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Hugo Myatt
Hugo Myatt
Hugo Myatt
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Hugo Myatt (born 13 September 1945) is a British actor, presenter and theatre director, best known for his role as the dungeon master Treguard in the children's game show Knightmare.

Key Information

Knightmare

[edit]

Myatt played the role of Treguard of Dunshelm, the dungeon master and presenter of the Children's ITV game series Knightmare throughout all eight series,[1] between 1987 and 1994.[2]

Myatt met Tim Child, the creator of Knightmare, while Child was working as line producer on Anglia Television's regional news programme About Anglia with his wife, presenter Christine Webber. Child believed that Myatt was ideal for a dungeon master role, and arranged to make a pilot, Dungeon Doom. A few months after the first pilot a second pilot was made, which was renamed Knightmare. The second pilot was successful and a series was commissioned. Myatt's Treguard became the only character to appear throughout all 112 episodes that were made over Knightmare's eight series.[1] Myatt ad-libbed some dialogue, with "Ooh, nasty!" becoming a series catchphrase.[1][3][4]

In February 2004, Myatt reprised his role of Treguard for the first time in 10 years with a single appearance in the television series Dick and Dom in da Bungalow. Myatt remained locked in a cage for the entire production, and did not speak during the episode, except for a single line, "Ooh, nasty!", at the end. A few months later he returned to the role of Treguard once more with an appearance in the pilot episode of VR, an intended update of the original Knightmare television series. On this occasion Treguard's role was reduced: he was no longer the presenter of the show, and was present only as a disembodied avatar of Myatt that assisted the dungeoneer with snippets of advice.[1][5][6] In 2013, he played Treguard again in a 2013 YouTube exclusive episode.[7]

Other roles

[edit]

Myatt continued to appear in a variety of roles in television, movies, audio productions, computer games and pantomime. In 1996 he played the character of Stephanos in the Ancient Greece unit of the BBC Schools series Zig Zag, and in February 2000 he played "The Count" in an episode of the BBC television series ChuckleVision entitled "Out for the Count". He also provided several voices for the English version of the Dutch children's animated series Alfred J. Kwak.[1]

Outside children's television, Myatt has produced numerous computer security training videos, and has appeared in a crime reconstruction on Crimewatch. In 2005, he appeared as Leon Bank in Snuff-Movie, and he also played the role of Bob Snatcher in the short film Snatching Time. In 2007 Myatt played the role of Mr Aston in The House on Straw Hill (also known as Rogue), and in 2010 he played the role of a vicar in Dead Cert.[1][8][9] In 2016 Myatt appeared as the character "Dr Wilder" in "Bewilder Box" a live action, immersive escape room located in the seaside resort of Brighton.[10]

Myatt has provided voices for a number of computer games including Black and White, Magic Carpet 2: The Netherworlds, and the original Fable where he provided the voice of the guild master Weaver. He has also performed roles for the Doctor Who audio dramas Omega, Weapon of Choice, A Blind Eye and Panacea (part of the Gallifrey audio series), and has also provided voice acting for the Sapphire & Steel audio drama The Passenger.[9][11][12][13][14][15][16] He has more recently lent his voice to the Evil Scarecrow album Galactic Hunt in the song "Enter the Knightmare", which has lyrics based on Knightmare, and voiced General Khazimov in the mobile running game Zombies, Run![17]

Filmography

[edit]

Television

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1979 Park Ranger Reverend Bultitude Episode: "Fire!"
1987–1994 Knightmare Treguard of Dunshelm, the dungeon master 112 episodes
1996 Strange but True? Leading Seaman Articifer Episode: "Life Beyond Death/The Haunted Bomber"
2000 ChuckleVision Master Episode: "Out for the Count"
2001 Life as We Know It Vicar Episode: "The Election"
2004 Dick and Dom in da Bungalow Treguard Episode: #3.45
2007 Children's TV on Trial Himself Episode: "1980s"
2012 30 Years of CITV Himself Television film

Film

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
1999 Human Traffic Taxi Driver
2004 Strings Hebalonian
2005 Snuff-Movie Leon Blanc
2005 Red Mercury PC Proctor
2010 Dead Cert Rev. Vester
2013 Vendetta Carter
2013 The Shadow of Bigfoot Richard Byrne

Video games

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
2001 Black & White God
2004 Fable The Guildmaster (Weaver)
2005 Fable: The Lost Chapters Various

