The Guest: Emun Elliott interview
Coming to BBC One and iPlayer, The Guest is a propulsive, twisting thriller that centres on the intense, toxic relationship between cleaner, Ria, and her mysterious employer, Fran.
The Guest is a propulsive, twisting thriller that centres on the intense, toxic relationship between cleaner, Ria, and her mysterious employer, Fran.
As the two women’s lives become intertwined by shared secrets, an obsessive co-dependence emerges that ultimately threatens to become dangerous and manipulative - a psychological game of cat-and-mouse.
Emun Elliott (Richard Abbott) Interview
Where do we find Richard at the start of the series?
Richard is very much a family man, and, on the surface, he seems like he has this perfect life. He's happily married to his wife, Eleri, they have three children and a lovely house. He loves his family very much; he's 100% devoted to them and he works hard in his career to support them but that hard-working nature might be being taken advantage of by Fran.
Tell us about Fran and Richard's working relationship.
Richard has worked with Fran and her husband, Simon for a long time. Simon heads up the business and Richard is responsible for the logistics. Richard and Fran are very close personally and work together well in a business sense but because of Richard's commitment to his family, sometimes it can feel like Fran asks a bit too much of him. Richard almost feels a push and pull between his loyalty to Fran and his loyalty to his family.
Can you tell us about Richard's relationship with his father, Derek?
Richard loves his father Derek dearly, and he's committed to looking after him. His father's getting on a little bit and doesn't quite have the faculties that he used to rely upon, so part of Rich's life is getting his father up in the morning and taking him to work as Fran’s handyman and gardener. Richard thinks that his father having this job helps motivate Derek every day since his wife left. When Richard's mother left, Derek seemed to spiral into despair then he is diagnosed with dementia, so Richard resents that this happened to his dad, and therefore that bolsters his commitment and love for him.
What did you first think when you read Matthew Barry's script?
I was immediately struck by the fact that there were two strong female leads which is a fantastic thing and we should be seeing more of that on TV. But what stood out to me was the disparity between Fran and Ria’s worlds, Fran comes from the wealthy elite and Ria is down on her luck, it’s fascinating to see these two worlds collide. Usually, I'm pretty good at predicting where a story might go, but with this one, I couldn’t. It was full of surprises that I don't think anyone will see coming. What starts as a quite light, sometimes comical story becomes twisted and dark as the drama takes hold.
What were some of your favourite experiences during the filming of The Guest?
Life on set was glorious, and despite the dark themes in the story, we had a lot of good times making it and a lot of laughs. There was a lightness on set working with Ashley, Eve and Gabrielle. It was important for us to feel that trust and support and hilarity between takes. I also get excited working on great writing. So, most of the time when I wasn’t on set, I would hole myself up in my hotel room preparing for the next day.
What was it like filming in Wales? What do you think the locations add to the drama?
Wales is fantastic, Cardiff is this brilliant urban city, but you step outside of it, and it’s a whole other world. We shot on Rhossili Bay, which is one of the most stunning locations I've ever seen. I think this series will have a sense of scale. Ashley Way, our director focused on not just the intricacies of the drama but also used the landscape and the city of Cardiff itself as another character in the plot. Aside from the landscape and the locations in Wales, the people were fantastic. I never worked in Wales before, but there was a real warmth that I felt immediately from both the cast and the crew.
Can you tell us what audiences can look forward to in the series?
The Guest has fantastic storytelling, that's full of surprises. Amazing actors, across the board, it's a fantastic display of Welsh talent, plus audiences will see Wales like it hasn't been seen on television before.
Where to watch The Guest
The Guest premieres on Monday 1 September 2025, with all episodes on BBC iPlayer from 6am and episodes airing each Monday on BBC One and BBC One Wales at 9pm
Words: Simon Baines