Heathrow special: inside the crisis

Heathrow special: inside the crisis

Author: BBC Radio 4 March 25, 2025 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 flights cancelled and its CEO in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Was it wise to let it be known that CEO Thomas Woldbye was asleep when the decision was made to shut the airport? Or was it a leak?

In any crisis there is always a blame game - who are the winners and losers here?

Producer: Eve Streeter Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: William Miller Music by Eclectic Sounds A Raconteur Studios production for BBC Radio 4


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.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

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