Audio

[edit]
Year Title Role Notes
2003 Doctor Who: The Monthly Adventures Daland Episode: "Omega"
2019 Geeky Retro News Show Pop Culture Podcast Himself Episode: "Hugo Myatt - Knightmare"

References

[edit]
[edit]
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Hugo Myatt

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Hugo Myatt (born 13 September 1945) is a British , , and voice-over artist best known for his role as the dungeon master Treguard in the children's fantasy adventure game show Knightmare, which aired on ITV for eight series from 1987 to 1994. Myatt began his career in , accumulating over 170 stage productions as an and director throughout his professional life. His theatre work includes notable roles such as Frank in Willy Russell's , Roly in Alan Ayckbourn's Taking Steps, David Bliss in Noël Coward's Hay Fever, Bill in An Evening with by Peter Tinniswood, and Uncle Freddie in Martin Sherman's Bent. In addition to his stage success, Myatt has appeared in several films and television series, often in supporting roles that highlight his versatility as a character actor. Film credits include Carter in the thriller Vendetta (2013), Leon Bank in Snuff-Movie (2005), Richard Byrne in The Shadow of Bigfoot (2013), PC Proctor in the drama Red Mercury (2005), and Vicar in Dead Cert (2010). On television, he portrayed Count Vlad in the BBC children's comedy Chucklevision, Captain Blackbeard in the Disney series Cyberstar, and Stephanous across five series of the educational programme The Ancient Greeks. Myatt is also an accomplished voice artist, contributing to audiobooks, documentaries, and video games. His voice work encompasses narrations for historical documentaries such as The Red Baron and The Turin Shroud, as well as roles in Big Finish Productions' audio dramas including Doctor Who, Gallifrey, and Sapphire and Steel. In video games, he provided voices for titles like Fable: The Lost Chapters (2005), Black & White (2001), and the mobile app Zombies, Run!.

Early life

Birth and family background

Hugo Myatt was born on 13 September 1945 in , , . He grew up in the area during the immediate post-World War II era.

Education and acting beginnings

Myatt did not attend , entering the acting profession without any formal training in the field. After completing his schooling, he briefly worked in non-creative roles at a shipping company and the , where he found little satisfaction. In the mid-1960s, discovered an opportunity in children's theatre through a radio announcement and an advertisement in magazine, prompting him to audition and join a (TiE) company as its leader. In this role, he and the troupe traveled to schools nationwide, staging educational plays for young audiences to foster learning through performance. By the late 1970s, Myatt had transitioned from youth-focused work to adult theatre groups, appearing in repertory productions and similar community-oriented performances. These opportunities allowed him to hone his craft through diverse roles in regional theatres, building on his earlier experience.

Knightmare

Role as Treguard

Hugo Myatt was cast as Treguard, , for the children's show Knightmare in 1987, a role selected by creator Tim Child who had prior familiarity with Myatt as a stage actor. Child designed the character to embody a blend of friendly guidance and inscrutable menace, expressing initial reservations about Myatt's theatrical style suiting the fast-paced format but ultimately choosing him for his ability to convey the dungeon master's ambivalent nature. Treguard was portrayed as a medieval lord-like figure residing in the antechamber of Knightmare Castle, serving as the authoritative guide who summoned teams of young adventurers—known as dungeoneers—into a virtual quest, monitored their life-force, and dispensed cryptic hints or warnings about perils ahead. Myatt's performance emphasized this duality, delivering lines with a stern yet cheeky demeanor that kept players uncertain of Treguard's true allegiance, while interacting directly with the blindfolded dungeoneer through verbal cues and subtle prompts to navigate the blue-screen . A hallmark of Myatt's portrayal was the improvised catchphrase "Ooh, nasty!", first uttered in response to early dungeoneers' mishaps like falls into hazards, which evolved into a signature exclamation for the show's dangers but was later phased out to avoid potential complaints. His interactions with dungeoneers were delivered in an as-live style without rehearsals or retakes, relying on quick and expressive eye-acting to maintain immersion and gently steer younger participants when needed. Drawing from his extensive theatre background of over 100 productions, Myatt prepared by infusing Treguard with a Shakespearean tone—rich, resonant, and authoritative—to elevate the character beyond a mere host, while deliberately avoiding a pantomime-like exaggeration as advised by . This approach anchored Treguard's presence throughout the series' original run from to 1994, making the role central to the immersive fantasy experience.

