Comedian and actor Guz Khan has, somewhat unexpectedly, become a fixture of British festive television. With a new Lapland-set comedy special, a voice role in a Richard Curtis animation, and a scientific deconstruction of Home Alone under his belt, Khan jokes that Christmas has effectively funded his home improvements.
From Birmingham to the Arctic: The Making of 'Stuffed'
His latest venture, the one-hour BBC comedy 'Stuffed' airing on 23 December at 9pm, sees him star opposite Morgana Robinson. He plays Arslan, a hard-up dad who uses a mistaken Christmas bonus to take his family on a dream holiday to Lapland, only to face the consequences. Khan admits the project, written by his Man Like Mobeen collaborator Andy Milligan, was a departure from his usual, more anarchic work.
"You have to follow some guidelines," Khan explained. "It was a really good challenge for me. Where I’d usually express myself with dialogue, I had to try and get the same feeling with an expression." Despite the show's setting, he revealed most of it was filmed near a roundabout in Reading, with only a brief stint in the Arctic Circle. "My brown arse will never enter that place ever again," he declared, citing his genetics' aversion to extreme cold.
Quietly Groundbreaking Festive Fare
Beyond the slapstick, Stuffed presents a nuanced portrayal of an interfaith marriage, with Robinson's character celebrating Christmas and Khan's Muslim character participating with "detached bewilderment." Khan believes this normalised depiction is significant. "I don’t know if at Christmastime there have been many depictions of interfaith couples," he said, acknowledging that while it's just everyday life for many, it might be a first for some viewers—and may even "piss some people off."
Closing the Chapter on Man Like Mobeen
This year also saw the conclusion of the critically acclaimed series that made his name, Man Like Mobeen. The final season, released in May, saw the show evolve from a street-smart sitcom into something closer to a thriller. Khan felt a responsibility to avoid a fairy-tale ending. "It’s a bad life. It’s a life that will ruin you," he said of the criminal world depicted, wanting to ensure no young viewer would aspire to the lifestyle.
While he feels it's the right time to end the series, given his own life has moved on from the experiences of 20 years ago, he doesn't rule out a future special. "I’d love to see what those characters look like in their late 50s," he mused.
Looking Ahead: Riz Ahmed, Hollywood and Good Vibes
Khan's slate remains packed. He appears in the second season of Netflix's The Gentlemen, has an unscripted car show, and is especially thrilled about Riz Ahmed's upcoming Prime Video comedy Bait, where he plays Ahmed's cousin. He recounted Ahmed's poignant reflection on his 27-year career: "'Until now no one has ever asked me to do my own show.'"
With roles in projects like Andy Samberg's Digman! and Rebel Wilson's Girl Group, Khan's career is soaring. Yet his ambitions remain grounded. "I just want to work with good people and catch good vibes," he stated. "I’m not worried about Hollywood. We’re just trying to have fun, bro, for however long this theme park carries on."
