'Ghost Writer' by Richard Carpenter

When Matt interrupts Sir George’s rendition of ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ with the news that Gudgin and lots of other people are “shooting” things in the great hall, the ghosts rush to investigate and discover that a film crew from ‘Schools Television’ has arrived to make a programme on the history of the Uproars. But when the filming begins, the ghosts are outraged to hear the writer / presenter, Sir John Desmond, brand Sir Richard Uproar a traitor to his country, accusing him of plotting to assassinate Queen Elizabeth on her visit to Motley. As Sir George flies into a fury, the White Lady manages to goad Gudgin into talking to Sir John about his script; however, the writer refuses to listen, assuring Gudgin that he has the correct history of the family – his grandmother’s cousin married an Uproar, and so he knows for a fact that they were a bunch of in-bred gangsters struggling for power. As filming continues, more historical inaccuracies become apparent, as Sir Richard is portrayed as a plotting villain, conspiring to commit regicide with his lackey, ‘Boddikins’. With the good name of the Uproars being dragged through the mud, Sir George and the others decide that they must find a way to put an end to Sir John’s slanderous programme as soon as possible…

Arthur English (Bodkin / ‘Boddikins’), Freddie Jones (General Sir George Uproar), Nicholas le Prevost (Fanny / Sir John Desmond), Sean Flanagan (Matt), Sheila Steafel (The White Lady), Peter Sallis (Mr. Arnold Gudgin), Christine Rose (’Queen Elizabeth 1’), David Miller (Director), Enn Reitel (Assistant Director), Peter Lorenzelli (Cameraman), Brian James (Assistant Cameraman), Stanley Page (Sound Man)

Directed and Produced by Quentin Lawrence

UK TX (Granada):
5th February 1978

Notes:
*Featuring Bodkin, General Sir George Uproar, Sir Francis 'Fanny' Uproar, the White Lady and Matt