Nicholas Burns interview
Nicholas Burns explains how the actors in Marley's Ghosts are very close now...
Tell us where the ghosts are at the beginning of this second series.
They're pretty much where we left them at the end of the first series. But a shared love has developed between the three ghosts and Marley. It's lovely. There is a lot of silly banter underpinned by this strong bond.
Is that relationship reflected off screen?
Definitely. As actors, we're very close. We make each other laugh a lot on and off camera. We've got the same taste and the same sense of humour. So it really works on screen.
Has the friendship between you four actors progressed during this series?
Absolutely. They're all brilliant. This time if we want to tweak things and add something to the show, we're not afraid to suggest it. It's a very safe environment.
How Michael is feeling in this series of Marley's Ghosts?
His anger about being a ghost is still bubbling under. That sense of self-importance and vanity is still there, too. But perhaps he is also a bit calmer and more accepting of his lot now. He's quite happy to hang out in Marley's house. And he's not afraid of letting his opinion be known. For instance, Michael is not massively keen on Marley going on a date. But he is far more sanguine about it than Adam - who never wants Marley to go on a date again!
How does Marley regard the three ghosts now?
She realises that she genuinely loves them all and doesn't want them to go. She would be lost without them. The initial antagonism between Michael and Adam has now subsided because they both realise that neither of them can be with Marley - in the Biblical sense. So they're more sanguine about things.
How does the Vicar react to the other two ghosts?
It's great to have a girl as part of that trio. She is a very good counterpoint to the bickering boys. The Vicar is a terrific, off the wall character who has some great jokes.
Is there a danger that audiences might get the wrong end of the stick about this show focusing on three ghosts?
No. We never have a philosophical discussion about the afterlife. It's treated as four mates hanging out in a house. The spectre of death isn't there at all. It's not dark; it's light and fun. It's about four mates - three of them just happen to be dead.
What do you hope audiences will take away from the second series of Marley's Ghosts?
I hope people will feel they have been let into this world and found something there to laugh at and to love. I hope they will enjoy the characters' badinage [witty conversations] and at the end of this series will want to see more of them. That's the idea, anyway!
It seems like you have had a ball making Marley's Ghosts.
Absolutely. It's such a lovely job. Great scripts, great actors, great character. What's not to love?