting (literally) energy to the group until her character was "sucked off" (the show's term for moving on to the afterlife) in later seasons.
And we can’t forget the "Plague Ghosts" in the basement. They’re played by the same main cast members in different costumes. It’s a bit of a meta-joke, and it works perfectly.
Why This Specific Cast Worked
Basically, they’ve been working together for over a decade. Starting with Horrible Histories in 2009, this group developed a shorthand. They know how to set each other up for the punchline.
What most people get wrong about the ghosts 2019 tv series cast is thinking they just showed up to act. They didn't. They created it. They wrote the scripts. They chose the costumes. This is a passion project.
The humor isn't just about "scary" stuff. It’s about the annoyance of living with the same people forever. It’s a flat-share comedy where nobody can leave. Ever.
Actionable Steps for Fans
If you've finished the show and are feeling that Button House-shaped hole in your heart, here is what you should do next:
- Watch 'Yonderland': It’s the same core cast in a fantasy puppet-filled world. It’s bizarre and brilliant.
- Check out 'Bill': A movie about Shakespeare’s "lost years" starring the whole troupe.
- Listen to the 'Ghosts' Podcast: They go behind the scenes on how they filmed the show at West Horsley Place (the real house).
- Re-watch Season 4, Episode 4: "Maddie." It’s arguably the best episode for understanding the chemistry of the group.
The show officially ended with the 2023 Christmas special, but the legacy of this cast is pretty much cemented in British comedy history. They’ve moved on to massive things—Mathew Baynton was in Wonka, Simon Farnaby co-wrote Paddington 2—but for many of us, they’ll always be the idiots in the haunted house.
Fact Check Note: The show ran for five series on BBC One from 2019 to 2023. The cast consists of the "Them There" comedy troupe plus Charlotte Ritchie and Kiell Smith-Bynoe.
Next Steps for You: Start your re-watch from Series 1 to spot the tiny historical details the cast hid in the background of Button House.
