Though Rhys Thomas began his career in comedy, as a lifelong Queen fan, he has written, produced and directed several Queen-related documentaries in his spare time – you know, for fun. He even managed to get the highest-ever score onCelebrity Mastermind, with Queen as his specialist subject.

His relationship with Queen began somewhat unexpectedly. Thomas first met Brian May when May composed the music for Rhys's BBC sitcom Fun at the Funeral Parlour. The relationship developed into a long-running collaboration, with Thomas subsequently working with Brian and Roger Taylor on a series of Queen projects.

Thomas remastered and restored all the Queen videos for Greatest Video Hits I & II, and re-cut the previously released Live at Wembley '86 from the original master tapes. He also worked on Queen + Paul Rodgers' Return of the Championsand the Queen: A Night at the Opera 30th Anniversary Edition.

While working through the Queen archive, Thomas uncovered a remarkable amount of previously unseen material, including an unreleased promotional video for “Bicycle Race.” He also created new videos for Queen songs, including the previously unreleased “Let Me in Your Heart Again” for the 2014 Queen Forever album.

QUEEN: DAYS OF OUR LIVES was produced (and co-directed) by Rhys Thomas and Simon Lupton. After producing several Queen DVD documentaries and re-editing and restoring Live at Wembley '86, Live at Milton Keynes, Greatest Video Hits I and II,  Brian May and Roger Taylor asked them to make the definitive Queen documentary to celebrate Queen's 40th anniversary.   

FREDDIE MERCURY: THE GREAT PRETENDER

Following the success of Queen: Days of Our Lives, Rhys was asked by Queen manager Jim Beach to make a small arts documentary about Freddie Mercury's collaboration with Montserrat Caballé on the Barcelona album, which was approaching its 25th anniversary.  The documentary feature  became an international success, winning an Emmy for Best Arts Programming and the Rose d'Or, while Rhys was nominated for the BAFTA Television Craft Award for Breakthrough Talent for his direction.

The Independent called the film a “richly sourced and moving look” at Mercury's career outside Queen, highlighting the previously unseen material and new interviews with Brian May and Roger Taylor. The Guardian later went further, describing The Great Pretender as the “definitive chronicle” of Mercury.

“Rhys Thomas's documentary Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender remains the definitive chronicle of the singer.” — The Guardian

“A rewarding and moving experience.” — The Sunday Times, ★★★★★