Guy Goma

The interview

Guy Goma was waiting in the main reception area of the BBC Television Centre in west London to be interviewed for data support cleanser position in the corporation's IT department. At the same time, Guy Kewney, a British technology expert, was in another reception area preparing for a live television interview on the subject of Apple Computer's court case with the Beatles' record label, Apple Corps. The producer sent to fetch Kewney was told that Kewney was in the main reception area. When he asked the receptionist where Guy Kewney was, she pointed to Goma, even after he asked if she was sure this was the right person.

The producer had seen a photo of Kewney, but only had five minutes before the live interview was due to take place. He approached Goma and asked him if he was "Guy". Hearing his first name, Goma answered in the affirmative. Goma was led to the News 24 studio. BBC staffers put on makeup, and he was ushered to the television studio, where he was seated in front of the cameras and wired up with a microphone. Although he realised the situation was unusual, he believed he was about to participate in a job interview.

When introduced by interviewer Karen Bowerman as internet expert Guy Kewney, Goma realised there had been a misunderstanding and was visibly shocked. Aware that he was on live television and not wishing to make a scene, Goma played along, doing his best (in heavily French-accented English) to answer questions about the Apple Corps v. Apple Computer case and its ramifications for the music industry. The interview seemed believable to many viewers, particularly those unfamiliar with Kewney. Kewney, still in the waiting area, was shocked when he saw Goma interviewed in his place, though he was not able to hear the audio.

Interview transcript

Karen Bowerman: Well, Guy Kewney is editor of the technology website Newswireless. [Camera flashes to Goma, with look of confusion and horror] Hello, good morning to you. Goma: Good morning. KB: Were you surprised by this verdict today? Goma: I am very surprised to see...this verdict to come on me, because I was not expecting that. When I came, they told me something else and I am coming. "You got an interview," that's all. So a big surprise anyway. KB: A big surprise, yeah, yes. Goma: Exactly. KB: With regards to the cost that's involved, do you think now more people will be downloading online? Goma: Actually, if you can go everywhere you're gonna see a lot of people downloading through Internet and the website, everything they want. But I think it is much better for the development and...eh...to inform people what they want, and to get on the easy way, and so faster if they are looking for. KB: This does really seem to be the way the music industry's progressing now, that people want to go onto the website and download music. Goma: Exactly. You can go everywhere on the cyber cafe, and you can take...you can go easy. It is going to be an easy way for everyone to get something through the Internet. KB: Guy Kewney, thanks very much indeed.

Aftermath

Twenty minutes after the television interview, Goma attended his job interview, which lasted ten minutes. He was not hired.

As soon as the mistake was detected the BBC recorded an interview with Kewney for later broadcast, which was never shown. The BBC instead brought in an alternative pundit, Rupert Goodwins, for the next live slot on the topic.

After Goma's interview was broadcast, it was mistakenly reported (even by the BBC itself, on Radio 4's Broadcasting House) that Goma, who moved to England from Congo in 2002, was a taxi driver. In fact, he does not drive a car.

Soon after his appearance, there was some speculation that Goma was in Britain illegally, having overstayed a tourist visa, and that he might be deported from the country. On 25 May 2006, it was announced that celebrity publicist Kizzi Nkwocha had begun representing Goma and that Goma's apparent visa problems had been resolved three years earlier, allowing him to live and work in the UK indefinitely.

Goma and Kewney subsequently met.

Later history

On 16 May 2006, Goma appeared on Channel 4 News and was jokingly questioned by the presenter—introducing him as a Venezuelan citizen, a lawyer and a doctor respectively—on the topics of Hugo Chávez, the release of foreign prisoners into Britain, and Britons seeking medical treatment abroad. On the same day, he also appeared again on BBC News 24, but this time in a planned interview to talk about his experience.

Soon after, he made appearances on GMTV, ITV and BBC's Friday Night with Jonathan Ross. He was also a featured celebrity on the televised call-in panel of the Prince's Trust 30th Birthday Celebration on 20 May 2006. On 21 May 2006, Goma was interviewed on Channel 4's T4 programme about his experience.

Producer Alison Rosenzweig (Windtalkers) says she has begun developing a film based on his life, particularly this one incident, commenting "He's a fun, kind of internationally famous person that I think is an interesting source for movie material."

On 27 December 2006, Goma appeared on the Channel 4 television programme The Big Fat Quiz of the Year, as a mystery guest. After a commercial break, he took Jimmy Carr's place as host for a few seconds, welcoming the audience back to the show. Everyone on the quiz agreed that Goma was a better host than Carr, eventually leading to the audience and contestants heckling Carr and insulting his ability as a presenter, and chanting "Bring back Guy, bring back Guy!".

On 1 January 2007, Goma appeared in a segment on CNN International Your World Today.

In a 2007 episode of The IT Crowd, "Smoke and Mirrors", Moss finds himself in a situation very similar to that of Goma's; writer Graham Linehan saw the Goma story on the Internet and incorporated it into his series.

In 2016, ten years after Goma's appearance, the incident was named as one of the BBC's most memorable interview bloopers, and some outlets noted that Goma's prediction that more people would be using the internet to download music and other media they want was largely correct.

On the 16 June 2017 episode of The Last Leg on Channel 4, Goma appeared briefly as Elbow lead singer Guy Garvey was introduced, running down the stairs to cheers from the crowd before the real Garvey appeared.