Series production and reprises

Knightmare was a British children's fantasy adventure game show created by Tim Child and broadcast on Children's ITV from 7 September 1987 to 11 November 1994, spanning eight series and a total of 112 episodes. The program featured teams of four children navigating a virtual dungeon, with one "dungeoneer" physically moving through the set while wearing the Helmet of Justice—a metal helmet designed to blind them and maintain immersion by preventing visibility of the studio environment. Over its run, the production evolved significantly in sets, technology, and format to enhance visual appeal and gameplay. Early series (1-3) utilized a studio-based grid-patterned with hand-painted backdrops created by artist David Rowe, relying on basic blue-screen for a labyrinthine effect. From series 4 in 1990, location filming was introduced at real medieval sites such as Castle Rising and , blending live footage with digital effects, though stylistic clashes between real and virtual elements were noted by creator Tim Child. Technologically, series 2 incorporated 16-bit by Robert Harris for atmospheric re-lighting, while later seasons like 5 added helicopter-filmed location journeys and a character, Smirkenorff, via Helifilms. By series 7-8, the Helmet of Justice was redesigned for better fit, and team formats shifted from single unbroken narratives—where failure ended the quest—to level-based structures (Levels 1-3) with no object carryover between levels, allowing more structured scripting and improved pacing. Hugo Myatt appeared as in every episode, providing the sole consistent character presence across all eight series and helping to maintain narrative continuity amid changing casts, sets, and production techniques. His live performances, without retakes, anchored the show's improvisational style, as he guided dungeoneers and interacted with advisers in real time. Myatt reprised the role in several post-series appearances. In 2004, he appeared as Treguard in an episode of the series Dick and Dom in da Bungalow, where he was confined to a cage for comedic effect. That same year, he voiced a digital version of Treguard in the unaired pilot for Knightmare VR, a proposed virtual reality revival developed by Tim Child that tested interactive gaming elements with school pupils. In 2013, Myatt returned for a one-off revival episode produced for YouTube's Geek Week, featuring online celebrities as advisers and comedian as a new character, Pickle.

Other acting roles

Theatre career

Myatt's theatre career, spanning over four decades, primarily focused on regional repertory and touring productions across the , where he built a reputation as a versatile and director. Following his early training, he immersed himself in the repertory system, performing in diverse roles that showcased his range from comedic to dramatic parts. His work emphasized live performances in venues such as the Leas Pavilion Theatre in , where he appeared in multiple productions during the 1980s, including (1983), (1983), and (1984), in which he portrayed the tutor Frank opposite Helen Reece. Over his career, Myatt contributed to more than 170 productions, often balancing acting with directing responsibilities in regional companies. Among his notable acting credits are classic and modern plays that highlighted his skill in ensemble repertory work. He played David Bliss in Noël Coward's Hay Fever, Roly in Alan Ayckbourn's Taking Steps, Bill in An Evening with Gary Lineker by Peter Tinniswood, and Uncle Freddie in Martin Sherman's Bent, roles that exemplified his ability to handle nuanced character studies in intimate theatre settings. Myatt also excelled in pantomime, a staple of British regional theatre, appearing in over 30 such productions from the 1970s onward, including the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood adaptations and Abanazar in Aladdin (2000). These performances, often in touring or seasonal runs at theatres like the Princes Hall in Aldershot and the Beck Theatre in London, underscored his affinity for villainous and authoritative figures, drawing on his booming voice and commanding presence. In addition to acting, Myatt took on directorial duties, particularly in and repertory seasons, leveraging his experience to guide ensembles in fast-paced productions. A key example is his direction of Dick Whittington at the Beck Theatre in 2001, where he also starred as King Rat, blending leadership with performance in a family-oriented holiday show. His dual role as actor-director was integral to sustaining regional theatre companies, contributing to the vitality of touring circuits through the 1990s and 2000s, including appearances in at the (2003–2004). This multifaceted involvement solidified his legacy in live theatre beyond screen work.

Television and film appearances

Hugo Myatt made several guest appearances on British following his prominent role in fantasy programming. In 1996, he portrayed the character in the educational series Zig Zag, specifically within its unit, where he contributed to historical reenactments for young audiences. That same year, he also portrayed Captain in the series Cyberstar. Four years later, in 2000, Myatt appeared as a character, credited as "The Master," in the episode "Out for the Count" of the comedy series , engaging in humorous antics alongside the . His television work also included a minor role as a in the 2001 episode of the sitcom Life as We Know It. Transitioning to film in the mid-2000s, Myatt took on more dramatic and genre-specific parts, often in thrillers and horrors that showcased his commanding screen presence honed from stage experience. In the 2005 low-budget horror film Snuff-Movie, directed by Bernard Rose, he played multiple antagonistic roles including Dr. Culpepper, Leon Bank, and a desk sergeant, contributing to the film's meta-narrative about a filmmaker haunted by past traumas. That same year, he appeared as a policeman in the British thriller Red Mercury, a story involving a terrorist plot centered on a football match. Myatt's film roles continued with a supporting turn as a vicar in the 2010 crime drama Dead Cert, which explored corruption in the horse racing world. His final credited screen appearance came in 2013's action-thriller Vendetta, where he portrayed the character Carter in a revenge-driven narrative. These later projects marked a shift from light-hearted children's content to darker, more intense genres, reflecting Myatt's versatility in on-screen performances.

