When It Hits the Fan

When It Hits the Fan

Author: BBC Radio 4 Language: English Episodes: 100
Tune in to When It Hits the Fan for a masterclass in reputation management, hosted by two insiders who have lived through the pressure of the headlines. David Yelland, former editor of The Sun, and communications expert Simon Lewis, bring their unparalleled experience to this BBC Radio 4 podcast. Each week, they dissect the most spectacular public relations meltdowns making news, offering a rare glimpse into the frantic world of crisis managers and spin doctors. You’ll hear them trace the origins of a scandal, pinpointing the exact moment strategies began to unravel and public perception shifted. This isn't just commentary; it's a forensic breakdown of how modern media storms are weathered or worsened by those in charge. The analysis is grounded in real-world stakes, exploring the political and personal consequences of every misstep and recovery attempt. For anyone fascinated by the intersection of media, power, and human error, this podcast provides an essential and gripping narrative. Listening feels like being in the room for a candid, post-mortem between two veterans who understand the game better than most. Their conversations reveal the mechanics behind the news cycle, making sense of how stories explode and what happens when control is lost.
Episodes
You're Banned! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:13
It's that moment when a boss, a CEO or football manager goes all Peggy Mitchell and screams: 'You're Barred'. It might work in EastEnders but is it sensible in the world of PR? In this episode, David Yelland and Simon Le…
Robotaxis: Look, no hands! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:20
How do you PR the future? That's the question David Yelland and Simon Lewis are wrestling with this week. As Uber says it's 'ready to go' with driverless cabs, can the British public be persuaded to jump in? How do you s…
The Spy Who Leaked Me [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:46
Spying tends to be a fairly secretive game, for obvious reasons. So eyebrows have been quizzically raised (a bit like Roger Moore's 007) following the naming of the woman apparently favourite to become the new chief of M…
Prince Harry's bombshell interview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:02
As far as royal interviews go, it'll take some beating. This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis sift through Prince Harry's BBC interview - and discuss whether it's a PR disaster. They discuss what sort of advice Harry…
PR is a virus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:35
What if your profession is to blame for almost everything? This week, David Yelland is joined from Washington by PR guru Phil Elwood - who thinks the industry needs to take a long hard look at itself.Accusing PR of being…
China's meme warfare, rats and rockets [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:04
David Yelland and Simon Lewis discuss the global battle for hearts, minds and reputations between the US and China. Following JD Vance calling the people of China peasants, how far is China's retaliatory social media PR…
Quick Wins: How to avoid being typecast [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:47
Quick Wins from the When It Hits the Fan team is our how-to guide to being better at your own PR and navigating the world of work like a pro. In these special short episodes, David Yelland and Simon Lewis give you lots o…
Quick Wins: How to deal with redundancies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:43
Quick Wins from the When It Hits the Fan team is our how-to guide to being better at your own PR and navigating the world of work like a pro. In these special short episodes, David Yelland and Simon Lewis give you lots o…
Heathrow special: inside the crisis [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:26
In this special episode, David Yelland and Simon Lewis unpick the PR levers being pulled behind the Heathrow airport shutdown caused by a fire at a local power substation – which left 300,000 passengers stranded, 1,300 f…