Ghostwatch: Behind the Curtains

Greetings, Ghostwatchers! SO... HOW COME THE NEW GHOSTWATCH BLU-RAY IS ONLY AVAILABLE IN AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND, THEN, HMM? In just a single day since launch, we've seen a huge — and greatly appreciated — response to the announcement of the new Ghostwatch: On The Night Blu-ray. Alongside that excitement, we've also seen quite a few understandably disappointed messages from fans in the UK and elsewhere asking why they can't order a copy. It's a completely fair question. After all, Ghostwatch is a British programme, made for a British audience and broadcast on BBC1. So why is a new Blu-ray being produced in Britain, by a British production company, but currently only available directly to customers in Australia & New Zealand?   The answer involves a story that actually began more than fourteen years ago... with Behind the Curtains.   You see, back around 2012, plans were being developed for a 20th-anniversary two-disc DVD edition of Ghostwatch. The intention w...

Greetings, Ghostwatchers! After a very long time in the making, GHOSTWATCH: On the Night is available now from Big Cartel   exclusively for the regions of Australia & New Zealand. And, for the first month of release until Hallowe'en Night 2026, will be on special offer at A$39.95 from the RRP of A$49.95, plus shipping. This Special Edition Blu-ray has been an enormous undertaking. It has involved years of research, restoration, sourcing, editing, designing, correspondence, problem-solving and an occasionally unreasonable level of attention to detail. The aim was never simply to put Ghostwatch on a disc; it was to create a release that reflects the programme’s singular place in British television history and the remarkable devotion it still inspires. The 2002 BFI DVD remains a high watermark for the title - a thoughtful, essential release that treated Ghostwatch with the seriousness and care it deserved.  On the Night is intended to sit alongside it - a more expansive ...

Greetings, Ghostwatchers. I remember the day very clearly. The precise date could probably be triangulated from old TV listings and Sky schedules if one were so inclined. I had spent the weekend at a friend's house. Before leaving, I set my trusty Sanyo VHS recorder at home (still works) to capture the UK terrestrial premiere of a brand-new Sci-Fi title on Sky Premiere. Other than a brief snippet on (if memory serves) BBC1 prime-time show, How Do They Do That? reporting one of, if not the earliest digital faceswaps between actor and stunt-double, despite the film's trailer being slick and intriguing, I don't recall exactly why I was so excited to finally check it out - ironically, I was never much of a Horror aficionado - but I do remember what happened next. When I got home, the first thing I did was rewind the tape and press play. It was daytime. Early afternoon, perhaps late morning. The sort of hour when Horror has no business working at all. And yet from...

Greetings, Ghostwatchers! It is my genuine joy to announce that the 401st issue of  SFX Magazine  will feature an exclusive interview with yours truly regarding the upcoming Ghostwatch: On The Night special edition Blu-ray - and, surreal as it feels, mention of this also graces the front cover - the 'version unseen for over 30 years' relating to the reinstated opening/closing BBC1 continuity, broadcast conversion (tx-accurate), with special 888-Mode that reinstates the original Ceefax subtitle track. So there. I've been a subscriber to SFX since I ssue 14, for reasons obvious to those who know me. It has a lways been packed with news, opinions, and reviews, and for the longest time was my de facto source of all things film and TV-related. The interview covers a lot of the technical aspects behind the Blu-ray: restoring the aforementioned BBC continuity, recovered Ceefax subtitles, and presenting 31/10 in Teletext format. I also talk about the motivation for this releas...