Voice and media work

Video games

Hugo Myatt contributed to several early video games through , leveraging his distinctive voice honed from years as the authoritative Treguard in the children's fantasy series Knightmare. His work in this medium began in the mid-1990s and continued into the 2020s, often in fantasy and adventure titles where his resonant delivery enhanced narrative depth and immersion. In 1995, Myatt provided voice overs for Magic Carpet 2: The Netherworlds, a fantasy developed by , where his contributions helped bring the game's mythical world to life through spoken elements. His involvement extended to the 2001 Black & White by , in which he voiced the character , a rival figure whose ominous presence added tension to the player's moral choices in the game's simulated world. This role showcased Myatt's ability to convey commanding , aligning with the game's themes of power and consequence. Myatt's most prominent video game role came in the 2004 action role-playing game Fable, developed by Lionhead Studios, where he voiced Weaver, the Guildmaster of the Heroes' Guild. As a mentor figure who guides the protagonist through training and provides telepathic counsel throughout the adventure, Weaver's character relied on Myatt's deep, reassuring tone to establish trust and lore in the game's expansive fantasy setting. He reprised this performance in the expanded edition Fable: The Lost Chapters (2005) and the 2014 remaster Fable Anniversary, ensuring continuity for the character's impact across platforms. These credits, along with minor additional voices in fantasy titles, drew on Myatt's Knightmare experience to suit interactive narratives that echoed virtual questing. In 2024, Myatt voiced Orthos in Cryptmaster, a dungeon-crawling game by Paindream, further demonstrating his enduring presence in the genre. Myatt's voice work in video games was praised for its suitability to epic storytelling, with his authoritative timbre providing gravitas to non-player characters and narrations in god-like or guiding roles, thereby enhancing player engagement in early 2000s titles.

Audio dramas and other media

Myatt contributed voice acting to several Big Finish Productions audio dramas in the Doctor Who universe during the 2000s. In the 2003 release Omega, part of the Doctor Who Main Range, he voiced the character Daland, a key figure in the story's exploration of the anti-matter entity Omega. He later portrayed Arkadian, a Time Lord official, in the Gallifrey series, debuting in the 2004 story Weapon of Choice and appearing in subsequent installments such as A Blind Eye. These roles highlighted Myatt's ability to deliver authoritative, dramatic performances in complex sci-fi narratives. Myatt also lent his voice to the revived Sapphire & Steel audio series, produced by Big Finish from 2005 to 2008. In the 2005 episode The Passenger, he played Philip Burgess, a steam train enthusiast entangled in a supernatural mystery involving the time agents Sapphire and Steel. This role marked a return to the eerie, investigative tone of the original 1979–1982 television series, with Myatt's portrayal adding depth to the ensemble of enigmatic characters. Beyond scripted dramas, Myatt produced and narrated numerous training videos in the , utilizing his resonant voice to educate on cybersecurity topics for professional audiences. In 2016, he provided narration as Dr. Wilder Sr. for Bewilder Box, an immersive experience in , , where his voice guided participants through puzzle-based challenges in briefing videos and in-game audio. Myatt appeared as a guest on the 2019 Geeky Retro Nerds Show , discussing his career highlights including Knightmare in an episode dedicated to his contributions to cult media.

Later career and legacy

Directing and recent activities

In recent years, Hugo Myatt has provided voice work for video games, including the role of Orthos and the narrator in the 2024 dungeon-crawling title Cryptmaster, where players spell out words to cast spells in a fantasy adventure inspired by classic shows like Knightmare. Myatt made public appearances at fan conventions in 2024, notably attending Live on October 5 at the Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre, where he engaged with fans of his Knightmare legacy. He also guest-starred as Treguard in a live performance of Knightmare Live on November 2 at the Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham, drawing applause for his reprise of the iconic role. In late 2024, Myatt featured in a YouTube interview titled "What a Knightmare! Hugo Myatt Interview!", where he reflected on the production challenges and enduring impact of Knightmare during its original run. His contributions to interactive media persist through ongoing voice-over elements in established escape room experiences, such as the briefing videos for Bewilder Box's The Bewilder Box Initiative in Brighton, which remain in use for players into 2025.

