How to PR the End of the World

How to PR the End of the World

Author: BBC Radio 4 September 16, 2026 Duration: 31:38

When an interviewer's first question is whether your product could kill all humans, you know it's serious.

This week, David Yelland and Lauren Beeching look at how the boss of Anthropic, Dario Amodei, handled himself following insider claims that AI could indeed wipe us all out.

As Amodei outlined the risks - and benefits - the vital thing to look at is the timing. With Anthropic preparingto sell its shares on the Nasdaq stock exchange, he needed to appeal to investors more than the general public. And explaining just how incredibly powerful your product is, is not necessarily a bad thing. Even if it could lead to the end of the world.

Also - the secret game being played behind-the-scenes when your client is given a right to reply. David and Lauren discuss what options you have - including how quickly to respond and how much or how little detail to give. And they explain how these days, you can be given as little as an hour to put your side, as publications try to stop people going on social media to control the narrative.

And it's never a good idea to get on the wrong side of a National Treasure. Sir Tom Jones has made it very clear he's not happy at being offered a reduced role on The Voice. He says ITV told him it was due to a 'financial difficulty with insurance'. With producers looking to 'refresh' the show, is everything as it seems?

Producer: Duncan Middleton Editor: Sarah Teasdale Executive Producer: Eve Streeter 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: 50

When It Hits the Fan
Podcast Episodes
Did Swatch PR Backfire? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:26
Not every product launch comes complete with tear gas, police dogs and angry crowds.But those were the scenes at various cities around the world as a new Swatch went on sale.This week, David Yelland and Farzana Baduel di…
Knowing When To Quit [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:15
There is an art to resigning.Fall on your sword immediately and you might end up enhancing your reputation. Cling on for months in spite of overwhelming evidence you should quit - and the opposite can be true.This week,…
The King's Speech [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:20
Finding the right words in a high-pressure situation is not easy - especially when the world is watching. But by common consensus, King Charles' speech to Congress was deemed pretty much pitch perfect.This week, David Ye…
Trouble at the FBI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:08
There are jobs and there are jobs. And then there are jobs like being head of the FBI. So when you're in that role and get accused of excessive drinking and unexplained absences from duty, the reputational risk is huge.T…
Don't Panic!!! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:56
These are busy days in the world of crisis comms. Keeping calm is vital - keeping the public calm is even more vital.David Yelland and Farzana Baduel explain what's going on behind-the-scenes everywhere - from supermarke…
When Poachers Turn Gatekeepers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:01
What happens when you cross enemy lines and join the other side?As King Charles hires a Sky Royal correspondent for a top comms job at the Palace, David Yelland and Farzana Baduel discuss what happens when journalists sw…
Can You Spin ChatGPT? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:08
In the good old days, if you wanted some favourable PR for a client, you could call up a journalist and take them out for a jolly good lunch. It's not so easy when the thing you're trying to influence is a bot. So is it…
A Gulf in Communications [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:01
When your country's PR plan relies on the projection of safety and security, how do you keep that image alive when you're under attack?This week, David Yelland is joined by global PR expert Farzana Baduel to examine how…
The Generation Game [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:13
Getting your message out is obviously a cornerstone of PR. But where you put that message is becoming even more important.This week, David Yelland is joined by Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty from the BBC podcast Fame Under F…
Friends: The One About PR [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:25
When you’re in a crisis, you discover very quickly who your friends are. Or perhaps more accurately, who your friends aren’t.This week, David Yelland and Simon Lewis examine how different types of friends are deployed to…