The feature documentary Ghostwatch from CMG Productions has been picked up by U.K. broadcaster 5, with Sphere Abacus handling international distribution.
The doc tells the story of the BBC’s infamous Halloween broadcast in 1992 that convinced viewers they were witnessing a real paranormal investigation. The backlash was immediate, resulting in some 50,000 complaints and a determination by the British Medical Journal that the show caused PTSD in children. The feature includes
interviews with those involved in the original broadcast, including creator Stephen Volk and presenter Craig Charles, as well as TV critics and audiences.
Claire McArdle, co-founder and CEO at CMG, stated, “Ghostwatch was one of the seminal TV viewing moments of my teens, a real ‘did I remember that right?!’ moment, so it’s been fantastic to relive every terrifying second of one of the greatest dramas in British TV history and explore the impact it has had in the decades since broadcast.”
Damian O’Hara, senior acquisitions manager at 5, added, “Ghostwatch became something of a TV legend after transmission, and its creation—and even the events of the broadcast itself—were shrouded in mystery for years. So to have the ability to delve back into the nostalgia of Halloween 1992 with CMG and Abacus was a wonderful opportunity to bring such a unique and often unbelievable story to the 5 audience.”
Jonathan Ford, MD at Sphere Abacus, called it a “fascinating documentary which highlights just how much television legislation has necessarily changed over the years, yet the question remains—should we believe everything we see on our screens?”