Recognition and influence

Knightmare's innovative use of technology and early positioned it as a precursor to in children's television, blending live-action with immersive environments that captivated audiences during the late home boom. The series influenced the gaming industry by inspiring creators to pursue careers in VR and , while also sparking the formation of live-action role-play groups and formats that echoed its narrative-driven gameplay. In recognition of its production excellence, Knightmare received a in the Youth Category at the 1988 New York Film & TV Festival Awards and the Jean D'Arcy International Award for innovative that same year. Hugo Myatt's portrayal of Treguard earned him enduring recognition as an icon of and children's programming, with fans at conventions often expressing profound emotional gratitude for the role's impact on their childhoods, such as one attendee who tearfully declared it made them feel "13 again." In a 2018 interview, Myatt reflected on the show's status, noting how his "ooh nasty" continues to evoke and how Knightmare motivated viewers to enter gaming and LARP communities. He reprised the role in specials like the Geek Week episode, underscoring its lasting popularity. More recently, in a 2024 podcast interview, Myatt discussed the series' influence on interactive entertainment, highlighting ongoing fan engagement at events like Live. Myatt's over 40-year career in acting and directing has been retrospectively appreciated in geek culture through fan-led conventions and stage adaptations like Knightmare Live, which perpetuate the show's legacy decades after its 1994 finale. As he turned 80 in September 2025, Myatt remains a celebrated figure, with continued tributes affirming Knightmare's role in shaping fantasy media for generations.

References

  1. https://www.themoviedb.org/person/89464-hugo-myatt
  2. https://darklingagency.com/clients/hugo-myatt-2/
  3. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0616585/
  4. https://www.mobygames.com/person/34743/hugo-myatt/
  5. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Hugo-Myatt/
  6. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/weekend/knightmare-dungeon-master-hugo-myatt-if-they-picked-the-wrong-clue-i-knew-that-three-scenes-later-they-were-doomed/41826568.html
  7. https://www.leaspavilionarchive.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/LP_PRO_1983_MON_6.pdf
  8. https://www.knightmare.com/fanzone/magazines/the-quest/1.3-child-interview.html
  9. https://www.knightmare.com/characters/powers-that-be/treguard.html
  10. https://themalestrom.com/film-tv/treguar-knightmare-hugo-myatt/
  11. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0193677/
  12. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2013/apr/08/how-we-made-knightmare
  13. https://www.knightmare.com/backstage/history/knightmare-evolved.html
  14. https://www.knightmare.com/backstage/interviews/knightmare-at-25.html
  15. https://www.knightmare.com/series/geek-week/geekweek-hugo.html
  16. https://www.knightmare.com/fanzone/articles/looking-back/ooh-nasty.html
  17. https://www.knightmare.com/series/knightmare-vr/
  18. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/aug/05/knightmare-youtube-geek-week-doctor-who
  19. https://www.leaspavilionarchive.org.uk/artist/hugo-myatt
  20. https://www.leaspavilionarchive.org.uk/catalogue_item/educating-rita-by-willy-russell-1984-with-helen-reece-and-hugo-myatt
  21. https://www.knightmare.com/events/2000.html
  22. https://www.pantoarchive.com/aldershot
  23. https://www.knightmare.com/events/2001.html
  24. https://www.its-behind-you.com/diary20032004.html
  25. https://www.broadcastforschools.co.uk/site/Zig_Zag/Ancient_Greece
  26. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0403267/
  27. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443619/
  28. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1499220/
  29. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2572632/
  30. https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/video-games/Black-White/Nemesis/
  31. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0280485/fullcredits/
  32. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388929/fullcredits/
  33. https://www.mobygames.com/person/34743/hugo-myatt/credits/
  34. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32275994/fullcredits/
  35. https://www.knightmare.com/events/2024.html
  36. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCOPAkOoNxA
  37. https://www.escapethereview.co.uk/escape-room/53452/bewilder-box-the-bewilder-box-initiative-2/
  38. https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/knightmare-35-years-since-the-show-blew-the-minds-of-a-generation/
  39. https://www.knightmare.com/backstage/history/awards.html
  40. https://www.knightmare.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7348
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