London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Feb 02, 2026

It's been 15 years since best worst case of mistaken identity on BBC News

It's been 15 years since best worst case of mistaken identity on BBC News

Today marks 15 years since Guy Goma was accidentally interviewed on BBC News.


The computer technician had been visiting the corporation for a job interview, however, in the mother of all mix-ups, he ended up being grilled on live TV after being mistaken for technology expert Guy Kewney.

Goma expertly managed the nightmare situation and when he realised he’d been brought in to comment on technology Apple Computer’s court case with the Beatles’ record label, Apple Corps, he attempted to answer the questions thrown at him.

His face upon realising he was on TV is one we’ll never forget.

But how did the whole shenanigan actually happen?

Goma had been waiting in the main reception area of the BBC Television Centre to be interviewed for a job as an accountant in the corporation’s IT department, according to reports.

Guy Goma didn’t shy away from answering questions like a pro


At the same time, Guy Kewney, a technology expert, was in another reception area gearing up for a live television interview on the subject of the Apple court case.

A producer was sent to get Kewney was told that Kewney was in the main reception area. When he asked the receptionist where Guy Kewney was, they pointed to Goma, even after they asked if they were 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. They approached Goma and asked him if he was ‘Guy’.

Hearing his first name, Goma confirmed he was Guy, and was then led to the News 24 studio, put into makeup, and ushered to the television studio, where he was seated in front of the cameras and wired up with a microphone.

Guy Kewney was the one who was meant to be interviewed


Although he thought the situation was strange, he still believed he was about to participate in a job interview.

The penny only dropped when Goma was introduced by interviewer Karen Bowerman as internet expert Guy Kewney, and he was visibly shocked by the mix-up.

Aware that he was on live television, Goma attempted to answer questions about the case and its ramifications for the music industry.

Meanwhile, Kewney was still in the waiting area and was shocked when he saw Goma interviewed in his place, though he was not able to hear the audio.

According to legend, Goma attended his job interview 20 minutes after the television blunder, but wasn’t hired.

Some time later, Goma and Kewney met.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Starmer Arrives in Shanghai to Promote British Trade and Investment
Harry Styles, Anthony Joshua and Premier League Stars Among UK’s Top Taxpayers
New Epstein Files Include Images of Former Prince Andrew Kneeling Over Unidentified Woman
Starmer Urges Former Prince Andrew to Testify Before US Congress About Epstein Ties
Starmer Extends Invitation to Japan’s Prime Minister After Strategic Tokyo Talks
Skupski and Harrison Clinch Australian Open Men’s Doubles Title in Melbourne
DOJ Unveils Millions of Epstein Files, Fueling Global Scrutiny of Elite Networks
France Begins Phasing Out Zoom and Microsoft Teams to Advance Digital Sovereignty
China Lifts Sanctions on British MPs and Peers After Starmer Xi Talks in Beijing
Trump Nominates Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair to Reorient U.S. Monetary Policy Toward Pro-Growth Interest Rates
AstraZeneca Announces £11bn China Investment After Scaling Back UK Expansion Plans
Starmer and Xi Forge Warming UK-China Ties in Beijing Amid Strategic Reset
Tech Market Shifts and AI Investment Surge Drive Global Innovation and Layoffs
Markets Jolt as AI Spending, US Policy Shifts, and Global Security Moves Drive New Volatility
U.S. Signals Potential Decertification of Canadian Aircraft as Bilateral Tensions Escalate
Former South Korean First Lady Kim Keon Hee Sentenced to 20 Months for Bribery
Tesla Ends Model S and X Production and Sends $2 Billion to xAI as 2025 Revenue Declines
China Executes 11 Members of the Ming Clan in Cross-Border Scam Case Linked to Myanmar’s Lawkai
Trump Administration Officials Held Talks With Group Advocating Alberta’s Independence
Starmer Signals UK Push for a More ‘Sophisticated’ Relationship With China in Talks With Xi
Shopping Chatbots Move From Advice to Checkout as Walmart Pushes Faster Than Amazon
Starmer Seeks Economic Gains From China Visit While Navigating US Diplomatic Sensitivities
Starmer Says China Visit Will Deliver Economic Benefits as He Prepares to Meet Xi Jinping
UK Prime Minister Starmer Arrives in China to Bolster Trade and Warn Firms of Strategic Opportunities
The AI Hiring Doom Loop — Algorithmic Recruiting Filters Out Top Talent and Rewards Average or Fake Candidates
Amazon to Cut 16,000 Corporate Jobs After Earlier 14,000 Reduction, Citing Streamlining and AI Investment
Federal Reserve Holds Interest Rate at 3.75% as Powell Faces DOJ Criminal Investigation During 2026 Decision
Putin’s Four-Year Ukraine Invasion Cost: Russia’s Mass Casualty Attrition and the Donbas Security-Guarantee Tradeoff
Wall Street Bets on Strong US Growth and Currency Moves as Dollar Slips After Trump Comments
UK Prime Minister Traveled to China Using Temporary Phones and Laptops to Limit Espionage Risks
Google’s $68 Million Voice Assistant Settlement Exposes Incentives That Reward Over-Collection
Kim Kardashian Admits Faking Paparazzi Visit to Britney Spears for Fame in Early 2000s
UPS to Cut 30,000 More Jobs by 2026 Amid Shift to High-Margin Deliveries
France Plans to Replace Teams and Zoom Across Government With Homegrown Visio by 2027
Trump Removes Minneapolis Deportation Operation Commander After Fatal Shooting of Protester
Iran’s Elite Wealth Abroad and Sanctions Leakage: How Offshore Luxury Sustains Regime Resilience
U.S. Central Command Announces Regional Air Exercise as Iran Unveils Drone Carrier Footage
Four Arrested in Andhra Pradesh Over Alleged HIV-Contaminated Injection Attack on Doctor
Hot Drinks, Hidden Particles: How Disposable Cups Quietly Increase Microplastic Exposure
UK Banks Pledge £11 Billion Lending Package to Help Firms Expand Overseas
Suella Braverman Defects to Reform UK, Accusing Conservatives of Betrayal on Core Policies
Melania Trump Documentary Sees Limited Box Office Traction in UK Cinemas
Meta and EssilorLuxottica Ray-Ban Smart Glasses and the Non-Consensual Public Recording Economy
WhatsApp Develops New Meta AI Features to Enhance User Control
Germany Considers Gold Reserves Amidst Rising Tensions with the U.S.
Michael Schumacher Shows Significant Improvement in Health Status
Greenland’s NATO Stress Test: Coercion, Credibility, and the New Arctic Bargaining Game
Diego Garcia and the Chagos Dispute: When Decolonization Collides With Alliance Power
Trump Claims “Total” U.S. Access to Greenland as NATO Weighs Arctic Basing Rights and Deterrence
Air France and KLM Suspend Multiple Middle East Routes as Regional Tensions Disrupt Aviation
×