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‘Delay’ speaks about how ‘My Perfect Funeral’ show became reality
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● Deloris Frimpong Manso
About a month ago, we featured the story of Benjamin Aidoo and how he became part of popular television series ‘My Perfect Funeral’ available on online video streaming service ‘Showmax’.
This week, the focus is on Ms. Deloris Frimpong Manso, the Creator and Executive Producer of ‘My Perfect Funeral’ who delves into the production of all 10 episodes of the show and how “nervous and worried” she was in pitching the concept to the channel.
‘My Perfect Funeral’ is a Ghanaian docu-reality series that goes behind the scenes of planning a proper Ghanaian burial.
She spoke to Showmax about her challenges and what is next for her in the Ghanaian film and television industry. Here are extracts:
My Perfect Funeral is really a one-of-a-kind show that has never been done before. Were you nervous when you were first pitching the project to Showmax?
I was nervous and a little bit worried. I wondered if Showmax was going to be interested and if I’d actually get families who would be ready to allow us film them while they grieved.
What was your reaction when it was commissioned for production? And did you feel any kind of pressure going into production?
I generally had mixed feelings. I was excited when the show got commissioned then it hit me that it was about funerals. And there was also a little bit of pressure because I wanted to make sure that we got it right. I was already thinking about Season 2 and wanted to make sure that once we started, we stayed on top of our game so that the show kept running.
You’ve worked on a couple of TV projects before, like your talk show The Delay Show, Cocoa Brown and Afia Schwarzennegar but this is your first reality series. How does it feel?
Working on a reality show was new ground for me, and this being a one-of-a-kind show was even more thrilling. The best way to express my mood at the time was what I used to tell my team: “All hands on deck guys!”
And of course when I drive past the billboard in town, I sometimes don’t know if I should smile or cry. It’s all so surreal.
How long did it take to film My Perfect Funeral, from pre-production to finally premiering on Showmax?
We started filming in November of 2021 and the show premiered in November 2022; that would make a year.
How did you and production come to choose the families you’d feature on the show? Were there any criteria to it?
We opted for diversity. From the affluent to the not so rich, and of course funerals from different parts of the country with different cultures.
Any challenges you had filming the show?
Our first challenge was when we flew the crew to Kumasi, paid for their hotel rooms and car rentals and all that because we had the bereaved family’s approval to film them, then the head of production called to say that the family had changed their mind.
Apparently a family member who came from the US wasn’t informed about the shoot. I remember spending two hours on the phone trying to convince them but to no avail.
Then there was the biggest challenge when our first production team, director and editor backed out of the production. Their reason was that the show had begun taking a toll on them emotionally.
Which was the most challenging funeral you had to deal with?
The funeral at Pusiga. The team had to fly from Accra to Tamale and travel six hours by road. We had to get them security to escort them because ‘it wasn’t so safe’ to travel on those lonely roads at night. Michael, our producer, came back with fever blisters and the ultimate, COVID-19.
Anything new you learnt about Ghanaian culture that you didn’t know before filming the series?
I always thought families chose the people to feature in the obituary; I didn’t know some people would actually fight for their names to be added there. It blew my mind.
How was it working with Benjamin Aidoo for the show?
Benjamin was easy to work with, always on time, ready to convince other people to come on board and generally, a positive guy with a sunny disposition.
What’s next for you in the Ghanaian film/TV industry?
My talk show, The Delay Show, is still running. It turns 15 years on 4th April 2023.
I also started filming my first feature film. It’s a story of a love triangle between a popular musician, his influencer girlfriend and their house help.
By Spectator Reporter
General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.
Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.
“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.
He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.
“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.
His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.
The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.
The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has disputed claims made on social media by comedian Michael Blackson concerning the treatment given to his late mother, saying a review found that the allegations did not accurately reflect what happened during her stay at the hospital.
In a statement issued in Accra on August 5, 2026, the management of UGMC expressed condolences to Mr. Blackson and his family over the death of his 83-year-old mother, who died at the facility on July 16, 2026.
The hospital said it had taken the concerns raised by Mr. Blackson seriously and conducted a thorough review in line with its clinical and administrative procedures.
According to the statement, the facts presented by Mr. Blackson on social media contained “numerous inaccuracies” and did not accurately reflect the medical care provided to his mother.
UGMC explained that she was referred to the facility from another hospital and received treatment there from May 27 to July 16, 2026, a period of about eight weeks.
The hospital stated that it would not release details of her diagnosis, treatment, medical records or other aspects of her care because it had a duty to protect patient confidentiality, even after death.
It said the decision was intended to respect the dignity of the deceased and the privacy of her family.
UGMC further stated that all clinical decisions at the facility are made by qualified healthcare professionals based on medical judgment, established standards of care and the best interests of the patient.
The statement added that such decisions are made in consultation with authorised family representatives where necessary and that billing and financial procedures are governed by institutional policies and are separate from clinical decision-making.
The hospital noted that it values feedback from patients and their families and considers both positive and negative comments important for improving the quality of care.
Mr. Blackson had earlier used social media to criticise the care his mother received at UGMC, prompting the hospital’s response.
By: Jacob Aggrey
