Guy Goma

On 8 May 2006, Congolese-French information technology worker Guy Goma (born 1969) was mistakenly interviewed on live television in place of technology journalist Guy Kewney. BBC News 24 presenter Karen Bowerman was scheduled to interview Kewney about the Apple Corps v Apple Computer legal dispute. Goma, who was a business studies graduate from Brazzaville in the Republic of the Congo, came to the BBC to be interviewed for a job as a data cleanser. Hearing his first name, Goma answered in the affirmative. Goma was led to the News 24 studio. BBC staff put makeup on Goma, 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 thought the situation was strange, he believed he was about to be interviewed for a job.

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 but not wishing to make a scene, Goma attempted to answer questions about Apple Corps v Apple Computer and its ramifications for the music industry as best as he could. 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.

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. Afterward, Goma appeared on BBC again in a follow-up interview, during which he apologized to Kewney for taking the latter's television spot. He later appeared in a comedy skit on The Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2006. Film producer Alison Rosenzweig stated in 2006 that she had 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." , no such film has been produced. In 2022, Goma was interviewed on the BBC World Service's Outlook programme about his experience.

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

In 2023, Goma announced on a podcast that he would be suing the BBC for royalties. In October of the same year, Goma featured in the BBC trailer for series 66 of Have I Got News For You playing the role of guest host as well as three of the four panelists.

In 2026 a book about the interview by Elliott Gotkine with Guy Goma, entitled The Wrong Guy: The Inside Story of TV's Greatest Screw-Up, was published by Simon & Schuster.