The Wrong Guy: The Inside Story of TV's Greatest Cock-up

by Elliott Gotkine

The remarkable inside story of the greatest cockup in the history of TV On May 8, 2006, Congolese finance graduate Guy Goma turns up for a job interview at the BBC, when his world explodes. Mistaken for a news guest whose name was also Guy (and who was waiting in a different reception area), he’s ushered into a studio and interviewed live on TV. As he’s introduced as “Guy Kewney”, terror washes over his face like a tidal wave, before giving way to a Munch-esque silent scream. He’s peppered with questions about the Apple Computer court case. In mangled, Francophone-flecked English, he bluffs his way through the interview with answers so hilariously nonsensical that he wins over viewers — and then the world. “The Wrong Guy”, as the British press dubs him, becomes a legend. What really happened that day? Who was responsible, and how did it impact Guy's life? Twenty years on, Elliott Gotkine, together with Guy Goma, reveals for the first time the remarkable, stranger-than-fiction story of The Wrong Guy, why his 15 minutes of fame endured, the chaos of 24-hour news, and how celebrity — and destiny — isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be.

225 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 28, 2026

About the author

Elliott Gotkine is an Emmy-winning journalist. In a career spanning 25 years and three continents, he has worked as a correspondent for CNN, Bloomberg Television and the BBC. Along the way, he’s interviewed world leaders, titans of industry… and Guy Goma, the subject of his first book, The Wrong Guy. He lives in London with his two children and his one-eyed dog, Molly.

Reviews

[Yana Capri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently found out about the Guy Goma story by seeing the viral clip on Instagram and was intrigued. I immediately wanted to learn more about it and discovered a book was recently released, this book! So I scooped it up to read immediately. This book is an exploration of what actually happened that day from the perspectives of everyone involved and backstory about Mr. Goma’s life, including a follow-up where the person responsible for the mix up (Gotkine) and Goma get together after all these years to discuss and ruminate about what happened, the consequences, and the future. This was an interesting, quick, and candid read for anyone who wants the true story and to understand more about Goma’s life leading up to and after the incident. I enjoyed it immensely and finished the whole book in one sitting!

[Kitty Shepherd-Cross · Rating 5 out of 5]

An 'I don't want it to end' read. Elliot captures Guy and his story brilliantly, it's hilarious and insightful at the same time!