Ghosts Named Best-Selling Scripted Format of 2025
EXCLUSIVE: The hit comedy Ghosts, which originally aired in the UK, continues to capture the attention of audiences globally, despite concluding its run. The show has recently earned the top scripted format prize in K7’s annual “Tracking the Scripted Giants” report, having been adapted in Australia, Germany, France, and Greece over the past 18 months.
Debuting on the BBC in 2019, Ghosts follows a group of spirits from various historical eras who inhabit a country house, sharing space with its new living residents. Although the UK version has ended, the series has found considerable success in the United States, where CBS has renewed it for a sixth season.
The K7 report commended Ghosts for its rare staying power in the era of traditional half-hour sitcoms. It highlighted the show’s adaptability, praising producer and distributor BBC Studios for their innovative approach to structuring adaptations. Notably, the German version has diverged from the original UK scripts by integrating storylines from later seasons and introducing original plots. BBC Studios also confirmed that the German adaptation has been recommissioned.
The success of Ghosts signifies a robust year for British formats, narrowing the gap with Korea, which has historically dominated the scripted format market. Last year, Korea originated 19 of the best-selling scripted formats, while the UK followed closely with 17. Israel secured third place with eight formats, buoyed by strong sales of Your Honor.
Other successful recent exports include Doctor Foster, Liar, and Call My Agent!, with the latter set to be adapted into a Netflix film.
K7’s findings suggest a shift in the market, with buyers showing increasing interest in established intellectual property like Doctor Foster, which is set to return to UK screens 11 years after its initial premiere. Nearly 40% of adaptations tracked in the report are based on formats that debuted more than a decade ago, nearly doubling the proportion from the previous year’s report.
“This has always been a feature of the scripted market, but this time the shift is clear: less focus on chasing the ‘hot new format’ and more on finding the right story for specific audiences in the present climate,” noted K7. “For some, that means remaking a proven format with the confidence that such established IP provides.”
Crime and thriller genres emerged as the top-selling category, comprising 28% of the overall remake market, which reflects current viewer trends seen in streaming hits like All Her Fault and The Girlfriend.
The scripted format market experienced a slight uptick, with 60 remakes reported last year, reversing a decline from the previous year, though it remains below the peak of 77 in 2022.
K7 unveiled its report at the ongoing Series Mania festival in Lille.
