Ghost In The Machine is a standalone Christmas drama set within the world of Sophie Aldred’s Ace Odyssey.

At its heart is Sophie Aldred, travelling the cosmos aboard the ageing but indomitable research vessel Nosferatu 2.5. At her side is Hobbes, the ship’s impeccably mannered automaton butler, whose devotion to protocol is matched only by his anxiety about malfunctioning systems and doors that refuse to open. Together, they explore time, memory, and fandom itself — occasionally dipping into the vast psychic archive known as the Ffantaface, where thought, history, and imagination overlap.

This Christmas, the ship drifts into dangerous territory.

As power falters and old systems begin to awaken, Sophie is drawn into a mystery buried deep within the Nosferatu’s past. A presence makes itself known. A song returns. And a door — long sealed for good reason — begins to matter. Ghost In The Machine is a haunting, atmospheric story that blends folk horror and science fiction, asking what happens when technology remembers the people who once gave it life.

A ghost story for Christmas… on a spaceship.

Cast

Ghost In The Machine stars Sophie Aldred

with Nicolas Briggs as Fred

Carole Ann Ford as The Pilot

Colin Baker as the Narrator

Russell T Davies as The Ffantaface

and James Showers as Hobbes

Music, Sound Design, Sound Effects and Post-Production: Michael Livesley

www.michaellivesley.co.uk

Written, Produced and Directed by: Paul Carmichael

About the Series

Every Sunday, Sophie Aldred’s Ace Odyssey invites listeners aboard the Nosferatu 2.5 for conversations with guests from across film, television, and cult science fiction. Sophie has welcomed Sylvester McCoy, Katy Manning, Janet Fielding, Susan Twist, and Jamie Anderson, alongside deep dives into the Ffantaface — meeting people who turned Doctor Who into something more than a television programme. All the while, one mystery persists… the door we still can’t open.

Available on all podcast platforms.

Sophie Aldred’s Ace Odyssey is an Eh? Aye! Production © 2025

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