The Inheritance's Robert Rinder makes huge confession over his will

Rob Rinder takes on a new role on the small as The Executor in The Inheritance - and the show has made him reflect on the importance of having a will.

She’s played everything from secret angels to the Devil itself. Now, Elizabeth Hurley takes on her most enigmatic role yet - The Deceased in C4’s brand new reality competition, The Inheritance.

But getting her on board took some convincing. “I didn’t really understand it, at first,” she says, “The graphics on the original deck I was sent - my character wasn’t glamorous and glorious. She was very old, about 110! They very quickly changed the picture.”

Produced by Studio Lambert, the powerhouse behind BBC’s The Traitors, the show takes 13 strangers, locks them inside a grand stately home, and pits them against each other in challenges to prove themselves worthy of inheriting part of The Deceased’s fortune - and it’s no easy feat.

Overseeing the high-stakes contest is The Executor - played by barrister and broadcaster Robert Rinder. As Elizabeth’s trusted legal counsel, he ensures the stipulations of The Deceased’s will are followed to the letter.

Robert drew something more sobering from his role. “I have written about how people should leave wills and why they should think about it,” he says.

“Most people don’t have a will, and, consequently, what they leave behind can end up being in the hands of people they really don’t want. The broader point of this mischievous show is that you should have a will.”

Practising what he preaches, Robert has already made his own arrangements. “I do have a will, who I’m leaving my money to will not be a surprise to the people who receive it,” he says.

But they shouldn’t expect any luxurious extras. “I don’t have a good car because I’m a horrible driver,” he says, “Out of respect for other road users, I don’t really stay on the road. I’m not really into watches or jewelry but I love my art. I’m going to leave a piece to all of the people I love.”

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Still, the process was a revelation. “I always wondered, ‘is it real?’ But they really live it. When they’re in that room, it’s an apotheosis of all these complexities and emotional dynamics, not just in the gang but from them living together,” Robert says, “There are moments I wasn’t privy to.”

For Robert, the show was irresistible. “The Deceased goes through life only caring about one thing - are you a decent person? The rest doesn’t matter,” Robert explains. “When it comes to Elizabeth, she’s iconic. And the thing about being an icon is you don’t have to prove anything to anyone.”

In The Inheritance, contestants must show cunning, teamwork and nerve, all while enduring surreal challenges that embody Elizabeth’s camp and larger-than-life alter ego.

“They’re very right for this lady and her estate,” she says, “As the show goes on, she comes up with some interesting things.” The absurdity is clear from the very first episode.

Tasked with creating The Deceased’s trademark rosé, players must gather white wine from the bottom of a lake and pick out the perfect red wine from a string of barrels. “That’s absurd, isn’t it?” Elizabeth quips, “Everyone has to put on their diving suits. I wouldn’t want to do that!”

For all his courtroom expertise, even Robert wasn’t prepared for the unpredictable gameplay. “You need to have an intuitive and informed sense of how people are going to behave and I really thought I did,” he says.

“Watching this experience evolve, I was wrong on more than one occasion and that really surprised me. To surprise me is to achieve something.”

And the further the game went, the more hooked he became. “I got utterly engaged in it,” he says. “I thought it was completely insane. I was desperate to find out who had done what. It was gripping.”

The tension peaks at the end of each episode with a showdown where contestants must convince their rivals why they deserve the lion’s share of The Deceased’s wealth.

“People put their foot forward as claimants to be the prime beneficiary,” Robert says, “There were moments we had to make sure we kept things strictly legal in the ceremony. There’s no secret in their elimination. Only one person can be the prime beneficiary.”

The 13 contestants themselves come from wildly different walks of life: scaffolder Cam, former police sergeant Catherine, paramedic Emma, retired market trader Ferg, marketing manager Hafsah, wedding planner Hannah, entrepreneur James, student Jesse, development coach Mart, company owner Matt, health and wellbeing advisor Tia, professional gamer Zara and chess teacher Pat.

C4’s Head of Reality and Entertainment Steve Handley says finding such a mix was no easy task. “Our gold standard is to find ordinary, warm and relatable people. It is quite a hunt to find them. They’re not people that apply, they’re people we find,” he says and teases: “Pat is great, she goes on a journey.”

The setting proved just as important as the casting. Filmed across Dorset and Hampshire, production struck gold when a family agreed to hand over their sprawling estate. “My brief was ‘if Elton could live there, we’re into it,’” Steve says.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth’s costumes required less research - but a lot of trust. “We got someone from a really big magazine,” Elizabeth remembers, “I said, ‘I don’t think I need any fittings. You don’t need to send me any photographs. Just bring me great stuff, we’ll try it on the day.’ I trusted her and she brought great stuff.”

While Elizabeth revelled in her mysterious persona, could Robert ever be a contestant? His answer is as categorical as it is witty. “Don’t be absurd, I have no transferable skills, there’d be too much camp energy,” he jokes, “Liza (Minnelli) would manifest!”

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