BBC presents Christmas ghost story The Room in the Tower

Mark Gatiss brings his latest ghost story to the BBC this Christmas, starring Tobias Menzies and Joanna Lumley.

Image credit: BBC/Adorable Media/Joe Duggan

Set during the inter-war period, The Room in the Tower marks Mark Gatiss’ eighth festive ghost story for the BBC. Joining the cast are Nancy Carroll, Ben Mansfield, and Polly Walker, who recently starred alongside Gatiss in Bookish.

The tale centres on Roger Winstanley, who has endured a disturbing, recurring dream for 15 years—an invitation to stay at a friend’s house, shadowed by an invisible menace and eerily aging dream figures. When he receives a real-life invitation to the dreaded “room in the tower,” the boundary between nightmare and reality begins to unravel.

Mark Gatiss, Writer and Director, says: “I’ve always wanted to adapt the great E.F. Benson’s ghost stories and this is one of his chilling best. I’m also very grateful to have been able to continue the most Christmassy of Christmas traditions. The Room in the Tower has been prepared for you – and with Tobias Menzies and the legendary Dame Joanna Lumley to boot!”

Mark Bell, Commissioning Editor for BBC Arts, says: “Mark and the team have gathered a wonderful cast for this atmospheric treat where dream meets terrifying reality. ‘I have given you the room in the tower’ is a sentence nobody will want to hear once they have experienced this festive haunting…”

The Room in the Tower, part of A Ghost Story for Christmas, is commissioned by BBC Arts for BBC Two and iPlayer, with production by Adorable Media. BBC Studios will oversee global distribution. Isibeal Ballance serves as producer for Adorable Media, while Mark Bell is the BBC’s commissioning editor.

This follows the recent announcement that The Scarecrows’ Wedding will be part of the BBC’s festive lineup, adding to a rich slate of seasonal programming. Audiences can also look forward to Mammoth, the return of DIY SOS, and the comedy special Stuffed with Guz Khan. Together, these titles promise a mix of heartwarming stories, family entertainment, and feel-good moments to brighten the Christmas schedule across BBC platforms.