Rob Rinder is no stranger to Hollywood’s hoi polloi. The criminal barrister-turned-presenter has been a TV fixture for more than a decade and was Benedict Cumberbatch’s best man.
Still, when Metro sat down with the 47-year-old to discuss his new TV show, it was clear he was rather starstruck by his new A-list co-star, Elizabeth Hurley.
‘When Lizzie, who is the person who looks after my world, telephoned and said “Elizabeth Hurley is going to play The Deceased”, it was sort of a perfect camp, out-of-body experience. I said, “Don’t be absurd,” I couldn’t believe it.’
But what TV show sent Rob’s soul to another plane of existence? Well, this new Channel 4 series is called The Inheritance, and the rules are simple enough.
What are the rules for The Inheritance
Twelve strangers are invited to a luxurious country estate in the hopes of inheriting a fortune that once belonged to a benefactor known only as The Deceased (played gloriously by Elizabeth).
If the contestants want to get their hands on the cash, they must work together to complete a series of fiendishly difficult challenges set by The Deceased’s loyal lawyer, The Executor (Rob Rinder).
However, there’s a sting in this tale; only one player can win cash each week, and they must try to persuade all the others that they deserve (and can be trusted with) the money.
Will the competitors steal from their fellow players or spread the wealth? Well, you’ll have to watch to find out.
For Rob, however, the opportunity to work with an ‘icon’ like Liz was a major reason for joining the series.
And for the record, it is Elizabeth.
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During the interview, I made the mistake of calling her ‘Liz Hurley’ and he gently reminded me, like a kindly but authoritative teacher, that it is always ‘Elizabeth’.
So did Elizabeth live up to Rob’s expectations? Well, quite frankly, she exceeded them.
‘Often, when you make people meet people who you’ve written an entire novel about in your head, they fall short,’ he explained. ‘Your imagined novel is always infinitely more fabulous than it could ever be.
‘Turns out, not a bit of it. She exceeds expectations. She really did. I mean, I’m not just saying it was, it was fascinating. She’s like that last bastion of effortless aristocracy.’
Of course, the opportunity to rub shoulders with the new aristocracy wasn’t the only reason Rob was interested in the show. He was also drawn to the role of The Executor.
‘The Executor was a bit of everything I loved doing. A bit of legal education with a bit of drama thrown in.
‘I’d love to say that there was some great, big Stanislavski approach that I needed to consult great actor friends about how it’s possibly going to inhabit the life of this character. But I didn’t have to because it’s me.
‘It’s not even a heightened version. It’s me doing what I do. You will see me interact with the players just as I would with clients or in my documentaries, or engaging with players.’
However, what really fascinated Rob once he was filming was watching how people behaved when they were offered the chance to pocket thousands of pounds at the expense of their fellow players.
‘I thought I had totally rid myself of all assumptions, both conscious and subconscious,’ he explained. ‘But each week I found myself in front of somebody confronting a real moral dilemma, assuming that they might behave in a heroic way.
‘But sometimes those assumptions were blown out of the water,’ he laughed. ‘It’s nice from time to time to be reminded that actually you’re not as thoughtful or as good as you thought you were.’
For Rob, this glimpse into people’s baser, more selfish instincts is what separates The Inheritance from other similar shows like The Traitors.
‘Comparisons are inevitable,’ he said. ‘Both shows involve real-life people, but that’s the end of it. At the heart of [The Inheritance] is a moral dilemma… where you’re asked, “What does fairness look like?”’
‘So it asks different questions. Much as The Traitors is fantastic. We all love it, it asks a totally different question [from The Inheritance].’
The Inheritance premieres on Sunday August 31 on Channel 4.
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