Alan Boyd with Hugo Myatt during the filming of the Knightmare episode for Geek Week (2013).

Geek Week: Hugo Myatt

By Alan Boyd

Yes, yes. OF COURSE we interviewed the man himself. As if we could report on a new episode of Knightmare without talking to the great Treguard.


Let's be upfront here. As the only character to feature in all eight series, Treguard (Hugo Myatt) is, for some, the face of Knightmare. Although it's incredible how hard that face is to recognise without the distinctive beard!

Together with Lord Fear (played by Mark Knight), Treguard remains one of fans' favourite characters, and for good reason.

Well, for those who were worrying, you can calm yourselves. Hugo Myatt (beard and all) has returned to reprise his role as Treguard in the one-off Geek Week episode.

Watch the Geek Week episode.

"Lovely to play Treguard again"

Hugo tells us, "Tim phoned up and said 'it's the strangest thing... Google have asked me if I'd be prepared to make a Knightmare programme with adult contestants'. I said 'Tim, whatever you need, whatever you want, go for it'".

We asked Myatt how it felt to finally return, to which he responds, "Surreal, fun, and lovely to play Treguard again".

Hugo Myatt as Treguard and Isy Suttie as Veruca in the 2013 Geek Week episode of Knightmare.
Hugo Myatt reprises his role as Treguard for YouTube Geek Week

After nearly 20 years since Knightmare was taken off the air, which, with the most mournful voice you can imagine, Myatt indicated left him "devastated!", we wondered if he had any difficulty in reprising his role as Treguard.

As a true professional, however, Myatt tells us that getting back into character was easy and "it just happens". Indeed, having seen his performance, we can confirm that Treguard is back and as great as ever. It's almost as if the previous 20 years simply haven't happened.

Well, that's not entirely true. As a bit of a biker, Myatt tells us that he's a little disappointed to lose the leather jacket that defined Treguard of the later series.

Instead, in keeping with the ethos of the Geek Week episode to return to a look-and-feel of the early episodes, Treguard now sports his simple tunic of the early series.

I can certainly think of one or two [of the cast] who might want to return.

Hugo Myatt

The changing role of Treguard

So has the role of Treguard changed at all? Myatt confesses that the role has changed slightly due to the dynamic of having adult contestants rather than children.

The old Treguard was always intended to be, perhaps, a little frighting or menacing with the children. Doing this with the adults would have resulted in something a little hammy and so has had to be toned down a little.

This remains a bit of an unknown for the new episode, since adult contestants have never appeared before, making it hard to judge what the audience reaction will be to the interplay between Treguard and the players.

Personally, we liked the interplay and thought it worked well and we're sure that most fans will agree that Hugo Myatt puts in a fantastic show as a Treguard confronted by adults rather than the usual younger generation.

Hugo Myatt as Treguard and Isy Suttie as Veruca in the Geek Week episode of Knightmare (2013).
Hugo with newcomer, Isy Suttie

Although Myatt doesn't have a favourite moment from the series (he enjoyed both the chance to be slightly morally ambivalent in the early series, while also enjoying the interaction with his assistants in the later ones), we discuss how Treguard's role in the show evolved over the either series.

In early series, it wasn't uncommon to see Treguard as largely uncaring at the demise of various teams.

In later series, Myatt describes how Treguard remains slightly macabre, and a character who enjoys watching people "take up the challenge", but becomes more of a "good guy" of The Powers that Be, to counterbalance the Opposition, headed by Lord Fear.

An appetite for return

Finally, we discussed the future of Knightmare.

Myatt expresses the surprise felt by the entire cast and crew of Knightmare when the show was cancelled after Series 8.

"We thought there was at least another two series in it," he remarks.

Regarding the potential for a new series, he laughs. "I can certainly think of one or two [of the cast] who might want to return."

Oh, and because some of you Facebook folk are an odd lot, yes, I asked... Although he doesn't regularly eat biscuits, he used to be a fan of "squashed fly" (garribaldi biscuits) and his favourite cheese is "Camembert, over-ripe, running all over the place."

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