Star of Viral BBC Interview, Guy Goma, Taking Legal Action Against BBC for Royalties By Andrew Young Last Updated: 09:29 EDT, August 27, 2023
The accidental star of a BBC interview gone awry, Guy Goma, has made headlines once again, this time for his intention to sue the corporation for a portion of the royalties from his infamous video clip. In 2006, Guy Goma gained worldwide attention after being interviewed live on BBC News 24 in a case of mistaken identity. He had originally come to the BBC for a job interview but was ushered into the studio and questioned about a legal dispute between Apple computers and the Apple Corps record company, all while being mistaken for a technology expert named Guy Kewney.
However, despite the video clip gaining notoriety and being repeatedly broadcast over the last 17 years, Mr. Goma, now 54 and working as a computer technician, has not received any payment for his unexpected appearance on the BBC. He revealed in an interview with the Accidental Celebrities podcast that he believes he deserves a share of the royalties for the video that unwittingly thrust him into the spotlight. He claimed that the BBC did not respond to his attempts to reach out to them and that he is prepared to take legal action to obtain what he believes is his due.
Mr. Goma expressed his frustration at not receiving compensation, especially considering the clip’s viral nature and its financial benefit to the BBC. He compared his situation to instances where others have been paid substantial sums by the network. Despite his dissatisfaction, Mr. Goma retains a sense of humor about the situation and is even considering writing a book titled “Wrong Guy.”
The incident that led to the viral interview happened in 2006 when Mr. Goma, a Congolese-French business studies graduate, arrived at the BBC for a job interview in the IT department. Due to a mix-up, he was mistakenly led to the studio and ended up on live television. In the podcast interview, he described his confusion as he was given makeup and placed in front of a camera. He eventually realized the mistake and attempted to answer the questions posed to him about technology and the music industry.
Despite the unexpected fame, Mr. Goma encountered challenges. He was unable to correct the situation during the interview due to his mother’s advice to address mistakes positively. He also recounted his initial fear of going outside as his face was plastered in newspapers. However, he noted that the experience allowed him to witness the kindness of people recognizing him from the viral moment.
Now, with legal action in mind, Guy Goma seeks compensation for the unintentional role that made him an online sensation, a position he believes should come with fair remuneration.